In cases like this, what has happened is that the person with more resources elevated their speech above that of the person with fewer resources to get the result they wanted.
As long as court filing fees (and applicable taxes, which are complicated in the case of damage awards) are paid, the government does not care one way or the other. Should Mr. Flavours (who is the first arrested Smuggling contestant, yes?) find himself suddenly with more resources, he would suddenly be able to elevate his speech above that of the former victor and everyone would say âyes, thatâs how it is supposed to work.â
Do you realize that Ed isnât really a Federal, heâs ex-Caldari and hides behind Federal values only as excuse for his crimes.
Tossing lawsuits because of word attacks is a very Caldari thing to do. If someone would write something like that about me, Iâd just laugh like, âHaha, youâre such an idiot!â - and would walk away. But Caldari think a bit differently, for them defending own name, reputation and honor is even more important than defending their lives. They slap lawsuits back and forth, or demand you to take words back, or even going to risk their lives to make you pay for your words.
You see, I have heard this argument from Caldari who probably hates Gallente values more than anyone else around here. I mean, itâs literally Cmdr. Kimâs motivation for tossing duels, challenges, arguments or lawsuits⌠just because of someoneâs words.
So bringing Ed as example of something âgallenteâ isnât really correct. He is neither Gallente nor Caldari now. As I said, proper gallente are fine with everything you say, unless they arenât fine - and then you simply disappear.
On average, it comes down to whoever is able to most freely expend their resources makes the other person disappear. The government, like me, as President, when I become President, must remain studiously neutral in who disappears. To the extent the Deep Bureaucracy stops being neutral, it interferes with the free allocation of expenditures and disappearances, becoming an Abomination (as Diana sweetie might put it).
Oh, so discrimination is a normal practice in the Federation as well. Good to know that an immigrant who comes into your illustrious Federation, becomes a citizen, isnât really a citizen. Does that also hold true for the Intaki? How about the Jin Mei, with their class system?
Are Matari who become citizens just psuedo-citizens as well? Never able to obtain the ethnic Gallente ideal? Sounds very Amarrian.
My view of the Federation has now been further decreased.
Such a shame because on the outside, it looks good. Good to know that at its core, is a rotting festering cesspool of bigotry and elitism.
Thank you for telling me how I think. I had no idea.
Perhaps what you mean to say is, Caldari culture is a bit different. They emphasize honor and blah blah blah. Which I agree with. Honor is important in our culture but how I think about it, you couldnât possibly ever begin to comprehend.
Itâs a recognition that people want to hear what they want to be true. Letâs face it, what people want to be true is never true. Just the other day I asked my new genetically engineered Chief of Staff if a flapper dress made me look old fashioned. She said it made me look uninhibited.
Iâve always positively adored muscles. Youâre a big beefy angel, darling!
Now Iâm thinking of a band, and hardwood floors, and illuminated swimming pools full of synchronized swimmers, and a dome of starlight! As a recent immigrant, I am warming up to these blobby space stations and their transparent aluminum domes.
Itâs well known for those of us that have frequented these boards that Mika Firestorm is an unabashed confederate of Diana Kim, to the point where she is an unashamed sycophant and parrot of every opinion that Kim holds. Therefore, everything that she states should be interpreted with that in mind.
That any citizen of the Federation has the ability to express themselves without fear of persecution from the authorities is a core and fundamental right of the Federal Union. However, like with all of the rights of mankind, there are limitations to what one can reasonably expect in relation to oneâs actions. The basic rule is that oneâs rights should not be utilised in a fashion that brings undue harm or distress to another. Freedom of speech does not act as a licence for one to defame or spread falsehoods about another, which is why I resorted to legal recourse to convey to Monsieur Flavoursâ that their actions were wrong. Recourse which is available to all citizens regardless of personal wealth or station in the Federation.
I could very well have launched a military assault on whatever installation Monsieur Flavoursâ erected at the time to express my displeasure, as others have done, but I have come to believe in the Federation as a land where violence is the ultimate last resort to conflict resolution. I will not embarrass my adoptive home by throwing down absurd challenges to duels or single combat with starships, when proper methods are available to me.
