There is a lot of discussion in the various media today about FoS, the right to protest and the right to offend and this got me thinking about whether there are limits which should never be crossed, ever. Indeed, there is one particular freedom of speech restriction which had been legitimised in some countries, holocaust denial, including France - by proxy, under the Gayssot Act 1990.
OK, I appreciate this is intertwined with anti-semitism and inciting hate and follows the worst ever of atrocities but if I went to certain countries, I can stand on a pedestal and shout 'the holocaust didnt happen' and land myself in the clink or handed a large fine. This might be my opinion, genuinly, and so why shouldnt I be allowed voice it if i wasnt inciting others to hold my views? Isnt it my right to agree or disagree with the denial of the holocaust and surely the best reaction to this would be for someone to hand me some happy pills and advise me to see a psychiatrist?
So, should freedom of speech be unlimited or are there places that even this most fundamental of rights that everyone is defending today not venture?
Post edited at 13:36