UK Woman Arrested for Racist Rant? Seriously?

[CowboyBob]

It's like the Phelps family. You hate what they're saying but it's the freedom of speech thing that allows them to be blithering idiots.

 

[Lostlover]

Interesting. You don't think she should be arrested, but you do think she should have her kid taken from her. If you don't believe hate speech to be a crime, you have no right calling for a punishment.

She put her child in a potentially dangerous situation; whether it is a mother that smokes or drinks excessively, impairing her ability to effectively parent, or if she's inciting people nearby, she shouldn't be left in charge of a minor.

She's not a good parent from what I've seen in the video.

 

[Kulindahr]

"Hate speech laws usually backfire." - Sunny Hundal from England.

So true. You're giving this woman way too much power by arresting her.

How did they arrest her? Did the cop say, "You're under arrest for making a racist statement."?

Good article -- I mostly agree.

Interesting. You don't think she should be arrested, but you do think she should have her kid taken from her. If you don't believe hate speech to be a crime, you have no right calling for a punishment.

He wasn't calling for a punishment. He was observing that she's an incompetent parent.



I would have stood up to her -- gotten right in front of her and challenged her idiocy. That's far more potent than any law, which tends to just make people more pissed and likely to do it again. But having one's fellow citizens stand up and challenge is a heavier matter.

What's needed in response to this is a group of citizens dedicated to intervening any time it occurs.

 

[Lostlover]

If she didn't have that kid on her lap, she might have ended up with her teeth in her lap. She clearly has serious psychological problems. Even a complete racist, if they are halfway sane, wouldn't risk starting a race riot on a subway car when you child is with you and could get injured, or see you get your ass kicked.

Judge Judy said it best: "you have to have a license to vote, pass a driver's examination to drive, but you can have as many children as you want with no pre-conditions."

This lady is nutty alright. Most racists, I'd imagine, would keep their feelings to themselves. Most racists are cowards. My boss is a Freemason and they didn't want to allow blacks into their ranks. Blacks in Arizona have their own Freemason lodge. Well, when he was made the master mason, he made his lodge's members vote on allowing blacks in and not one of those bigots voted against allowing blacks in.

They were bold anonymously, but cowardly in public. This woman had more balls than the Freemasons.

 

[Kulindahr]

What she is is dumb for sure. But being a bigot and dumb does not automatically make you a bad parent. Sure, not a great teacher of morals, but he appears healthy and well clothed, she she must at least care about him. I feel sick about just having said something positive about her.


Brilliant idea! We could give them our blessing to take action and intervene, maybe they could have a badge so that they get listened to....oh, wait...

You don't believe in citizens taking care of themselves?

 

[andysayshi]

I would have stood up to her -- gotten right in front of her and challenged her idiocy. That's far more potent than any law, which tends to just make people more pissed and likely to do it again. But having one's fellow citizens stand up and challenge is a heavier matter.

What's needed in response to this is a group of citizens dedicated to intervening any time it occurs.

I don't think confronting a clearly aggressive woman with a child in her lap is appropriate. The situation could easily and rapidly escalate into a more dangerous one, particularly for the child. Mental illness or drugs may be at play in her behaviour.

The appropriate action here is to ignore her, diffusing the aggression, and alerting a professional (such as the police) to intervene. By all means stand by to assist the police if required, but taking matters into one's own hands without adequate support, training or backup is just plain reckless.

Ignoring "the bigot" is reckless too. Her behaviour is not socially acceptable, and as I mentioned, may be linked to mental health or drug issues. Either way, her behaviour whilst caring for a young child is completely inappropriate, and police were right to arrest her, if only to ascertain her fitness to be the guardian of the child.

 

[Lostlover]

Absolutely terrible idea! I know you don't trust the police but you should trust vigilantes even less.

For those of us in the free world, that enjoy a full freedom of speech,we know that vigilantes created our country so that we could have it. As I'm seeing now, there are countries with asterisks by their claim of free speech.

I guess you can't understand and appreciate liberty and freedom if you've never had it.

 

[Kulindahr]

What i don't believe in, is that disrespectful citizens will take a blind bit of notice of other citizens.

Which has what to do with what I said?

 

[Kulindahr]

Absolutely terrible idea! I know you don't trust the police but you should trust vigilantes even less.

You equate responsible, proactive, caring people with vigilantes?

 

[rareboy]

For those of us in the free world, that enjoy a full freedom of speech,we know that vigilantes created our country so that we could have it. As I'm seeing now, there are countries with asterisks by their claim of free speech.

I guess you can't understand and appreciate liberty and freedom if you've never had it.

You don't get it do you?

You think that freedom of speech should allow anyone to say anything, including abuse.

It doesn't work on this site.

It doesn't work in the real world.

But the real object of this thread was to go on another rant about how inferior England is.

We get it.

You don't like England.

 

[jackoroe]

You don't get it do you?

You think that freedom of speech should allow anyone to say anything, including abuse.

It doesn't work on this site.

It doesn't work in the real world.

But the real object of this thread was to go on another rant about how inferior England is.

We get it.

You don't like England.

That does appear to be the case, doesn't it?

 

[Lostlover]

That does appear to be the case, doesn't it?

Back on topic: Hey Jackoroe, do you agree with me that this woman shouldn't have been arrested for saying what she said on the "tram"?

 

[r0ckst4r]

I guess if she was being homophobic, you wouldn't be opposed to her arrest?

 

[Lostlover]

I guess if she was being homophobic, you wouldn't be opposed to her arrest?

And what makes you think this?

 

[Kulindahr]

EVERYTHING.

There is nothing that a group of individuals could do to successfully deal with persons like this woman. Shouting at them is all you could do, and it doesn't work.

Who said anything about shouting?

I saw a rather crazy teen on a bus shut up because the closest three people turned their backs on him and just stood silently, and then others followed suit. Seeing a bunch of people's backs turned silently toward him wasn't at all what he'd expected, and he trailed off and shut up.

That's just one method of confrontation.

 

[Lostlover]

LOL. This kid is something else.

My Tram Experience Response - MarmiteMan4 - YouTube

I have respect for him for posting a video that could get him arrested, but that's about it. I love the comment "Britain can't be a first world country with third world people."

(FYI: YouTube recommended this video today...)

 

[bort138]

If hate speech is not protected under freedom of speech then it really isn't freedom of speech. As long as this person is not inciting violence toward others then it should be protected regardless of how offensive or politically incorrect or racist it may be.

 

[broadshoulder]

But still, what's so hard about ignoring her?

Whats so hard about ignoring her?

ummmmm...

Could it be you are trapped in a crowded tube train and she sits next to you and screams rascist abuse in your ear. And she goes on and on and on. You cant get up. you cant get off until your stop.

What about the rights of those around her not to be subjected to so much abuse? Dont they have any rights?

i am pleased we have laws like that in this country as her arrest (and she had form, she had done it before which may be the real reason she ended up in court) serves as a warning to others that racsim will not be tolerated.

Except in the case of annoying Americans called Lostlover where we all pile into them on the tube.

 

[bort138]

@Bort138

Naturally, most europeans would disagree with this idea that freedoms only exist if they are absolute. It is we who determine what constitutes the freedom, so the freedom is not suddenly invalidated if we set a respectable boundary to it. HATE is NOT something deserving of protection, to do so, is to aid and abet that hate.

Where do you draw the line for what is considered hate speech then?

 

[Lostlover]

Mitchymo... The line is drawn at wherever society puts it at? But who enforces the law and who actually decides case by case the infraction?

How do you call in hate speech? "She's saying something offensive. Arrest her now!"

Confused. And perplexed.