Comments on: “Belgium bans a wide range of sexist speech”

By: Bumper

Bumper — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 02:24:54 +0000

Not to worry they’ll all be speaking Russian soon enough…

By: Boblipton

Boblipton — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 01:38:22 +0000

First first, for something completely different:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fcN3VaXs4

Bob

By: Jazzizhep

Jazzizhep — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 00:33:27 +0000

The only thing that surprises me is that it took Belgium as long as it did. Several western European countries have already adopted the old eastern European practice of codifying unacceptable speech. I guess Belgium isn’t as compassionate and understanding as Britain and the old U.S.S.R. under Stalin.

By: John Fembup

John Fembup — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 21:29:23 +0000

” I say, let the Dutch have all the fun on this one.”

But first . . .the Belgians.

By: John Fembup

John Fembup — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 15:36:32 +0000

“intended to express contempt for a person because of his gender, or that regards them as inferior, or reduces them to their sexual dimension, and which has the effect of violating someone’s dignity.”

Well, hmmm. The law prohibits intent? Nifty.

And it seems to me that same law would revolutionize television advertising in this country. All those subtle and not-so-subtle put-downs of men wouldn’t be legal anymore.

Not that I wish for that same law here. I say, let the Dutch have all the fun on this one.

By: Richard Nieporent

Richard Nieporent — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 14:16:21 +0000

So continues the long slide down the slippery slope. First we have made “hate crimes” an offense where the penalty is enhanced if the crime was deemed to be against some person in a protected class. Now Belgium is making the speech itself a criminal offense if it is deemed sexist. If this continues it won’t be long before the fascist left will make it a crime to “offend” in any way a member of a protected class. The Left considers the ideal society to be one in which all speech is censored, since no member of a protected class will ever again have to hear a discouraging word. Think of the scene from the Soup Nazi episode where the customers go up to the counter with their heads facing down while they place their order in a monotone voice for fear of offending the Soup Nazi. This will be the only safe way to interact with other people.