David Seymour
David Seymour wants Kiwis to have the right to be offensive without having to worry about getting arrested.
Instead, he hopes “contempt and ridicule” will stop racists from spreading their poisonous views.
The ACT Party leader is proposing a Freedom to Speak Bill, which would repeal parts of the Human Rights Act.
“You’ve always been able to be punished by the state on the basis of fact,” he told Newshub Nation on Saturday morning.
“The idea you could be potentially punished for saying something that was offensive or insulting, as they have in the UK, is something that worries a lot of Kiwis.”
There are two parts of the Human Rights Act Seymour wants gone.
The first is Section 61, which makes it unlawful to publish, distribute or broadcast “threatening, abusive or insulting” language “likely to excite hostility against or bring into contempt any group of persons in or who may be coming to New Zealand on the ground of the colour, race, or ethnic or national origins of that group of persons”. It’s also against the law to use such language in a public meeting, or at any time or place where it’s reasonable to expect the words might get picked up by the media.
“I’m trying to appeal to people who see that freedom of speech is the foundation of all freedoms,” said Seymour. “If you can’t express yourself, it’s very hard to stand up politically for important causes.”
The second is Part 6, which makes it a crime to incite racial disharmony with a potential punishment of a $7000 fine or three months behind bars.
Asked by host Tova O’Brien if that means he’d be happy with Nazis performing ‘seig heil’ salutes on the grounds of Parliament or walking down the street using the N-word, Seymour said no.
“That’s completely offensive and I think there would be a whole lot of sanctions form that form the wider society, but I don’t think the state should be there trying to punish people,” he explained.
“I think those people are complete idiots. It is freedom of expression, but it will get exactly what it deserves – which is total contempt and ridicule from all of New Zealand society.”
How are Nazi salutes any different to the Mongrel Mob salutes?
And we excuse those pieces of shit and supply them with benefits.
Yep- And how are Nazi salutes any worse than Communist propaganda? (Spouting Karl Marx and calling people ‘Comrades’ etc)
We all know which ideology killed more people…..
Because they bark as well so it isn’t the same?
And we excuse those pieces of shit
Cut out this “we” business!
As a generous tax payer you have no choice in the matter.
The salute is also ancient, for example, used by the Romans. It was also the salute in the USA (note past tense).
Back in the days where we could still laugh about race…Richard Pryor one of my all time favourites…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9TS1pRmajU
Here’s my racism for the day…”White folks just do it better”
I was thinking about this the other day, about the t-shirt that is no longer sold on trade me that stated that it is alright to be white. They should just put the word white, everything can clearly be inferred just from that one word.
why not just wear an old white T shirt. That will send a message.
Who needs free speech when you need to say nothing, symbolism and what others read into it is clearly enough.
Try wearing blue or red in some gang areas of NZ to find out about symbolism and what some others will read into it.
Not without a rather large revolver and lots of ammo lol
I’m going to get one made with “Deplorable Climate Denying Infidel” with a pic of Uncle Sam on it.
To Leftards, anyone who isn’t a Leftard is a Nazi and racist. And even to many Leftards, their fellow Leftards are Nazis and racists when they fail the day’s purity test.
Purity of ideology or of virtue signalling, all virtue signalling can’t be created equal?
Mr Seymour would be more in line with modern thinking if he proposed a law making being offended illegal.
I am in agreement with David Seymour on those two sections of the Human Rights Act. Repeal is the best treatment for them. The power of the state should not be able to be used to punish anyone for speech or expression.
Problem is some New Zealanders are quite happy for the state to do all manner of things on their behalf. Raising their children, giving them money for not working, money for being in prison even, pay for dentistry and other health care, set ridiculous lower speed limits etc. etc. So not a big extension for the state to legislate against speech that might offend.
Laziness is what it is. And the more the state controls, the more it wants to control. Ain’t progressivism wonderful.