1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I believe that on both sides of the Atlantic there is an understanding that ridiculous claims don’t further an argument.

“UK law, dictates what is offensive, or if someone says they are offended, then just on that fact, it might be in violation of the law.”

Utter nonsense.

Then explain the 1000's arrested since 2003 law went into effect, doesn't read like utter nonsense to me.

56 days in jail, for a tweet, and I agree ... utter nonsense, and yet .... it happened.

A tweet ... let that one sink in.

1000's arrested, and that you are not aware of it, doesn't mean it's utter nonsense. Google is your friend.

4 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Wow, you cherry picked the one example, that would cause physical harm to people affected by falsely yelling fire.

Try standing on the corner in UK yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag. See if you aren't arrested. Free speech / expression ...

Arrested & jailed, for a tweet ...

In 2012 Liam Stacey, a student who was jailed for 56 days for tweeting "grossly offensive" racist remarks about footballer Fabrice Muamba.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20777004#:~:text=Liam%20Stacey:%20The%20racist%20comment,because%20he%20had%20been%20drunk.

Figures from 2023:

• Conviction Rates: Of the 12,183 arrests made in 2023 for online messages, only 1,119 resulted in a conviction (roughly 9%). Many arrests do not lead to charges due to "evidential difficulties" or because the content, while offensive, did not meet the high criminal threshold for prosecution.

• Types of Offences: These arrests cover a broad range of conduct, including sending "grossly offensive" or "menacing" messages, online stalking, harassment, and threats of violence.

2 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Then explain the 1000's arrested since 2003 law went into effect, doesn't read like utter nonsense to me.

56 days in jail, for a tweet, and I agree ... utter nonsense, and yet .... it happened.

A tweet ... let that one sink in.

Yep post threats, hate or incitement to violence and you get your fair share of the consequences.

Being offensive is not against the law

“if someone says they are offended, then just on that fact, it might be in violation of the law.”

Utter nonsense.

UK audiences are more literate, therefore the comedy can be wittier.

6 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Yep post threats, hate or incitement to violence and you get your fair share of the consequences.

Being offensive is not against the law

“if someone says they are offended, then just on that fact, it might be in violation of the law.”

Utter nonsense.

Please explain where this is threatening, yet, got 56 days of jail time.

Didn't threaten him, wasn't stalking him, not sure it's even hate speech and certainly not incite violence or riots.

Just now, KhunLA said:

Please explain where this is threatening, yet, got 56 days of jail time.

Didn't threaten him, wasn't stalking him, not sure it's even hate speech and certainly not incite violence or riots.

Why don’t you post a link to where you got that from so we can all see the full story?

9 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

UK audiences are more literate, therefore the comedy can be wittier.

And Americans provide British comedians with such a wealth of material to work with.

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Why don’t you post a link to where you got that from so we can all see the full story?

Read about the high crimes he committed. Called people '<deleted>', and even had the audacity, to tell someone to 'go pick some cotton'.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Liam+Stacey+tweated+what+that+got+him+arrested&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=566ee744d85630e4&sxsrf=ANbL-n4eDODrAiu7Mf9cFbvcuSWgPvC0TQ%3A1771837894785&udm=50&fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpmAsnXCN5UBx17opt8eaTX-iVZ7JibxEA2X7M_ninQtxjWQvzhjWU_fumeRSVO4NavK33NOn0FBrGm19B8tfsgpKPrDrQQHB6teKcP9nwnIZOXMpau77ICjHegNbLmgI3nrUOPGbUhb4G4-78vXYnBZEcDYmkSB5RQhKcprqY0_pjumGHz4_CfS0HwcGB79x620rz9g&aep=1&ntc=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRzsXCou-SAxXXsFYBHV0uM7YQ2J8OegQIERAE&biw=1229&bih=562&dpr=1.56&mstk=AUtExfBHiF6ifg4oUOUEBaIe2RzaQPpPGXH6BWXmnBuH8N6ItcYkjV30GtfRRgf9ncb_tPqshzePll23dz1t1u-FWS0X8EZ47Qt_fZU7J4BKsdyIXxcNBiTmm5hz8pKWhpAm77Pra6RKGCiw7kEoBMrB1N_zA1BeGWPhBmcFMiGaU1I3cVU83SJDVo39HbNwdbf_zsvT0oUsaaI7HOsBbLPZ_hBVdAz2cWzYP_3nbmK82t6twUl4oTUABWtK0W0xasA-6n2HNlfN8TiXUXoWI70JnqcGLByrD3ruH_jGAJUmU3KOjdgqc1mvxH1l09gef3LaHu7u1Qqu_1Gimw&csuir=1&mtid=yhmcae6qKfuwwcsP9bfyiQc

Billy Connolly, Robin Williams and George Carlin are the best of all time for me. English comedy is more suitable for tv than stand up.

