

UK resident to be sentenced for "Offensive Facebook Message" - Lasher
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-19604735

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jdietrich
For those who don't understand the prosecution, it is important to know that
impoverished parts of northern England have seen violent race riots on several
occasions over the past few years, as have many other countries in Europe.
There was significant rioting across England in August of last year, which had
a substantial racial element and which ultimately led to 5 deaths.

Radical Islamist and far-right groups are constantly looking to provoke anger
and dischord, with regular demonstrations and counter-demonstrations by groups
like Islam4UK and the English Defence League posing a real threat to civil
society.

The American notion of free speech is reliant on a level of cultural
homogeneity that limits the risks of political and ethnic tensions. Europeans
are much more comfortable with the idea of limiting speech which is a threat
to peaceful coexistence, because we are painfully aware of how quickly a
society can degenerate.

Americans perceive free speech as an inalienable right, but the European
perspective is generally that there is a careful balance to be struck between
the right of the individual to self-expression and defending the political
stability which makes such freedom possible. The provocation of social tension
is very much perceived as equivalent to shouting "fire!" in a crowded theatre.
A great many historical failures to strike that balance loom large over the
European political landscape.

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petercooper
I think you sum it up quite well. As a European, I support this stance, but
encounter resistance from most Americans when it's discussed (even the more
liberal ones) because it's such a culture shock.

I don't know if it's related but I travel in the US quite a lot and notice
that compared to the UK, at least, races and cultures tend to separate
themselves a lot, whereas even in rural areas of the UK, people integrate a
lot more and seem to care less about race or culture.

 _Radical Islamist and far-right groups are constantly looking to provoke
anger and dischord, with regular demonstrations and counter-demonstrations by
groups like Islam4UK and the English Defence League posing a real threat to
civil society._

Sort of, but I'm not entirely convinced these groups are any worse than many
right wing groups in the US who protest against gay marriage, the welfare
state, or abortion. We merely see them as being radical because of our laws
whereas in the US, a group like the EDL wouldn't be seen as particularly
interesting.

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petercooper
The actual act of law behind this:
<http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/27/section/1>

The chance of a serious sentence is small. However, in getting a guilty
verdict, they had to prove one of his _purposes_ of sending the message was to
"cause distress or anxiety", not merely that such distress or anxiety was
caused. This is why comedians aren't constantly hauled in on such charges
because their role is clear.

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freditup
It's clearly a terrible thing to say, but I'm utterly shocked that's illegal.
It's not a threat to anyone, it's not harassing a specific individual, etc.
Seems to be a dangerous precedent to set.

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Wingman4l7
How did this become a case in the first place? Who even bothered to "press
charges" over this?