I think I recommended to Mssr. Thorne that he file an action against the narcotics trafficker you mention over dysfunctional love tools. Even non citizens may seek redress from the federal courts so long as jurisdiction is handled appropriately. If the courts grant relief for marketing shoddy products, that does not somehow violate individual liberties.
Duels and explosions are good for news ratings, but I agree with Mssrâs premise that we live in an interstellar civilization and come on. When parties are amenable, it is even possible to reach settlements with rambunctious customers without involving courts or the media.
I respect you Ed, I hope you know that, and youâve expressed this before, but -and pardon my bluntness- this is a load of crap.
What brings undue hardship and distress to a person is so arbitrary and subjective that literally anyone could cry foul over any little thing and suddenly that person has the right, and power to silence anyone they want.
Itâs not âfreedom of speechâ itâs âfreedom so long as no one is slightly upset by anything I say speech.â
âFreedom of speechâ does not in fact mean anyone can say anything anywhere and expect others to listen politely.
You cannot go to a Standing Place and yell obscenities and not respect the rules of the gathering - the wards will remove you and damn your freedom of speech.
Likewise, most human societies have rules for what happens if you spread lies and slander of another. Freedom of speech says you can do so - your broadcasts are not censured before they go live - it does not protect you from the consequence.
Who said anything about expecting other people to listen politely? Why are you putting words in my mouth.
Youâre causing me undue stress. I canât take it.
Youâre also making slanderous claims against me.
Youâll be getting a call from my lawyers.
Oh, wait. Iâm Caldari. Youâll be getting a call from my lawyer, and Iâm going to have you arrested because you said words I didnât like and have dragged in front of a tribunal.
Sounds familiar?
Itâs all arbitrary nonsense, with moving goal posts, and no clear delineation based on how fragile a personâs ego is.
Like I said, itâs freedom of speech, unless it slightly upsets someone, then itâs not.
I mean, I do see what you and Ed are getting at. And I do agree with accepting the consequences for your actions. Especially with hate speech, and threats of bodily harm to groups of people. But I maintain that in the Federation, those that have wealth, and influence exploit the law for their own means. To silence those that they donât want speaking. Itâs very State like and insidious. And if you happen to affront the wrong person, youâre SOL. Itâs all a big guessing game.
At least with the State, you know you donât get a say. And you know youâre going to get the axe.
Ah, but are you really going to send people to try and arrest me because you did not like what I said on the IGS? Hypotheticals ad absurdum are maybe not helpful.
And if you are serious, what jurisdiction would handle such a case - me not being Caldari and not in Caldari space? My security wonât give me over to a hostile force without fight.
According to my customs, you should protest to my chief or my circle, if you were serious about my words in public having caused you harm. ( @Aeron_Morningstar , @Debes_Sparre FYI Iâm being controversial on the IGS.)
But what is it to either of us what the Feds among themselves have decided as the way to handle such disputes?
Freedom of speech is a farce people tell themselves to feel like theyâre magnanimous when they grant it to others they dont like.
It all comes down to power. Freedom doesnât exist unless someone has the power to guarantee it. And then, nobody is perfect, so that freedom has âwhenâ and âifâ and âwhoâ conditions put on it.
As some of you may be aware - I barely mention it after all - I used to be in CODE. and I have had many instances where my freedom of speech as a Gallente citizen were trodden over because I was not saying something that the consensus - and by this, I mean the political consensus or, as Candidate Noh so eloquently puts is, the Deep Bureaucracy - disagrees with.
You are free to say whatever you wish within the Federation and face no consequences⌠as long as those in power agree. I think youâll agree, lovelies, that this has a chance to alienate a great number of peopleâŚ
What kind of a cheesecake though? I swear thereâs no one in the whole system of Amo who can make a decent cheesecake. Chocolate is always a safe bet.
