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How Free is Britain?
Social Affairs Unit ^ | Feb 22 05 | Anthony Daniels

Posted on 02/24/2005 12:32:34 AM PST by ijcr

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To: MadIvan
I am sure the mods are watching

I hope they are--the innocent fear not the watchers; indeed, they appreciate their vigilance...as do I here.

I have nothing further to say to you

Nor do I to you...this will end the second I don't see an "new posts to you" at the end of my refresh button with the name "Mad Ivan" attached to it--not before...

That's one sure way to never hear from me again...

61 posted on 02/24/2005 4:38:56 AM PST by A Jovial Cad ("I had no shoes and I complained, until I saw a man who had not feet.")
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To: weegie
am I free to disagree?,p.In the US you are...given the previous posts about getting arrested over a church sermon I'm not so sure about in the UK. You might want to check with the Minister that deals with disagreements.

(Not the abuse minister...the argument minsiter...make sure you get the right room. /grin)

62 posted on 02/24/2005 4:39:49 AM PST by Abundy
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To: weegie

of course if you have to ask you are proving my point...


63 posted on 02/24/2005 4:40:19 AM PST by Abundy
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To: GeronL
You can do that in the US too..

Just not too much currency, lest the police confiscate it without laying charges.

64 posted on 02/24/2005 4:41:21 AM PST by Wolfie
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To: Abundy
In the US you are...given the previous posts about getting arrested over a church sermon I'm not so sure about in the UK

That post was hypothetical. But if you see my post 55, the Philly 5 may have something to say on the matter of freedom of speech in the US.
65 posted on 02/24/2005 4:44:05 AM PST by pau1f0rd (a British citizen)
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To: Abundy

I'm sorry mate but as far as I see, America's freedom is seriously under attack. The moral thought-police are systematically 'purifying' your media. I mean, look at the crisis that exploded after Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction'. The whole country was in paroxysms of fear and angst over a split-second image of a woman's breast. When I heard about that, alarm bells rang. Over here, we get to see that kind of stuff - and lots more - all the time. Doesn't it piss you off that a bunch of moralising morons are dictating what you can and cannot watch on TV?


66 posted on 02/24/2005 4:45:43 AM PST by Bombay Bloke
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To: pau1f0rd

I understood it was a hypothetical. My understanding was that if the same sermon was given in the UK it would lead to arrest. (and I was being somewhat tounge in cheek with the poster)

The Philly 5 were ultimately released. We have bad apples here in the US...the prosecutor that authorized those charges should be disbarred - you just don't arrest people under those circumstances.

While the UK is clearly not free...MHO is that the US is just a shade behind you.

G'day.


67 posted on 02/24/2005 4:46:41 AM PST by Abundy
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To: Bombay Bloke

See #67.


68 posted on 02/24/2005 4:47:12 AM PST by Abundy
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To: Abundy
Forgot the ; )

Actually the church sermon point is andectotal at best. the there is the earlier counterblast on the evangelizing Christians being arrested at the gay event (wasn't it Philly?)

I just find the "Im freer than you" argument hysterical - The tv license is merely an additional tax. What should be celebrated is that in both our countries we have the freedom to criticise the incumbent regime. In those countries which are genuinely unfree, you get locked up for it.

Still wanna have my beer in the park though
69 posted on 02/24/2005 4:47:45 AM PST by weegie
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To: Abundy

Read the list, UK is the 7th freeest, the USA is the 13th.

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm

You can't really argue with that, especially as it was compilled by such a fine organisation as The Heritage Foundation, of which Rush Limbaugh has said,

"Some of the finest conservative minds in America today do their work in The Heritage Foundation"

http://www.heritage.org/about/


70 posted on 02/24/2005 4:48:02 AM PST by oursouls
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To: Bombay Bloke

oh, and BTW...I didn't have to pay the government a license fee to see that malfunction.

I still can't get over that fact...that you guys on the othe side of the pond need a license for a TV.

I'm wondering how long it will be before the screaming Socialists over here want to license personal use TVs, radios and computers???


