Tag: freedom of speech
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Is freedom of speech worth dying for?
On January 16, 1969, Jan Palach, a 23-year-old Czech student set himself on fire in Wenceslas Square, Prague in protest against Soviet Occupation. While he was rushed to hospital he kept repeating, “Please tell everyone why I did it. Please tell everyone.” It was reported that a letter was found with him stating that he…
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Scotland’s new hate crime law
In 1697, Thomas Aikenhead became the last man to be hanged in Scotland for breaking blasphemy laws. He was a student at Edinburgh University and only 20 years old. His crime was to criticise Christianity. Edinburgh tour guides tell tourists that, while walking home inebriated one very cold evening he told his friends he wished…
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Why isn’t Israel Folau selling his possessions to give to the poor?
An Australian football player lost his job with Rugby Australia recently because of comments he made on Instagram. Before I disclose what these comments were, it’s worth pointing out that an employer is free to dismiss employees who break their employment contract provided the contract is legal and I would be surprised if Rugby Australia’s…
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I don’t like what you wear but I defend your right to wear it – part 2
If Boris Johnson hadn’t generated a media tornado this week with his burkas resemble letterboxes comment I would not have known that Denmark recently banned people from wearing face veils in public. I find it odd that everyone is focussing on the letterbox comment, which I found funny, rather than the more concerning issue which…
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