I don't like to be around gay people. I'm homophobic. It shouldn't be in the world

[Zoid]

Ok, so going on a radio show and saying you hate gays is...what exactly?

[Deity Dude]

I don't think he should have said that but certainly don't think he should get in trouble for it. He was expressing his point of view - which even though I don't agree with it I find it refreshing.

We al know whats gonna happen from here.

1) Outrage from the gay community.
2) Apology from Hardaway.
3) Hardball, Larry King and O'Reilly all do shows about it.
4) He attends some sort of "sensitivity training"
5) More Outrage from the Gay Community
6)More Apologies from Hardaway upon being relesaed from "Sensitivity Training"
7) More Hardball, Larry King and O'Reilly shows about it.

[lord of the mark]

Ok, now we get quotes from Voltaire, JS Mill, maybe Gandhi, comparisons of hate crime stats for anglo-saxon countries with absolutist views of free speech to continental ones without, discussion of the Paris riots, european muslim immigrant antisemitism, folks being dragged behind trucks in Texas, etc, etc.

Can we just skip it?

[Zoid]

Let's play rah's game here. Change homosexual to jew, would you think it was as refreshing then? Did you find Mel Gibsons antisemitic outburst fun and refreshing? Did you say to your co-workers and family. Damn right! About time someone put those uppity jews in their place!

Besides the ADL would start a massive campaign against him so fast he'd have no idea what hit him!

[Drake Tungsten]

We al know whats gonna happen from here.

1) Outrage from the gay community.
2) Apology from Hardaway.
3) Hardball, Larry King and O'Reilly all do shows about it.
4) He attends some sort of "sensitivity training"
5) More Outrage from the Gay Community
6)More Apologies from Hardaway upon being relesaed from "Sensitivity Training"
7) More Hardball, Larry King and O'Reilly shows about it.

I'm not so sure this is how it's going to play out. Hardaway's black, so they can't come down on him as hard as they would with a white athelete. He has victim status, too.

[Deity Dude]

Originally posted by Zoid
Let's play rah's game here.

OK lets.

Change homosexual to jew, would you think it was as refreshing then?

I would find it refreshing that someon e freely spoke their mind even though I wouldn't agree with what they said

Did you find Mel Gibsons antisemitic outburst fun and refreshing?

Fun? No. Refreshing? Yes. I find it refreshing when people speak their mind whther or not I agree with what they say.

Did you say to your co-workers and family. Damn right! About time someone put those uppity jews in their place!

No I didn't say that because that wasn't my opinion. I might have said "Wow, I can't believe someone had the balls to say what they thought no matter how unpopular it was" Then, if I felt there were people to dense to understand the concept of supporting free speech and finding it refreshing while at the same time not supporting everything that is said, I might go on to explain why I thought what he said was wrong"

Besides the ADL would start a massive campaign against him so fast he'd have no idea what hit him!

And they have every right to do so!

[Zoid]

Ok, congrats to you and your open mind

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by rah
Or is it ok to hate nazi's but not gays.

Duh.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Zoid
Not so. Why else do most western countries have laws against racial slurs and hate speech?

Because they don't have free speech, duh .

It's to stop bigots, homophobes, racists and nazis from spewing out their crap and hide behind the notion of free speech...

I'm thinking you aren't understanding the word "free" before speech.

Contrary to popular belief free speech isn't actually free. Yes you can say what you want, but you won't get away with it most of the time...

Well, you have to deal with others free speech and freedom of association. But when the government gets involved, then it isn't free speech.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by Zoid
Ok, so going on a radio show and saying you hate gays is...what exactly?

Expressing your freedom of speech in your opinions .

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by Zoid
Ok, so going on a radio show and saying you hate gays is...what exactly?

Disgusting, abhorrent, pathetic, desperate, and totally, 100% within his rights as a human being. That's what America is, Zoid. And you'll have to dig a bit to find a more liberal American on these boards.

[Pekka]

What a loser this guy is. I understand some people would prefer a hetero team. However, when he says he is homophobic, and then he says he hates gay people.. those two don't mean the same thing. He is homophobic when he is afraid of gays, feels very uncomfortable with a gay person and would rather not communicate with them.

But, when he says he _hates_ gay people, it turns from passive to aggressive. That means he actively hates gay people, like he says, he wouldn't have one on his team. You know, fine by me. A lot of people don't like gays. But when you go about preaching how you hate gays, that's just stupid. And then he says he is just a little poor homophobe? His ignorance is only second to his arrogance.

Should he be able to say it? Absolutely. I support his freedom to be an idiot.

[Nubclear]

Hello

The freedom of one individual ends where another individuals freedom begins.

Making homophobic statements does not constitute an infringement upon the freedoms of another.

As long as he doesn't go out and beat up on some gay people, he is free to make as many statements about his personal beliefs as he wishes, and this is how it should be.

It angers me when people don't realise exactly how great freedom of speech is, and want to ban speech simply because they disagree with it. Try living in a country that doesn't have freedom of speech, and I'm sure you'll quickly start to cherish the ability to speak your mind, even if what you say goes against what the society or government around you thinks is best

[Kidlicious]

I'm with Zoid on this. We can prevent scum bigots like this from talking crap and still have free speech. The purpose of free speech is to say something worth while not just a bunch of crap.

[Kuciwalker]

I'm not even going to bother someone else can handle this one.