9 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And Americans provide British comedians with such a wealth of material to work with.

Don't forget the French.

6 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Read about the high crimes he committed. Called people '<deleted>', and even had the audacity, to tell someone to 'go pick some cotton'.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Liam+Stacey+tweated+what+that+got+him+arrested&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=566ee744d85630e4&sxsrf=ANbL-n4eDODrAiu7Mf9cFbvcuSWgPvC0TQ%3A1771837894785&udm=50&fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpmAsnXCN5UBx17opt8eaTX-iVZ7JibxEA2X7M_ninQtxjWQvzhjWU_fumeRSVO4NavK33NOn0FBrGm19B8tfsgpKPrDrQQHB6teKcP9nwnIZOXMpau77ICjHegNbLmgI3nrUOPGbUhb4G4-78vXYnBZEcDYmkSB5RQhKcprqY0_pjumGHz4_CfS0HwcGB79x620rz9g&aep=1&ntc=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRzsXCou-SAxXXsFYBHV0uM7YQ2J8OegQIERAE&biw=1229&bih=562&dpr=1.56&mstk=AUtExfBHiF6ifg4oUOUEBaIe2RzaQPpPGXH6BWXmnBuH8N6ItcYkjV30GtfRRgf9ncb_tPqshzePll23dz1t1u-FWS0X8EZ47Qt_fZU7J4BKsdyIXxcNBiTmm5hz8pKWhpAm77Pra6RKGCiw7kEoBMrB1N_zA1BeGWPhBmcFMiGaU1I3cVU83SJDVo39HbNwdbf_zsvT0oUsaaI7HOsBbLPZ_hBVdAz2cWzYP_3nbmK82t6twUl4oTUABWtK0W0xasA-6n2HNlfN8TiXUXoWI70JnqcGLByrD3ruH_jGAJUmU3KOjdgqc1mvxH1l09gef3LaHu7u1Qqu_1Gimw&csuir=1&mtid=yhmcae6qKfuwwcsP9bfyiQc

Ah, this little racist scroat:

“On 19 March 2012 the Appellant pleaded guilty at the Swansea Magistrates’ Court to

an offence contrary to section 31(1)(b) of the Public Order Act 1986. By his plea he

admitted that he used threatening, abusive or insulting words with intent to cause

harassment, alarm or distress to users of the Twitter Internet Messaging Service. He

also accepted that his offence was racially aggravated”

Oh and he lost his appeal:

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/appeal-judgment-r-v-stacey.pdf

Racially aggravated hate harassment is not merely being ‘offensive’.

You guys on the rightwing do pick some disgusting racist trash as martyrs.

26 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Why don’t you post a link to where you got that from so we can all see the full story?

30 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Please explain where this is threatening, yet, got 56 days of jail time.

Didn't threaten him, wasn't stalking him, not sure it's even hate speech and certainly not incite violence or riots.

Where's the comedy in that tweet? I thought this thread was about comedy, British vs American.

I can understand claims that laws on free speech or present day political correctness may limit comedy's range but that comment by Stacey is not comedy, except in his own mind.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

That's the whole point of freedom of speech / expression. Being allowed to say, what other may not agree with. UK law, dictates what is offensive, or if someone says they are offended, then just on that fact, it might be in violation of the law.

That's not freedom, that's censorship.

Us Yanks, will never agree with what everyone states, thinks, expresses. But we tend to agree, you're allowed to state, think or express those thoughts. If you offend someone, oh well. As long as it's not libel or slander, it's not illegal.

First of all, remember it was us who invented you lot so a bit of appreciation for your creators wouldn’t go amiss but you are quite correct in as much as you are not allowed to just say absolutely anything in the UK because in the US, the law prioritizes the right to speak, while UK law balances it against individual reputation and community harmony. In the US, hate speech is generally protected, provided it does not incite violence. UK law on the other hand (eg, Public Order Act 1986) criminalizes speech likely to cause “harassment, alarm or distress,” including, racism, or “grossly offensive” online content.

You may call it 'censorship', we just call it common sense and for the vast majority of people it isn't a thing as we do get offended by someone 'standing on the corner.... yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag.'

