Having a hat that makes me look like Medusa may actually come in handy one day.

When you say it protects speech you hate, do you mean it inhibits this kind of speech or grants it freedom? My view is there are a tiny minority who have such extreme and dangerous views that I don't believe they should have their free speech protected. In some extreme circumstances there should be intolernace of intolerance otherwise others end up sacrificing their freedoms to ensure the freedoms of these extreme minorities.

Definitely yes, although we would have to have watertight legislation to stop it being abused by family members who want to dispose of a relative who becomes an 'inconvenience'. My step-mother died last year after suffering from a chronic lung condition. During the last 24 hours of her life she couldn't breathe and was begging the doctor to help her end it all. She was the one who had to remove her oxygen mask and die. Most of us wouldn't let our pets suffer like this. I believe we should be entitled to the same dignity and compassion in death as them. Also I don't think it's right to pr

So are these types of organisations allowed freedom of speech or not in the US? I'm not sure exactly what constitutes freedom of speech in the US. I'm not trying to bellitte your country's principals, I'm just curious how much freedom the average American actually possesses. In the UK this complex debate stirs up all kind of problems. There can be consequnces to things people say and the government can restrict things people say, which I think is a sensible approach. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7113186.stm

Can you please elaborate on that. That isn't a legitimate point. As a non-American, I've only read about and seen cases where freedom of speech has immoral consequnces. Are the kids in this video 'free' or are they being brainwashed by an organisation that preaches hatred?To me it's the latter, and they get away with it because they have freedom of speech.

Of course there are different degrees of freedom that I believe should be granted. What people do in the privacy of their own home, so long as it's not illegal, is up to them. When certain extreme individuals/groups go out of their way to harass and offend others, it's not acceptable in my view. By giving these individuals complete freedom speech, you inevitably restrict the freedom of others, for example to mourn to the loss of loved one in peace, or simply be an open homosexual in a 'free' country. That was the point I was making.

To me, to harass or insult another person or group is not a RIGHT. To place yourself in front of the family house or at the funeral of a fallen soldier yelling and carrying signs giving thanks to God for his/her death, inflicts severe moral pain, in addition to being harassment.

Without sounding too pedantic, Knebby you used the quote first on this thread and them some other members supported your line of argument, hence my use of the plural term 'some members'. I didn't want to single you out for criticism. There's no resentment on my end. If you stand by principles in the quote, that's fair enough.

Hi Danny I do believe too much freedom of speech can be a bad thing. Did you happen to catch Louis Theroux's jaw-dropping documentary on an extreme right-wing Christian group in the US on BBC 2 last month? This is just a taster: I know no one would get away with saying these kind of things in Britain (thank goodness). Magic

Thank you for your interest. My PhD is in political science (specifically political economy and political ideologies). The book is based on my PhD thesis and is about neo-liberalism - a pro-free market ideology that became very popular in Germany, Britain and the US after the Second World War. The book is about the intellectual genesis of neo-liberalism, and how its central ideas shaped policy debates in these countries.

10 random facts about me: 1. One of the best friends I have I met on this forum. You know who you are. 2. I don't drink, smoke or eat meat, but that doesn't mean I live a boring life. 3. I have a PhD and I'm a published author (sorry for blowing my own trumpet! ) 4. I love craft, and spend much of my spare time making things. 5. I have a brother who's 2 years older than me, and a little sister who's 15 years younger than me. 6. I have a phobia of snakes which comes from an huge African python being brought into school when I was 5 and placed around my neck! 7. I prefe

I paid £395 for my collector's copy and to me it was worth every penny.

^ I love your answers Fool. I believe all animals are sentient beings and should be treated with the same respect as we expect to be treated. I believe social democracy is the fairest political system in the world. I believe in the power of education to transform people's lives for the better. I believe in climate change, rather than global warming. I believe the most beautiful things in life are those which we take for granted. I believe Led Zeppelin is the greatest band in the world.

I saw if a few months back, and really enjoyed it. Yes, the heaven sequences are rather 'surreal'. I finally got around to seeing The King's Speech last night. It was as good, if not better than I was expecting. A great screenplay and first-rate acting from the entire cast. It makes me mourn the loss of the UK Film Council even more.

Finally getting around to tidying up my office at home. It's great to have an organised work space.

Exactly, in fact it was on the BBC news website that the week Bin Laden died, this was one the most misquoted quotes being used. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13265368 Maybe some members should check their facts before posting.

It's so great to have you back on here Danny, it hasn't been the same without you! I hope you're back for good.

Deborah, as always on here, yours is the voice of reason. I just heard on the news that the CIA found documents in Bin Laden's den indicating that has was planning a major attack on the US on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

You must be exhausted. I do hope he's feeling better soon.

The only way to get your 'cold hard facts' is for people to die. I'm sure MI5 could tell you how many people pass through Bluewater Shopping Centre everyday, and an estimate of how many would have been killed if that bomb had been detonated. Maybe you could take a look at MI5's website which provides more details about the current threats to the UK: https://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/international-terrorism.html