The Price of Free Speech : Unaffordable?

[PHXPhlyer]

To clarify: By "another department" I meant a different municipality's law enforcement department, County Sheriff, State Highway Patrol, etc.

PP

[Bob]

Same ***** then...***** investigating themselves

[Rwy in Sight]

The best idea are former officers with no intention or possibility to return to work and no connection to the department or the officers involved (different classes at the academy never served together etc).

[barkingmad]

The “Independent” Police Complaints Commission no longer exists since 2018 when it was renamed Independent Office for Police Conduct-IOPC.

https://peelsolutions.co.uk/ipcc-becomes-iopc/

Name changed IAW the standard procedure for organisations who’ve been branded total failures.

Railtrack renamed Network Rail after abysmal performance and several fatal accidents.

Calder Hall renamed Windscale renamed Sellafield after numerous accidents.

I trust you get the thrust of this and any confidence in the IOPC will be suitably configured...

[barkingmad]

Where HAVE we been, Mr Bean?
Since the BLM epidemic and the Covid epidemic there have been many cases of people being “cancelled” for speaking out against the official line on these and other topics.
So here’s one of the UK’s favourite comedy stars trying to speak seriously on the topic whilst highlighting some of the more ridiculous abuses of legislation creeping into our laws;



I had never heard of Section 5 before now and of course THEY will say ignorance is no excuse.

Enjoy but beware who it is watching you and reporting you!

[Boac]

I have seen it before, possibly on here. and excellent it was. I cannot recall when he deliverd it? For your info, Section 5 is, I think, what prompted the stupid police reaction to the retired PC Harry Miller's 'case'.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Where HAVE we been, Mr Bean?
Since the BLM epidemic and the Covid epidemic there have been many cases of people being “cancelled” for speaking out against the official line on these and other topics.
So here’s one of the UK’s favourite comedy stars trying to speak seriously on the topic whilst highlighting some of the more ridiculous abuses of legislation creeping into our laws;



I had never heard of Section 5 before now and of course THEY will say ignorance is no excuse.

Enjoy but beware who it is watching you and reporting you!

Good grief, a video posted by our good friend barkingmad with which I concur 100%. Am I losing my mind...

[barkingmad]

More on the issue in Jockistan;

The Times on Thursday devoted an editorial to the small victory north of the border for free speech advocates in getting the SNP’s appalling hate crime bill watered down to make it slightly less appalling.

“For months the Scottish justice secretary has defended his hate crime bill against criticism that it is a dangerously illiberal attack on freedom of speech. He appeared undeterred by the lengthening list of critics, who included the Scottish Police Federation, the Law Society of Scotland, the National Secular Society and the Scottish Catholic Church. Concerns focused on a proposal to make “stirring up hatred” a criminal offence, as well as behaviour “likely” to stir up such hatred. Also outlawed would be the possession or communication of “inflammatory material” deemed “likely” to encourage hatred, a measure that could have had implications for bookshops and libraries. A leader column in this newspaper denounced the proposed law as an “act of folly”.

Yesterday, finally, Mr Yousaf admitted defeat and announced that amendments would be brought forward to safeguard rights that should never have been under threat in the first place. His decision is welcome insofar as it goes, although he is not yet off the hook. Critics say the ministerial climbdown, which removed the word “likely”, is a rung or two short of satisfactory.
The Free Speech Union submitted evidence in July to the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee opposing the bill.

This definition of “hate crime” is far too broad and will enable groups claiming to speak for people in these protected categories to lobby the authorities to prosecute anyone who challenges their ideology on the grounds that doing so is likely to stir up hatred. Under this new law, not only will those who challenge identitarian dogma be vulnerable to prosecution, but anyone who possesses “inflammatory material” will be too, as will theatre producers who put on plays expressing these forbidden ideas and the actors who perform in them. If the Bill passes, Scotland will become the most aggressive regulator of speech in the United Kingdom and one of the most belligerent in Europe. And it could easily become the basis of a similar law in England and Wales.
The climbdown is a start, but not enough to keep speech free and protected from the constant threat of litigation from the woke and perpetually offended.”

The USSR is not dead as long as countries in the West are happy to copy their infamous methods!

[unifoxos]

While I totally agree with what RA said in the above speech, my information is that the "Reformsection5" movement got a success by amending section 5 in a later bill.

In 2013.

[TheGreenGoblin]

If the speech isn't worth hearing then who cares whether it is free or not. We are living on the brink of fascism folks and it comes from both right and left.

We live in dark times...

