Free Speech V's Right Speech

Buddhist ethical conduct including the Five Precepts (Pañcasikkhāpada), and Eightfold Ethical Conduct (Aṭṭhasīla).
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Cittasanto
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Free Speech V's Right Speech

Post by Cittasanto »

Simply a topic for discussion
Just came upon this video. And (although it has some areas that seam to be missing) it is quite interesting for a number of reasons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyoOfRog ... ure=g-vrec

How do you reconcile your right to free speech with your practice of Right Speech?
and what is considered hate speech and what do you consider the Right Speech aspect of such speech?

some European convention information & related articles.
ARTICLE 9
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
ARTICLE 10
Freedom of expression
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
2. The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
Some factsheets from the European courts

Hate Speech
Protection of Journalistic Sources
some more examples can be found in this fact sheet Freedom of religion
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Free Speech V's Right Speech

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

I think hate speech is obviously, obviously never Right Speech, but I also believe that arresting or otherwise censuring those who fail to speak in wholesome ways is a silly thing for the government to do.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

Stuff I write about things.
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Cittasanto
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Re: Free Speech V's Right Speech

Post by Cittasanto »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:I think hate speech is obviously, obviously never Right Speech, but I also believe that arresting or otherwise censuring those who fail to speak in wholesome ways is a silly thing for the government to do.
Censoring due to what is said and not the effect of what is said (actual effect, not potential) regarding intent of speaker I think is the issue.

no-one has the right not to be offended, but saying something which is potentially offensive and threatening to kill someone are different.
Blog, Suttas, Aj Chah, Facebook.

He who knows only his own side of the case knows little of that. His reasons may be good, and no one may have been able to refute them.
But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
John Stuart Mill
pegembara
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Re: Free Speech V's Right Speech

Post by pegembara »

Speech can be a dangerous weapon in the wrong mouth. Like a knife it can be used for good or bad. If wrong speech causes serious harm, surely some lawful action can be taken.

Surely it is not OK to allow a mad person wandering around with a knife to continue causing harm to others. That is what forum moderators are here for!
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
theY
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Re: Free Speech V's Right Speech

Post by theY »

I always use global dhamma "Any speech can observe all 6 atthas, that right speech."*

*observe= Getting some attha(s) with observing-- do not destroy, another atthas.

6 atthas: http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/dic/d_see ... C3%C3%B6_3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another:
No.9: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... aragraph-9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Above message maybe out of date. Latest update will be in massage's link.
--------------------------------------------------
Tipitaka memorization is a rule of monks. It isn't just a choice. They must done it.
bahussuto nāma tividho hoti – nissayamuccanako, parisupaṭṭhāpako, bhikkhunovādakoti.
http://UnmixedTheravada.blogspot.com/20 ... monks.html
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