UK woman in jail a month for racist COMMENTS!!!

Maybe things are different there, but in America the judges themselves have ruled that the state - cops specifically but I think it includes the judges also are not bound to protect citizens.

And I'll bet that if anyone tried to sue the government of Britain for allowing someone to rob them or rape them the case would go nowhere.

They would lose.

It seems pretty obvious that the government is trying to regulate speech that it doesn't like and is using its police powers to punish people who do no think like the government wants them to think.

 

This demonstrates a bit more of the hypocrisy surrounding this type of issue. (not to say this is your view OJLeb)

To a lot of people, her getting physically assaulted for what she says, is less offensive than what she is saying. A lot of people seem to be okay with the idea of someone being assaulted for speaking a controversial view point... but not okay with controversial view.

The same oddity can be observed in threads about Islamic extremism or crime perpetrated by minorities etc. A specific type of poster will attack the person who started the thread... rather than comment on the act described in the thread. So somehow to them, "bigotry", even when it's not actually bigotry... is worse than whatever crime has been committed.

 

Mac, the bail act came into force in 1976 and specifically states that judges can refuse bail for the defendants own protection, Govt. would need to be pretty good clairvoyants to see it's potential to suppress free speech in case 35 years later. (actually i retract this bold as I don't think that's what you are saying, my further points still stand tho)

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1976/63/pdfs/ukpga_19760063_en.pdf

Just this summer a nurse was refused bail for her own protection after the media hyped her case and made her a target

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-14422797

You may disagree with the charge, whether it was just free speech or whether it was racially aggravated harrasment and I would happily discuss that with you, but the court did not refuse her bail to punish her, she's going to trial anyway. The threats against her were real, her address had been posted over networking sites. According to their legislated responsibilities the had to refuse bail.

 

I've already said that people sending death threats and the like are morons looking for something to make them feel big. As to people reacting on the tube, it would be slightly more understandable since they had no where to escape her vile rant, however I would say they would have been just as wrong depending on the assault... perhaps more wrong. the fact this sort of thing was a clear possibility was why it is illegal in this country, if she'd said it on line, in a letter to a magazine, people could just not read it. But these folks had to listen and the risk of violence was real

 

sit down and have a beer Iolo , have another

now , who was ya refering to in that WE part of your post.

and , just out of curoisity , what did you think of 'Rise of the Apes' ?

 

no will stay here and try to change the US laws make them more racial friendly like UK laws

 

She shouldn't have even been arrested but even if we grant she likely committed a "crime", it's so minor she should have been released ROR.

 

So now if the govt wants to put someone in jail, they just accuse them of some extremely minor "crime" and then put their address on the internet and lock them up for their own protection.!!!!!

 

I think a jail sentence is completely inappropriate, she should be fined for disturbing the peace and that is all. She does not deserve to go to jail over this. She did not appear to be drunk (or at least, not very drunk) and she did not make any direct threats against anyone. She was just throwing random racial abuse around (mostly complaining about how the people on the tram weren't British) and saying "F*ck" a lot. It was really not that severe or hysterical either. She's just an ignorant loud mouth basically. Couple of people on the tram yelled back at her, it should have stopped there.

What is really disgusting about this is that she is getting death threats. That is completely unacceptable. The police should be locking those people up, not her.

I actually feel sorry for this woman, her life has been completely screwed up by this. She has had her bail refused for her own safety. She has to be locked up in prison because of all the death threats she's receiving, just think about that. What a bloody injustice, it makes me sick.

She's being locked up and getting death threats, for being an ignorant loud mouth. I don't even think paedophiles or murderers deserve that kind of treatment, let alone this poor woman.

I really feel sorry for her kid.

And I think it was a mistake for those people on the tram to engage with her. It is attention seeking behaviour, you just ignore people like that. If you start arguing with them you're just giving them what they want. You're never going to convince someone like that that they're wrong.