[prospector]

This video is well worth watching, covers todays society very well.

[boing]

Thanks Prospector. I have actually been coming across a number of stories told by people who abandoned their "belief" groups which sound very similar to the stories that were told by people who left cults. Generally they were bombarded with hatred in one form or another including job losses and ostracism.

A fairly recent survey conducted by the Cato Institute found that the 62% of Americans feel that is unsafe to express their true political beliefs in public because of the danger of losing their job or other pressures. So much for the First Amendment.

https://www.cato.org/publications/surve ... raid-share

[barkingmad]

Another victim of the ‘woke’ lefty revoltings in the UK has decided to come out fighting, it was only a matter of time before the pendulum came off the stop.

However, the formation of new parties in any country has a rough time, usually because the existing stuffed animals in the positions of power or opposition will do anything to avoid seeing their voter strength being diluted by the disaffected.

Look at what happened to UKIP, the Brexit Party and ForBritain and those with longer memories might recall the ill-fated Social Democratic Party with David Owen and his Gang of Four.

However, I wish Lawrence Fox the best in his endeavours and will study the policy manifesto when it’s published. Meanwhile, wait for the howlls of outrage from the usual suspects coupled with accusations of racism blah blah;

“The actor Laurence Fox is launching a political party to fight the culture wars after raising over £1 million, including substantial sums from former Tory donors, the Telegraph can disclose.

Fox hopes to stand dozens of candidates for his new party at the next General Election to provide a political movement for people who are “tired of being told that we represent the very thing we have, in history, stood together against”.

His aims include reforming publicly-funded institutions, likely to include the BBC, and celebrating Britain’s history and global contribution.

The new party (provisionally called “Reclaim”) could launch as soon as next month. The party’s name is subject to approval by the Electoral Commission. Papers are due to be submitted to the electoral regulator in the middle of this week.

In a statement to the Telegraph, Fox said: “Over many years it has become clear that our politicians have lost touch with the people they represent and govern.

“Moreover, our public institutions now work to an agenda beyond their main purpose. Our modern United Kingdom was borne out of the respectful inclusion of so many individual voices.

“It is steeped in the innate values of families and communities, diverse in the truest sense but united in the want and need to call this island home.

“The people of the United Kingdom are tired of being told that we represent the very thing we have, in history, stood together against.

“We are all privileged to be the custodians of our shared heritage. We can reclaim a respectful nation where all are included and none are ashamed to have somewhere to call home.

“I have been so encouraged by the support I have received by those wishing to add their voices to this reclamation of our values.

“Our country is now in desperate need of a new political movement which promises to make our future a shared endeavour, not a divisive one. This is now my endeavour.”.

[Boac]

Then watch him go the way of all flesh too?

[barkingmad]

Then watch him go the way of all flesh too?

Unlike YOUR new party, out of whose orifice the sun would permanently shine?

Anyone who enjoys the vid of Cassie Jaye in Prospector’s post # 51 will have more reinforcement of their views by simply plugging this into t(e search donk;

YouTube Cassie Jaye

[Boac]

Sorry, BM - what dreams/nightmares are bothering you now? What is this 'YOUR new party' I appear to have unwittingly proposed?

[Pontius Navigator]

Boing, the same here I reckon. My neighbours, nice people, do anything for us, did lots of our shopping during lockdown and shielding. However they have no sense of the black humour endemic in the military.

My brothers in law, two ex military, can share such humour. One of my daughters whilst she has a robust attitude can have very contrary views. I try and avoid some subjects.

[Woody]

The actor Laurence Fox is launching a political party to fight the culture wars after raising over £1 million, including substantial sums from former Tory donors, the Telegraph can disclose.

Yay... A new party for Brexity types who think they aren't already well enough represented by the Tories, Brexit Party, UKIP, Britain First, BNP, The English Nationalist Party etc...

[barkingmad]

Has the pendulum finally got off it’s way-off-to-the-Left stop and is perceptibly moving elsewhere?

Stop Press: Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary, has warned museums and galleries to stop removing statues and other artefacts or risk losing government subsidies, and the Department for Education has issued guidance to teachers saying they should teach children that woke “cancel culture” and “no-platforming” is an attack on free speech and has no place in British society. Is the Conservative Party finally going into battle in the culture war?

It should be a fun winter watching the ‘wokes’ waking up and sniffing the coffee, FairTrade of course!

Woody, please define a “Brexity type” as I suspect I might be one?

[Woody]

Just a quote that I found, just put it on to show opposite opinions.