General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Freedom of speech or provocation? [View all]bemildred
(90,061 posts)Some of the early Christian religious disputes are very illuminating about just what sort of empty babble people are willing to kill each other over. I am thoroughly on the Charlie Hebdo side, but it IS a religious disagreement, and that has always been a chancy business. Where people err in my view is in thinking that we are rational or reasonable now. Ha. You can get yourself killed very easily right here in the USA by mouthing off to the wrong people. We have Charlie Hebdo attacks all the time here, in schools.
So basically, I think it's both. Free Speech isn't worth much if it doesn't protect you when provoking assholes. The error is thinking assholes can be made to be reasonable by the law. They won't. And that our free speech rights protect us, they don't.