Homophobia in a university newspaper, as well as other things!?

[SL33TBL1ND]

....

?

Someone tell me what was homophobic about that comic. I don't see it.

Yeah, this is more "tasteless joke" than homophobic. Everything should be fair game as far as comedy is concerned, anyway.

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

piss on political correctness,i laughed and i am still a good person

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequence. That's all that needs to be said.

Or in other words, people can say whatever they want. Once they've said their piece, they've already exercised said freedom, so whatever comes afterwards has nothing to do with their freedom of speech.

You do realize that that does not work at all?

 

[Vegosiux]

Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequence. That's all that needs to be said.

Or in other words, people can say whatever they want. Once they've said their piece, they've already exercised said freedom, so whatever comes afterwards has nothing to do with their freedom of speech.

You do realize that that does not work at all?

How does it not work? Why do people assume "Freedom of speech" is the same as "I can aynthing I want with impunity"?

 

[Athinira]

There is a difference between a joke and hate speech.

I'd say that a comic that depicts threats of killing someone for their sexual orientation qualifies as hate speech - at least in the way that this comic does it. They use a follow-up joke to distract us from the initial message, but the initial message "We'll shoot you if you're gay" (or "gays deserve to be shot" or "Punish your kid if they're gay" or however you interpret it) is still passed on to readers

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

To be honest it's a uni newspaper, sick jokes always offend someone but are still funny,
For instance South Park. I laughed at it because obviously its a parody on homophobes.

I think people just need to lighten up all this pc bullshit is driving me mad, but there does need to be a line.

I think race should not be joked about but religion and sexual preference and any other choice believe or life style is fair game.

except sexual preference is not a choice...

 

[Mr Thin]

The joke doesn't seem homophobic to me, it just seems tasteless.

I'd say it shouldn't have been published, but I think it was an overreaction to label this as homophobia. That petition letter on the site sounds like it was written by someone with their head up their ass. I'm sure most of the people signing this petition have told or at least laughed at more offensive jokes when among friends.

Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see, but I seriously doubt the person responsible for this joke is homophobic. They simply went too far for the sake of a bad pun. Calling this a homophobic act, rather than just a stupid decision, is taking it to an extreme that leaves very little room for discussion.

 

[FitScotGaymer]

Yeah I kinda agree with this petition.

I have a sense of humour about being gay; and I dont really mind gay jokes - especially if they are funny.

This isn't funny.

It doesn't even seem like they are trying to be funny. Looks to me like thats what they really think, and are dressing it up as a joke so they dont get into trouble and come off like the homophobic dicks they are.

Obviously doesn't work that way.

EDIT:
I just want to add to the person who said it isn't homophobic. I assume you aren't gay yourself, because as a gay person I can categorically say that it IS homophobic.

The comic is saying that being gay is so horrific and disgusting that the father would murder his son for it if he ever "came out". It supports - intentionally or not - a horribly offensive and outdated viewpoint that has no place in our modern society.

And their "apology" was the most half assed thing i've ever seen.

There is plenty of things about gay people to make jokes about; hell Will and Grace was pretty much a show that was one entire gay and jew joke from beginning to end. Making jokes about murdering us for ust existing is not funny and not acceptable.

 

[launchpadmcqwak]

Freedom of speech is not freedom from consequence. That's all that needs to be said.

Or in other words, people can say whatever they want. Once they've said their piece, they've already exercised said freedom, so whatever comes afterwards has nothing to do with their freedom of speech.

You do realize that that does not work at all?

How does it not work? Why do people assume "Freedom of speech" is the same as "I can anything I want with impunity"?

because you are allowed too SAY anything you want, if what you are saying is true than we would be living in an opinion suppressing society. for example if what you are saying is true, back when the taliban were in charge of afganistan, the women there had the right to free speech the whole time?.

 

[Whitbane]

Worst goddamn joke ever. I could see if it was actually anything to get hyped over, but it's such a shitty joke.

 

[Timmey]

There is a difference between a joke and hate speech.

I'd say that a comic that depicts threats of killing someone for their sexual orientation qualifies as hate speech - at least in the way that this comic does it. They use a follow-up joke to distract us from the initial message, but the initial message "We'll shoot you if you're gay" (or "gays deserve to be shot" or "Punish your kid if they're gay" or however you interpret it) is still passed on to readers

You can't truly believe this is an example of hate speech can you? Sure, it isn't particularly funny, but i think it's a bit far to brand it as hate speech.

Edited for miss quote

 

[Genocidicles]

Well I certainly found it funny.

That probably makes me a bad person, but I'm a sucker for puns. No matter how bad or tasteless they are.

 

[Agent Larkin]

Ok first of all on the whole "sexual orientation is/isn't a choice" thing I want everyone to take a step back for a moment. I can see a flame war coming on that and quite frankly if we can head it off now that would be great.

