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defrogITEM: Wendy Francis, the Queensland Senate candidate for the Family First Party, stands by comments she made then deleted on Twitter that gay marriage is equal to "legalising child abuse".
Which I mention not so much to demonstrate that homophobic batshit politics isn’t limited to the US (because you knew that), but to point out Francis’ gratuitous use of the O’Reilly Free Speech defense in the second tweet above:
In other words, “Yr criticism of what I say and believe is an infringment of my right to say it.”
You don’t need to be captain of the debate team to figure out the weakness of that argument. But it’s an argument I see more and more – particularly on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen people post some political story link with a provocative editorial comment (“Obama really is similar to Hitler/Stalin/Satan”, for example), then when people on their friends list try to argue the point, they invoke their First Amendment right to say whatever they want without being challenged or called on it.
Except, of course – and I can’t believe this needs pointing out, but I’ll do it anyway – there is NO First Amendment right to speak without being criticized, just as there is no right to avoid being offended by what other people say. Criticism does not take away yr freedom to speak yr mind. It’s like Bruce Springsteen (or someone) putting out a record then claiming that bad reviews are trampling his First Amendment right to write songs.
Okay, I suppose if yr paranoid about Teh Gayz plotting world domination, maybe yr also prone to interpreting criticism as a plot to prevent you from saying what you want. After all, if yr trying to prove someone wrong on an issue, aren’t you REALLY just trying to tell them what to think and get yr own way?
Which is why, for my money, when you deploy the O’Reilly Free Speech Defense, you’ve lost the argument.
DISCLAIMER: To be fair, I can’t say for sure this is Bill O’Reilly’s fault. Indeed, I’m not 100% sure he started that meme. But, you know, close enough.
Anyway, it’s nice to know this is catching on in other countries.
*headdesk*
Who am I to be critical,
This is dF
===============================
EDITED TO ADD [19 AUGUST 2010]: Incidentally, Dr Laura has deployed the O'Reilly Defense to explain why she's quitting her radio show. Evidently people are stomping all over her 1A rights by complaining that she said "nigger" on-air eleven times.
Which I mention not so much to demonstrate that homophobic batshit politics isn’t limited to the US (because you knew that), but to point out Francis’ gratuitous use of the O’Reilly Free Speech defense in the second tweet above:
Strange that I can be called a bigot for standing up for values that many people believe yet others can deride my beliefs and that’s OK.
In other words, “Yr criticism of what I say and believe is an infringment of my right to say it.”
You don’t need to be captain of the debate team to figure out the weakness of that argument. But it’s an argument I see more and more – particularly on Facebook and Twitter. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve seen people post some political story link with a provocative editorial comment (“Obama really is similar to Hitler/Stalin/Satan”, for example), then when people on their friends list try to argue the point, they invoke their First Amendment right to say whatever they want without being challenged or called on it.
Except, of course – and I can’t believe this needs pointing out, but I’ll do it anyway – there is NO First Amendment right to speak without being criticized, just as there is no right to avoid being offended by what other people say. Criticism does not take away yr freedom to speak yr mind. It’s like Bruce Springsteen (or someone) putting out a record then claiming that bad reviews are trampling his First Amendment right to write songs.
Okay, I suppose if yr paranoid about Teh Gayz plotting world domination, maybe yr also prone to interpreting criticism as a plot to prevent you from saying what you want. After all, if yr trying to prove someone wrong on an issue, aren’t you REALLY just trying to tell them what to think and get yr own way?
Which is why, for my money, when you deploy the O’Reilly Free Speech Defense, you’ve lost the argument.
DISCLAIMER: To be fair, I can’t say for sure this is Bill O’Reilly’s fault. Indeed, I’m not 100% sure he started that meme. But, you know, close enough.
Anyway, it’s nice to know this is catching on in other countries.
*headdesk*
Who am I to be critical,
This is dF
===============================
EDITED TO ADD [19 AUGUST 2010]: Incidentally, Dr Laura has deployed the O'Reilly Defense to explain why she's quitting her radio show. Evidently people are stomping all over her 1A rights by complaining that she said "nigger" on-air eleven times.