In fact she shouldn't even have got a fine. She should have been made to do community service, or attend a compulsory cultural awareness class or something like that.

She should not be in prison.

 

So, in summary - most Americans on here disagree with a particular decision of a British court of law; most British and Commonwealth posters can see reasons for said decision. Opinion is divided on the matter, as is the case with most matters under discussion on internet political fora.

Why the need for 17 pages of discussion? Why the need to ascribe sinister political motives to the application of an established legal precedent? And why the need for childish trans-Atlantic vituperation?

The British and Americans do a number of things differently in their respective societies. These differing approaches do not in themselves comprise superiority, or inferiority. This is a pointless discussion, whose only apparent purpose is gratuitous insult and criticism.

 

It's a question of freedom of speech, it is not a pointless discussion.

I'm from the Commonwealth and I don't agree with the decision at all.

Pro tip: Try actually contributing to the discussion next time instead of just complaining about it.

And you posted this on the 19th page

 

must respectfully disagree the approaches do show superiority or inferiority, the british approach is superior to the american approach.

a women making racist comments and in front of those poor innocent african children behind her on the bus goes to prison and rightfully so

the US would have an inferior approach to this matter, the worst would be a temporary suspension from their job if they are in a high position or nothing at all if unemployed like this women.

 

Listen matey, 4,000 odd posts might indicate that I have contributed to more on-line discussions than you have had hot breakfasts.

I am more than happy to contribute to a worthwhile discussion, but not to a slanging match. I leave that to you disgruntled colonials.

 

Are conservatives still whining about what happened in another country? The problem with conservatives is that it is impossible for them to stay out of other people's business.

 

I am trying to think of a time or incident where that has not been the case .

Regardless , one of the general criticisms of Americans is that they start talking before they have gear selected .

And , surprise , surprise , the car back fires .
I know they have to get things out fast or their grazing and feeding time is restricted .
But consideration of others would be nice .
Which is why the woman was punished , a total lack of consideration , and also several different other matters .
Americans are so forgetful in real life about other people' human rights and denying them free speech .
Particularly when their boy soldiers are torturing , killing and generally being ever so considerate whilst they Free the Planet .

 

You're on fire tonight!

I know you've heard the term 'nanny state'.

 

It's the thing conservatives and liberals have in common.

 

I guess this is one area where an Anarchist trumps a strict Constitutionalist even.

 

An Anarchist can realize how similar conservatives and liberals are regardless of the constitution.

 

And you're not subject to the whims of your government? Try not paying your taxes and tell us what freedom feels like from inside a jail cell.

 

Considering this is a thread speaking about a pseudo crime rooted in a person daring to speak their mind in a manner not authorized by the government, that is a pretty bold whopper.

 

What always amazes me is how they all use the identical phrase (complete with the same spelling errors if in writing) within a half hour of its being uttered by an approved leftist source, and the pretense that this amazing use of the same talking point or word (Gravitas comes to mind) was arrived at independently through thoughtful study of the issue....

Not even the left buys that yet we hear it all the time.

 

No, the issue is not about politics or even nationality. It is about freedom and law. Half the board finds such restrictions on fee speech odious and an affront to liberty and others view the speech itself odious and an attack.

Unfortunately for that second group, the idea that speech can and should be restricted when objectionable has a long and evil history while the freedom to speak even unpleasant speech does not carry that baggage.

 

Sorry are you suggesting the govt. circulated her address as a pretext to refuse bail ?

Laughable mate, really laughable.

It's been standard procedure since 76, maybe before, if they had not refused bail given the threats to the defendant, when they had done the same for Rebecca Leighton in the summer, they would have been neglecting their legislated duty and leaving themselves open to accusations of deliberately endangering her. The same people complaining that she was refused bail, would be claiming the court failed to protect her.

If you have some evidence that the Govt. circulated her address then please show it to us, otherwise keep your conspiracy theories to yourself.

 

Good. I watched the video and I hope they throw away the key and let her child be raised by someone with sanity and compasion.