71 posted on 02/24/2005 4:49:08 AM PST by Abundy
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To: Abundy

Its not so much that we British need a licence for a TV like Americans would need a licence for a gun or a pet wolverine: the TV licence was the only means of paying for the BBC (the only TV service back in the days of Lord Reith) and was therefore mandatory.

Now the BBC has become (IMO) your lefty-NPR writ large, it is a problem. But back when it was providing quality TV with no ads, few in the UK had a problem with it.


72 posted on 02/24/2005 4:53:57 AM PST by agere_contra
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To: Abundy
license for a TV.

I doubt it will last long. The BBC is being heavily scaled back right now, with massive job cuts. The removal of the license is seriously on the agenda. On that front at least, there is a little progress.
73 posted on 02/24/2005 4:54:57 AM PST by pau1f0rd (a British citizen)
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To: Bombay Bloke

"The whole country was in paroxysms of fear and angst over a split-second image of a woman's breast."

No, we weren't. We were disgusted that a family show turned into an MTV bump-and-grind sex simulation. It just isn't appropriate. Believe it or not, parents not only have sex, we enjoy it, but we don't want it on the TV for our kids. When they're older, they can make their own decisions about the value and quality of the popular culture, but until then, we want network television to remain tame and family-oriented. God knows that people who want to watch sex can do so at almost no cost 24-7 if they want-- it's all over cable TV, the internet, movie rentals, magazines, etc., etc..

But, can we please keep just a small portion of the public square suitable for people of all ages, for families? Thank you for your support.


74 posted on 02/24/2005 4:56:39 AM PST by walden
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To: oursouls
Dude, I don't give a shit about that list. I don't need a license to:

own a tv; you do.
own a gun; you can't.

I know that if the governemnt comes through the door of my home they will have obtained a warrant from a judge based on probable cause. You don't because your government isn't so restrained.

I have 10 very specific individual rights enshrined in a document - you don't.

That (document is/those rights are) continuously under attack by people who say they want us to live under a governmetn like yours...and they are very anti-individual rights. What does that tell you?

So the Heritage Foundation can stick it's study. And as I've previously posted, the US is definately right behind the UK in restricting individual rights in favor of the State.

That said, I'm still a citizen and you're still a subject. I'm a politically sovereign entity under our form of government and your are not under yours.

Any questions?

75 posted on 02/24/2005 4:56:41 AM PST by Abundy
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To: agere_contra

Interesting...so now the State has competion from private TV? Hadn't heard that.


76 posted on 02/24/2005 4:57:47 AM PST by Abundy
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To: pau1f0rd

The problem with the Beeb is that 27,000 mostly left of centre shiny bums rely on it for their living.

If it is forced to live in the real world and earn its own living, there will be redundancies and those people and their families friends and sympathisers are unlikely to back the government which wields the axe.

Turkeys tend not to vote for Christmas.


77 posted on 02/24/2005 4:59:05 AM PST by oursouls
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To: oursouls
So you can offer no rebuttal of my points other than to call it "nonsense" with no accompanying argument or justification and to point your finger at the date when I registered on this site?

It's a too typical tactic of people who don't have a leg to stand on to point to newer members sign on date, as if to say, you just started forming your opinions on the day you became a member, therefore they are without merit.

It seems a "newbie" is anyone who signed on at least one day after they did.

78 posted on 02/24/2005 5:00:26 AM PST by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Spec.4 Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: Abundy

Strictly speaking British people don't need a licence to own a TV, just to watch the BBC. Its a tax or subscription, not a licence except by an accident of nomenclature.

Several court cases have been won by "licence-dodgers" on the basis that their TV was for watching non-BBC products. I will be joining their ranks when I've adequately researched the subject.


79 posted on 02/24/2005 5:03:57 AM PST by agere_contra
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To: oursouls
The problem with the Beeb is that 27,000 mostly left of centre shiny bums rely on it for their living.

What a quote! You have encapsulated the problem concisely, as usual. :0)

80 posted on 02/24/2005 5:08:58 AM PST by agere_contra
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