It's Not Illegal To Be An Asshole ... Yet. (Trees And Things)

HidingFromGoro: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 22:47:20 EST

She had a Spaghetti strap shirt (straps had to be at least 2 inches wide, or as wide as the ID badge [size of a credit card]), "excessively low-cut" top (no strict definition on that one, it was up to "management discretion"- and this woman was falling out

thefadd: Re: Mixed feelings

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 12:53:53 EST

I know it sounds ridiculous on its face but honestly, it's a solid argument that a workplace dress code creates a hostile work environment. Sure there are arguments that the company has an interest in maintaining order and (if the worker has access to clie

keta: Unsurprising, Really

Sun, 3 Aug 2008 13:41:05 EST

Certain lesbians in Vancouver are among the most humourless, angry people I've ever met in my life. They hate men, they hate most women, nothing is ever good enough, and to top it all off they make their dogs wear stupid fucking handkerchiefs around

tomc: Re: Mixed feelings

Sat, 2 Aug 2008 23:26:24 EST

So, what was she wearing? Inquiring minds want to know!

HidingFromGoro: Re: Mixed feelings

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 22:32:05 EST

Fun fact: I disciplined an employee because she was out of dress code (WAY out of dress code) and she claimed that me punishing her for violating a document she'd signed in three places (explicitly outlining that she would be punished for violating it) was

thefadd: Re: Mixed feelings

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 18:20:48 EST

But that's a work place environment which has different conventions. In America, for the most part, these things are judged based on civil case law and not enshrined criminal law. If everyone at your workplace enjoys greeting one another by saying, "Fags s

zyxwvutsr: Re: Mixed feelings

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 17:55:14 EST

If that is in fact an accurate description of Canadian law, then Canadian society has turned into a far creepier place than I had ever suspected.

skeptic: Re: Mixed feelings

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 10:52:12 EST

I would much rather be a prig than a bigot. Other than that, your comment doesn't really deserve a reply.

HidingFromGoro: Re: Mixed feelings

Fri, 1 Aug 2008 03:36:15 EST

Canadian law is very similar to American law in that it addresses protected classes. For example, I once worked at a call center as a sales manager and through ineptitude and apathy on the part of my employer was forced to assume many roles and respo

tomc: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:31:40 EST

Fuck, that happened to me once back in the late 70s. It wasn't funny.

tomc: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:27:58 EST

You'd have to try it out and let us know what happens.

zyxwvutsr: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:11:55 EST

In Canada, publicly saying something like "Fags are horrible people" would make you a criminal

See, I don't know much about Canadian law. If I were to say, for instance, "Fags are wicked gay," would that earn me a jail

Degee: Re: Is it a crime not to be George Carlin?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:04:29 EST

Worse, if there is a significant amount of interpretation necessary of such a vague law. Not saying it is right, just saying...

tomc: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:02:02 EST

In Canada, publicly saying something like "Fags are horrible people" would make you a criminal.

For better or worse Canada has laws against hate speech.

So when visiting, it's prudent to talk nice while you're there.

Lou: Re: Truth?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:05:56 EST

oh good, I was afraid great grand dad died for nothing.

Steve Urkel: Re: Truth?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:29:59 EST

"Fifteen cents...mostly pennies, probably."

Of course back then a plate of spaghetti and meatballs only cost a nickel.

Lou: Truth?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:40:39 EST

"Humor must in some way be based upon truth"

Agreed, but where is the truth in your joke?

Copper wire made from pennies? -No...copper wire existed long before the penny.

Two Jews fighting over a penny? -Even if they were strong enough

Steve Urkel: Re: No free speech in Canada

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:37:10 EST

All countries more "progressive" than the US have speech restrictions. It's because the guiding principle of liberalism is equality, in the universal or you might say cosmic sense.

See this But that's how it works in practice. Jews (blacks, fags, etc.) can make fun of whites all they want, but if whites make fun of Jews (etc.) it's 'bigotry'. If saying certain things really is a 'cr

skeptic: Re: Mixed feelings

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:50:22 EST

I didn't say that Jews can make fun of anyone they want (and your comment is so obtuse that it seems to be a deliberate misunderstanding), I said that anti-Semitic jokes are in bad taste unless they are made ironically by Jews; in other words, Jews can mak

uncarved block: Yep

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:46:37 EST

I understand the general rule in situations like this is that the defendant is the weakest link in the case. Which makes sense: if it was clearly wrong, there'd be no publicity, and if clearly right, no charges would be brought.

