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FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Common sense can be heard to beseech:

What has been done to freedom of speech?

Now the prisoner of opinion and offence

None of which makes very much sense.

Words chosen have to be - shall we say "foxy"

To avoid the wrath of the me-me orthodoxy,

Like the Hays Office that controlled what was seen

In days long gone on the cinema screen

When couples on a bed had their feet on the floor 

To stop the censors cutting out what they saw.

Now, we are all on that bed it appears

Feet on the floor in fear of those shears

Desperate not to upset or offend -

It's enough to drive the sane round the bend!

.............................................................................

◄ SOME POETRY

SUTURES AND FUTURES ►

Comments

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M.C. Newberry

Fri 10th Jul 2020 15:29

Anyone with perception of even a modest degree can understand
the difference between rabble-rousing rhetoric of a tub-thumping variety; also vitriolic personal slights -and legitimate questions and challenges to points of view
and attitudes of mind. We must be careful in the use of the term
"hate speech" since, without carefully considered impartiality, it
becomes possible to use it to exclude just about anything unsettling and uncomfortable.

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Greg Freeman

Fri 10th Jul 2020 08:39

Freedom of speech, yes. Of course. But this freedom is not unlimited. Let me remind all of Write Out Loud's guidelines: "We will not tolerate racism, sexism, homophobia or other forms of hate-speech, or contributions that could be interpreted as such. There is a difference between criticising a particular government, organisation, community or belief, and attacking people on the basis of their race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age. Don’t do it." No matter how 'foxy' the wording may be, or is thought to be, we are always on the look-out for any such breaches of our guidelines. If you don't like these guidelines, you are always free to take your views elsewhere. This is not a laughing matter. For some, like George Floyd, it has been a matter of life or death.

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M.C. Newberry

Thu 9th Jul 2020 15:57

An extended "thank you" to all who have made the comments now seen. It is now understood that a collective letter - with a reported
150 signatures from luminaries from across the public life spectrum,
taking issue with the one-way direction of what is "acceptable" in
commenting on public interest matters - is now in the public domain.
And that it has received objections to what it represents. But at least
it is a two-way process - just as it should be!
A closing two line personal observation:
It's an affront to thought and common sense
To pick and choose those allowed to take offence

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jennifer Malden

Thu 9th Jul 2020 15:02

Couldn't agree more. Think everyone has gone mad, and that anything and everything can be seen as being offensive in the present state of mind. If I am offered a black pair of jeans in a shop, and say I want blue, I don't like black, I could be labelled racist.

Jennifer

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Tom

Thu 9th Jul 2020 10:01

Really like this one MC and I completely agree. Freedom of speech means the freedom to offend. What a boring world if we all thought the same. Great work.

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Anmolpreet Kaur

Thu 9th Jul 2020 07:30

You had me there" words chosen have to be shall we say foxy".
Great read

Ak

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M.C. Newberry

Thu 9th Jul 2020 01:11

David - thanks for taking the trouble to read and comment. ?.
It is noteworthy that of all the 50 blogs currently visible on this WOL page, this is the only entry which is deprived of a "like" icon. One can only guess the reason for its omission..

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David Blake

Thu 9th Jul 2020 00:52

I admire your work ethic and your words. Keep writing, man.

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