The contents of the Hate Speech Bill have shocked many, heralding outraged rants and commentary on a self-evidently disastrous piece of legislation. Experts have rightfully pointed out that the document contradicts portions of the constitution, seeking to prohibit speech protected by section 16 of the constitution. Other commentators have spoken on the Orwellian nature of the proposed law, accurately arguing that it leads to a state in which speech becomes crime and even free thought comes under threat.
While my fellow commentators are no doubt going to adequately deal with this horrific piece of legislation, I cannot help but not be surprised. We expected bills like this since the ANC realised how good of a red herring witch-hunts can be. I cannot help but just shrug when laws like these are passed these days. They’re par for the course in an inept dictatorship such as ours.
Don’t misunderstand me. The Hate Speech Bill is a cataclysmic, incompetent and dangerous bill, but I’m just not surprised. The state has a record of tramping on individual freedoms and reason, and the public tend to have a record of cheering them on. No doubt the rise of the regressive left has helped promote public opinion of this bill – and as a result, it will be even more necessary to deal with it intellectually and effectively. While I am a pessimist, we must do all that we can to weaken this Bill and raise public dissent against it.
Donnie Marx
The law might well be good. Freedom of speech does not permit criminal conduct. This is the basis of the proposed law.
The problem is, What is a crime?
Zaggeta
Please read the contents of the law – it is by no means good by any measure of a democratic or free society.
Donnie Marx
Claiming some sort of superiority is a typical libtard response. So to you and all the other libtards out there, On exactly what law was Penny Sparrow convicted? How was she to know she was transgressing a law? What law was used to turn her particular comments into a general statement? What law was used for her completely arbitrary sentencing? On what basis are people blocked on forums like this one?
Zaggeta
I think you may be confused…
Donnie Marx
I think you should go and play in the garden a bit until it is bath-time.
Steven van Staden
Very, very confused.
Steven van Staden
Exactly. The point made by Donnie Marx that “freedom of speech does not permit criminal conduct” already applies, irrespective of the proposed so-called ‘Hate Speech Bill’ whose cunningly deceptive title has already fooled at least one commentator. The proposed Bill would have served justice instead of injustice if it had been accurately titled ‘Restriction of Speech Bill’ but that would possibly have aroused a little more attention from our dismally apathetic and thoughtless citizenry.
Clauses in this proposed Bill violate the right to freedom of expression to a degree that would prevent fearless statements of fact. For example, if one described a violent, racist, rioting thug as a violent, racist, rioting thug, in terms of some of the clauses one could arguably be found guilty of insult or racism or of bringing the violent, racist, rioting thug into disrepute and arousing hatred of the violent, racist, rioting thug – regardless that this happened to be an accurate description of the behaviour of the violent, racist, rioting thug.
Altus Pienaar
The Penny Sparrow case is just beyond ridiculous.
It is simply an omen of what is coming when these laws are passed.
If a black person called whites to be like monkeys nothing will ever come from it. This entire debacle smells of racist diatribe against whites.
It’s intent is to take punitive measures against mostly white people to set examples but the end result will be more hatred and indifference.
It is not the current legal systems place to set society straight. Besides social media is not media, it is merely opinionated comments and an opinion inherently cannot be falsified.
By allowing society to set the record straight when someone erred should be enough. It was clear that Sparrow incited a barrage of responses to her statement which I believe would have made her think twice before making a similar statement ever.
This draconian approach taken by the state is a clear indication that we are ruled by a bunch of buffoons who would consider a personal fb statement on the state a beach was left in to be a crime, but state capture and vexatiously manipulating the rule of law to be OK, just as long as it is done by a “previously disadvantaged” black president.
I believe this law will bite the ANC in the ass. The Penny Sparrow case was unique in that the state brought the case against her. By passing this law private people will be able to drag the state to court and the racism card can then be reversed when black people realize they can now also be sued by any of the other groups, something the current state will never do.
But isn’t it obvious that these laws will divide groups of people even more than ever before. The black vs white or homosexual vs church, will this also include the public vs politician? Will this now give the president the right to sue the cartoonist making fun of him?
Vicky Moriarty
Like I said on praag the other day: It is almost a year later and not one person has actually tried to explain to me what was illegal or immoral about the statement made by our very own Battleship Potemkin Ms “Sparrow”.
al.viljoen@yahoo.com
This law will backfire. Just as there are many more black racists than white racists – based purely on population numbers (and comments on social media) – this will make many lawyers rich. It won’t do anything to improve inter race relationships – it will aggravate them. The way to go would be to take the commentor for counselling (Including Mcebisi Dlamini – hope I got the spelling right) and discuss his Nazi opinions as well as his hatred of whites and try to convince him otherwise. Trying to punish somebody for their opinions will never work – maybe putting them in a group lead by somebody sensible to discuss their opinions would be better. Although the comments made by white racists make the headlines (Way to sell newspapers) there are many more comments by black racists. To be expected when you look at the difference in the population numbers. We need to stop allowing the haters (White and Black) to polarise us and discuss the differences of opinion calmly.