Degee: Re: It's Not Illegal To Be An Asshole ... Yet.

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:03:11 EST

Unfortunately for free speech in Canada, it will be hard to work up some enthusiasm for this guy because he's just not that funny .

Lou: Whua?

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 07:12:50 EST

In Canada you could be jailed for that.

What? Making fun of a puppet?

Steve Urkel: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:18:32 EST

In Canada you could be jailed for that.

Lou: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:12:07 EST

What's 18 inches long and hangs in front on an asshole?

Shumway's tie.

The humor never stops.

Steve Urkel: No free speech in Canada

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:11:11 EST

Canadian 'hate speech' laws are used to harass and hopefully intimidate journalis

Steve Urkel: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:49:44 EST

"much like anti-Semitic jokes or comments (except when uttered ironically by Jews) "

So Jews can make fun of whomever they want, but no one else can joke about the Jews? What bullshit.

By the way, you know who invented copper wire? Two Jews fighting

thefadd: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:58:18 EST

Worse yet, what if you're a man trapped in a lesbian's haircut?

Lou: Re: What did they do?

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:26:40 EST

Destroy all their Indigo Girls CDs?

That certainly won't bring them closer to fine.

MayorBob: What did they do?

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:16:58 EST

Destroy all their Indigo Girls CDs?

delete me: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:01:30 EST

What if the Lesbians aren't into lesbianism?

skeptic: Re: Could be worse

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:49:01 EST

I understand that Michael Richards also responds poorly to being heckled.

skeptic: Re: No, that's not what I said.

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:48:09 EST

Chances are, Earle was not really guilty of hate speech. However, without knowing exactly what he said, I can't be sure of that. And even if he had been guilty of hate speech it was still inappropriate for the lady in question to assault him. &

MayorBob: No, that's not what I said.

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:40:17 EST

I didn't say he couldn't possibly be convicted of anything. What I'm saying is that taking what has been reported about what was said and done, I don't think he could be convicted of a hate crime (which is what he's really being charged with). As it's re

skeptic: hecklers

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:37:08 EST

I think that it is possible to heckle graciously. Many stand-up comedians enjoy a good heckle, since it gives them more material to joke about. Paula Poundstone, for example, is brilliant at replying to hecklers. It's the best thing in he

skeptic: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:31:29 EST

I know that there are a lot of people who disagree with the Canadian law which prohibits the promotion of hatred against minority groups. Some of the other replies to my comment specifically say that any speech is acceptable to them, no matter what i

zyxwvutsr: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:12:01 EST

Hecklers are obligated to accept with good grace the consequences of their own heckling

Lesbians are obligated to accept with good grace the consequences of their own lesbianism.

zyxwvutsr: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:09:16 EST

I think that I would have to hear a recording of this exchange (if one exists) before I could really decide if it constitutes a hate crime

How could it possibly be a "hate crime"? What could possibly be said that would be bad

MayorBob: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:31:12 EST

Well, no it's nothing like a boxing match. The audience is there to listen to the comic's routine -- at least that's what everybody else other than the two lesbians were there for. What right did they have to interrupt Earle's routine with their heckling

Lou: Could be worse

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:06:28 EST

The hecklers should be thankful they weren't at a Bill Hicks show.

thefadd: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:59:05 EST

If you heckle and don't get shot, you should consider yourself lucky. I don't need to hear a recording because there isn't anything he shouldn't be allowed to say to them as far as I'm concerned.

gerrymander: Re: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:34:40 EST

Hecklers are obligated to accept with good grace the consequences of their own heckling.

Therein lies the problem. If hecklers had good grace, they wouldn't be heckling.

skeptic: Mixed feelings

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:49:57 EST

I feel that anti-gay jokes or comments, much like anti-Semitic jokes or comments (except when uttered ironically by Jews) are always in bad taste, and cannot actually be funny. Humor must in some way be based upon truth, not lies. But whether s