It's a shame you don't.

38 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Read about the high crimes he committed. Called people '<deleted>', and even had the audacity, to tell someone to 'go pick some cotton'.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Liam+Stacey+tweated+what+that+got+him+arrested&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=566ee744d85630e4&sxsrf=ANbL-n4eDODrAiu7Mf9cFbvcuSWgPvC0TQ%3A1771837894785&udm=50&fbs=ADc_l-aN0CWEZBOHjofHoaMMDiKpmAsnXCN5UBx17opt8eaTX-iVZ7JibxEA2X7M_ninQtxjWQvzhjWU_fumeRSVO4NavK33NOn0FBrGm19B8tfsgpKPrDrQQHB6teKcP9nwnIZOXMpau77ICjHegNbLmgI3nrUOPGbUhb4G4-78vXYnBZEcDYmkSB5RQhKcprqY0_pjumGHz4_CfS0HwcGB79x620rz9g&aep=1&ntc=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjRzsXCou-SAxXXsFYBHV0uM7YQ2J8OegQIERAE&biw=1229&bih=562&dpr=1.56&mstk=AUtExfBHiF6ifg4oUOUEBaIe2RzaQPpPGXH6BWXmnBuH8N6ItcYkjV30GtfRRgf9ncb_tPqshzePll23dz1t1u-FWS0X8EZ47Qt_fZU7J4BKsdyIXxcNBiTmm5hz8pKWhpAm77Pra6RKGCiw7kEoBMrB1N_zA1BeGWPhBmcFMiGaU1I3cVU83SJDVo39HbNwdbf_zsvT0oUsaaI7HOsBbLPZ_hBVdAz2cWzYP_3nbmK82t6twUl4oTUABWtK0W0xasA-6n2HNlfN8TiXUXoWI70JnqcGLByrD3ruH_jGAJUmU3KOjdgqc1mvxH1l09gef3LaHu7u1Qqu_1Gimw&csuir=1&mtid=yhmcae6qKfuwwcsP9bfyiQc

You seem to have conveniently missed this part - 'After being criticized by other users, Stacey responded with a series of harsh and racist abusive messages against those users."

But that's what happens when you have an agenda to defend. The full facts just get in the way.

25 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Ah, this little racist scroat:

“On 19 March 2012 the Appellant pleaded guilty at the Swansea Magistrates’ Court to

an offence contrary to section 31(1)(b) of the Public Order Act 1986. By his plea he

admitted that he used threatening, abusive or insulting words with intent to cause

harassment, alarm or distress to users of the Twitter Internet Messaging Service. He

also accepted that his offence was racially aggravated”

Oh and he lost his appeal:

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Judgments/appeal-judgment-r-v-stacey.pdf

Racially aggravated hate harassment is not merely being ‘offensive’.

You guys on the rightwing do pick some disgusting racist trash as martyrs.

I'm not right wing, and he's far from a martyr to anyone. He's just an idiot bigot, and we have more than a few on AN. Doesn't mean he or any should be arrested, let alone get a jail sentence.

With that, easy to see, free speech and expression of thoughts, aren't allowed for all in the UK, my original thoughts.

9 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

First of all, remember it was us who invented you lot so a bit of appreciation for your creators wouldn’t go amiss but you are quite correct in as much as you are not allowed to just say absolutely anything in the UK because in the US, the law prioritizes the right to speak, while UK law balances it against individual reputation and community harmony. In the US, hate speech is generally protected, provided it does not incite violence. UK law on the other hand (eg, Public Order Act 1986) criminalizes speech likely to cause “harassment, alarm or distress,” including, racism, or “grossly offensive” online content.

You may call it 'censorship', we just call it common sense and for the vast majority of people it isn't a thing as we do get offended by someone 'standing on the corner.... yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag.'

It's a shame you don't.

Yea, if you weren't so oppressive, my ancestors wouldn't have left England for the new world.

I can't get offended by some, stranger, idiot ranting in public, or on AN. BUT do think they have the right to voice their opinions & thoughts. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I get a good chuckle, from there ignorance, arrogance or just silliness, and usually the latter on AN, and chuckles are good.

5 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Wow, you cherry picked the one example, that would cause physical harm to people affected by falsely yelling fire.

Try standing on the corner in UK yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag. See if you aren't arrested. Free speech / expression ...

Not sure why you think it's a good thing to be allowed to stand on the corner yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag. We're pretty glad that can't happen in the UK.

