Freedom of Speech, and Exploiting It

Remove all ads!

As far as a t-shirt goes, if you're offended then that's your problem. If you want to poison someone because they are blasphemous, that's your problem too. If you're worried someone'll have a problem with your 'gag' clothes, then repress any urge you may feel to wear them - someone might poison you. But, alas, that's your problem.

By and large, however, societies do seem to take responsibility to tackle whatever they may percieve as "subversive" to the(ir?) prevailing moral standards. I once borrowed a t-shirt that has "Beat Your Child" printed on. It didn't go down too well at the Art College Bar ("You people are ART students? How can you not take a joke?" Collectively, they decided not to be amused...initially.) But then again, I notice quite alot of people who aren't so charmingly offensive and sometimes I even see people beat their children, whether I'm wearing the shirt or not.

 

Warpfury, I agree with you. Interesting first post on SP, by the way.

 

Probably because they are "artists" and not comedians.

Interesting in that - if are poisoned, "it's your problem;" if you are the one doing the poisoning, it's still "your problem." So much for clarity.

Regarding your comment: "Beating your Child." A lot of people do it, so your T-shirt should feel in "good" company. I have a great idea for a T-shirt though - one that reads: "I don't give a s*** what your T-shirt says." That might solve part of the problem.

 

I miss my "Free Pee Wee" T-shirt.

 

Schwartz's statement is quiet and dignified. He certainly doesn't come on like a sleazeball ripoff con man. Even if he were, he'd still have the right to put whatever he liked on his t-shirts, within the limits of the libel laws. But I'm not sure I'd be willing to wear one of them down here in Jesus country.

The t-shirts are certainly tasteless, as such things are usually judged. They're also funny as hell and a magnificently sardonic comment on just how screwed up our culture and country is. Sorry if you didn't enjoy them.

 

^^

Is it just me, or are most gut-bustingly funny jokes usually more than midly offensive?

I think Heinlen was onto something with that "we laugh when we perceive wrongness" idea.

 

I think that we each individually draw that line on what's funny and what's truly offensive. That line for one person may not be in the same place for the next. Personally, the only thing truly offensive is a direct insult targetting God or Jesus Christ. The rest, I may or may not laugh at (I might not approve of something grossly sexual either).

 

Humor is so very subjective . . .

I advocate free speech in most of the public arena, but I also advocate the freedom of groups and institutions to regulate what happens in their demesne. For example . . .

1: At a school, though it is publicly funded, it is not a public forum -- it is an educational institution. When here, students are not permitted to wear just blatantly offensive and provocative crap. They can wear it to the mall or their granny's funeral, but not here.

2: Anyone attempting to enter my house or place of business with something that disgusting is going to be asked to leave. They can wear it to the park or the zoo, but not anywhere that I own. This is one reason that many restaurants have "we reserve the right to refuse service" signs at the entryway.

3: People can say what they like, but they have to accept the legal consequences. If they are targetted by NAACP, the National Jewish Congress, or the Christians for Cleanliness lobby and then boycotted (a legal action) then they can't hide behind free speech. If one of those groups tries something illegal (like a poisoning), though, despise the T-Shirt guy all you want, but he still is entitled to legal protection.