Now OT.

Ok the joke is a little bit on the dark side but I'm sorry I see nothing wrong with it. Hell read it in Frankie Boyle's voice and the damn thing sounds lifted from his set. If you want to argue that a public forum is not appropriate for that joke well I'm afraid that's a freedom of speech issue and i am not touching that with a yard stick.

 

[Valanthe]

I giggled, I couldn't stop myself, I mean, that was on par with any of the terrible one liners that have been spouted in CSI Miami's run...

You know what, I could actually see him saying that, literally. Pan shot of a dead man in drag rolled up in a carpet, Horatio says in his deadpan tone, "I guess that's a ... *puts on sunglasses* fruit roll-up"


In all seriousness though, I can see -how- this comic can be interpreted as homophobic, but if we're grasping at -that- looking for discrimination, then we really have come a long ways from the days of true discrimination and intoler-

nevermind...

snip

Try also mentioning the fact that freedom of speech only protects you from the government's interference, such as being arrested or censored by the police or other government organization, not from the actions of a private citizen or business, like a newspaper.

 

[hooksashands]

Please pick something worth getting offended by.

 

[FitScotGaymer]

The whole "freedom of speech" thing is a fallacious arguement.

Your Right to Freedom of Speech does not override my Right to Live Free from Harrassment and Prejudice.

Sorry guys n girls but it doesn't.

The way it works in the UK is you can say and do whatever the crap you like, as long as you aren't bothering or upsetting anyone else. The moment you do, bam, the law will drop on you like a ton of bricks.

I don't know if it's the same in the states tho...

EDIT:
Let me put it this way to the heteronormative nay says in the thread.

If that comic said something along the lines of...

"Son if you every bring home a black girlfriend I will shoot you dead..."
"Shoot her dead..."
"Roll you both up in the carpet, and bury you in the yard..."
"Oh! Well I guess that's what you would call a minstrel sandwich then..."
"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!"

What would your response be then?

Would you care?

Would you pass it off as a "bad" or "tasteless" joke that isn't "that big of a deal" and really the comic book artist is entitled to say it cos of "freedom of speech"?

Or would you say "thats racist!"?

 

[Agent Larkin]

.....I misread that shirt as saying "God hates Flags". Oddly the fact it was the Westboro Baptists didn't make me think it was wrong.

 

[Agent Larkin]

The whole "freedom of speech" thing is a fallacious arguement.

Your Right to Freedom of Speech does not override my Right to Live Free from Harrassment and Prejudice.

Sorry guys n girls but it doesn't.

The way it works in the UK is you can say and do whatever the crap you like, as long as you aren't bothering or upsetting anyone else. The moment you do, bam, the law will drop on you like a ton of bricks.

I don't know if it's the same in the states tho...

EDIT:
Let me put it this way to the heteronormative nay says in the thread.

If that comic said something along the lines of...

"Son if you every bring home a black girlfriend I will shoot you dead..."
"Shoot her dead..."
"Roll you both up in the carpet, and bury you in the yard..."
"Oh! Well I guess that's what you would call a minstrel sandwich then..."
"HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!"

What would your response be then?

Would you care?

Would you pass it off as a "bad" or "tasteless" joke that isn't "that big of a deal" and really the comic book artist is entitled to say it cos of "freedom of speech"?

Or would you say "thats racist!"?

I'd say that was a terrible (as in not-funny) joke.

 

[Valanthe]

.....I misread that shirt as saying "God hates Flags". Oddly the fact it was the Westboro Baptists didn't make me think it was wrong.

My chain of thought for the past few moments:

Sees an unread message, thinks, "I bet it's a quote from the gay rights thread"
-looks- "Yep"
-sees the picture in the quote box, thinks- "Oh god, someone's missed the joke and is gonna try to jump down my throat about that."
-reads your response and LOL's-

Thank you sir, you made my night.

 

[DoPo]

The whole "freedom of speech" thing is a fallacious arguement.

Your Right to Freedom of Speech does not override my Right to Live Free from Harrassment and Prejudice.

Sorry guys n girls but it doesn't.

The way it works in the UK is you can say and do whatever the crap you like, as long as you aren't bothering or upsetting anyone else. The moment you do, bam, the law will drop on you like a ton of bricks.

I don't know if it's the same in the states tho...

Well, the USA freedom of speech thing is the following "The right, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to express beliefs and ideas without unwarranted government restriction." So, yes - it is fallacious. Bolded the part people tend to miss out and the italics are in particular interest. Simply put, the freedom of speech protects you from the government rather than "any consequences for speaking one's mind".

Even, then freedom of speech is not absolute, as there are explicitly defined instances where it wouldn't be in effect.

Took me a couple of minutes on Google and now I know this. But I'm not an US citizen, so I didn't really need to know it in the first place. But what's other people's excuse?