European parody of freedom of speech

They say freedom of speech is embedded in the constitutions of many European countries. But what kind of freedom of speech do they mean?

You cannot loathe the Romani people, Jews, adhere to Nazism, promote ideologies that repress human rights. The tattoos are banned and so on.

I remember an article published in some Czech newspaper which was called: “The diagnosis: Russian” It was published with all the stereotypes about the Russian people. It loathed the Russian nation and one blogger brightly substituted “Russians” for “Jews”. Had the article been published with “Jews” substituted for “Russians” the author would have faced criminal charges.

The “freedom of speech” is not only limited to the Czech Republic but it is also very selective. You can wear a t-shirt with Che Guevara with no punishment. It also applies to other communist propaganda. Perhaps because a lot of current judges were communists back then.

How can one change the system when there are limits of freedom of speaking. Let’s say reasonable eugenics – you cannot even discuss it.

A lot of people were given suspended sentences or were even jailed. Just for their opinions.

I am highly critical of the United States, however, their freedom of speech is absolute, and therefore it is the real freedom of speech.


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