And you talk about cherry picking....

1 minute ago, KhunLA said:

I can't get offended by some, stranger, idiot ranting in public, or on AN. BUT do think they have the right to voice their opinions & thoughts. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I get a good chuckle, from there ignorance, arrogance or just silliness, and usually the latter on AN, and chuckles are good.

You do realise you can't just say anything on AN? They're called moderators and they will readily strike down a post that is racist, bigoted or causes extreme offense. For most that's why this forum works because you CAN"T just say anything.

But to you it's censorship.

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Not sure why you think it's a good thing to be allowed to stand on the corner yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag. We're pretty glad that can't happen in the UK.

And you talk about cherry picking....

He doesn't get it. He thinks that scenario is just fine because 'Freedom of Speach'.

Us Brits are a bit more circumspect in what can or cannot offend others and as much as it may not be very popular with those on the right, we really don't give a $hit that racists, bigots and Nazi's don't get to say whatever the hell they want and are forced to shut up.

1 minute ago, josephbloggs said:

Not sure why you think it's a good thing to be allowed to stand on the corner yelling you hate Muslims, or Jews, with a nazi swastikas shirt or flag. We're pretty glad that can't happen in the UK.

And you talk about cherry picking....

Freedom to express one's self is always a good thing. Would be funny as hell to watch someone do that, and get their butts kicked. Live with your choices ...

See you and other's miss the whole concept of freedom of expression, and does explain quite a bit.

22 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I'm not right wing, and he's far from a martyr to anyone. He's just an idiot bigot, and we have more than a few on AN. Doesn't mean he or any should be arrested, let alone get a jail sentence.

With that, easy to see, free speech and expression of thoughts, aren't allowed for all in the UK, my original thoughts.

He pled guilty to racially aggravated hate speech.

Find another hill to die on.

21 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

You seem to have conveniently missed this part - 'After being criticized by other users, Stacey responded with a series of harsh and racist abusive messages against those users."

But that's what happens when you have an agenda to defend. The full facts just get in the way.

Do you actually think I don't read what I post, or link. It's not even a long read, and just one of the accounts I did read. Unlike others, I do read & understand what I link. Read a couple accounts or, AI being the least bias, as didn't believe someone could get arrested for a harmless tweet.

Even read one account, where someone got arrested for something said in a private msg, and wasn't even threatening, just uncomplimentary. UK is nuts, IMHO

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Freedom to express one's self is always a good thing. Would be funny as hell to watch someone do that, and get their butts kicked. Live with your choices ...

See you and other's miss the whole concept of freedom of expression, and does explain quite a bit.

Completely omits the part hate speech has played in the worst atrocities in recorded human history.

Hate speech has consequences, these should not be reserved for the targets of the hate speech.

8 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Yea, if you weren't so oppressive, my ancestors wouldn't have left England for the new world.

And without digressing too much, English Puritans were a major driving force in the early colonization of what became the USA, specifically New England. Starting around 1630, thousands of Puritans left the UK to escape religious persecution and establish a society based on their strict religious beliefs, forming the Massachusetts Bay Colony (AI).

They left because they were so religious they needed to find another country that would let them practice their extreme religion that extolled gems such as 'that God had already chosen who was saved' and 'that the Bible was the final authority for all aspects of life, not just religious matters'.

I suppose they were the first 'victims' of the British censorship you are so desperate to push.

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

UK is nuts, IMHO

Then don't go. You won't be missed.

11 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

You do realise you can't just say anything on AN? They're called moderators and they will readily strike down a post that is racist, bigoted or causes extreme offense. For most that's why this forum works because you CAN"T just say anything.

But to you it's censorship.

Not allowed to comment on moderation / censorship, either, so no reply for you.

Ask I stated somewhere, on recent post on this thread, 'does explain a lot', as mods only look at reported posts, since not reading all, and so many people are easily offended, explains quite a lot of reporting & deleting.

Just now, johnnybangkok said:

Then don't go. You won't be missed.

No worries, too expensive, too small, food & weather sucks IMHO. Do like Cumberlands though, but can make at home.

Kids in the hall

Saturday night live

Seinfeld

1 minute ago, gargamon said:

Kids in the hall

Saturday night live

Seinfeld

Inbetweeners

8 out of 10 cats does countdown

Only fools and Horses

5 minutes ago, johnnybangkok said:

Inbetweeners

8 out of 10 cats does countdown

Only fools and Horses

Dad’s Army

MASH