Why doesn’t free speech have it’s limits, especially when it is left wing propaganda?
The State Department should issue travel warnings for countries like Ireland, the UK, and Germany that punish free speech.
I can imagine some freeper being jailed in the UK if he had posted derogatory comments about, for example, the pusillanimous, tyrannical Brits. (Yeah, I never want to go there again.)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Article 19
1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference.
2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.
3. The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this article carries with it special duties and responsibilities. It may therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
(a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others;
(b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.
Article 20
1. Any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law.
2. Any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/ccpr.pdf
Article 20, clause 2 is why the UK censors/punishes people.
The US is a state party to the Covenant too. What is being done in the UK could happen here.
Yes, it will. Because it already has succeeded in multiple places and at multiple times.
No victory is ever permanent.
Our country has criticized and imposed sanctions on Russia, Red China, North Korea, and Iran for violations of human rights. It is time to realize that, unless the current crop of leaders is voted out of office, Britain, France, and Germany are authoritarian regimes with a veneer of democracy. I hope that the State Department warns these countries, and smaller ones like the Netherlands and Ireland, that if they don’t end restrictions on free speech, the United States will remove Most Favored Nation status, withdraw from NATO, and place tariffs on their products.
No.