Dixie
Referees in England
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2006
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In the Graham Henry biography thread, Davet wrote:
I am broadly in agreement with this, and thought the Norwegians did extremely well to avoid giving the impression of bias by attempting to muzzle (or at least, not to broadcast the ranting of) Anders Breivik. After yet another British disappointment in the Olympics, a seventeen year-old was arrested for sending a nasty Tweet to a British competitor. I find myself disgusted by the Tweet itself, but more disgusted by the fact that the sender was arrested. Several of my colleagues now look at me as though I were Zaphod Beeblebrox having unveiled the second head.
Do others have a view about whether being nasty to other people should be a criminal offence - and if so, where (if anywhere) to draw the line? Should I be allowed, for instance, to express the view that Tony Blair was at the same time both the worst British post-war Prime Minister and the best political self-promoter? Or is that view just too nasty to be promulgated, and worthy of a prison sentence by virtue of being likely to upset poor old Tony?
I support free speech to the extent that I would not try to prevent even exteme idiots like holocaust deniers or Islamist extremists, or fundamentalist Christians, telling us what they think - I believe that only by listening to idiocy and extreme political and superstitious views can you be aware of them and take steps to nullify any threat they pose.
I am broadly in agreement with this, and thought the Norwegians did extremely well to avoid giving the impression of bias by attempting to muzzle (or at least, not to broadcast the ranting of) Anders Breivik. After yet another British disappointment in the Olympics, a seventeen year-old was arrested for sending a nasty Tweet to a British competitor. I find myself disgusted by the Tweet itself, but more disgusted by the fact that the sender was arrested. Several of my colleagues now look at me as though I were Zaphod Beeblebrox having unveiled the second head.
Do others have a view about whether being nasty to other people should be a criminal offence - and if so, where (if anywhere) to draw the line? Should I be allowed, for instance, to express the view that Tony Blair was at the same time both the worst British post-war Prime Minister and the best political self-promoter? Or is that view just too nasty to be promulgated, and worthy of a prison sentence by virtue of being likely to upset poor old Tony?