Halloween costumes -- where is the taste line drawn?

Remus Lupin · Oct 29, 2013

Well, I think it's worth wondering what "message" the costume sends. In the case of Harry, suspect there was one set of messages intended, and another set that the costume sends totally independently of the wearer. The costume can send a message, regardless of the wearer that ranges anywhere from "I'm an insensitive clod" to "I really think Hitler was boss" to "I'm playing a Nazi in the movie they're shooting down the way." The wearer can never prevent that message from being sent, even if they're wearing it "ironically." The only exception is if they wear it as express parody, a la "Springtime for Hitler" or Charlie Chaplain's "the Great Dictator."

NewJeffCT · Oct 29, 2013

Since we're discussing Prince Harry, the UK freedom of speech rules should be used - and, there is a whole swath of exceptions to free speech in the UK:

>>>
United Kingdom citizens have a negative right to freedom of expression under the common law.[85] In 1998, the United Kingdom incorporated the European Convention, and the guarantee of freedom of expression it contains in Article 10, into its domestic law under the Human Rights Act. However there is a broad sweep of exceptions including threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior intending or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or cause a breach of the peace (which has been used to prohibit racist speech targeted at individuals),[86][87][88] sending another any article which is indecent or grossly offensive with an intent to cause distress or anxiety (which has been used to prohibit speech of a racist or anti-religious nature),[89][90][91] incitement,[92] incitement to racial hatred,[93] incitement to religious hatred, incitement to terrorism including encouragement of terrorism and dissemination of terrorist publications,[92][94] glorifying terrorism,[95][96][97] collection or possession of a document or record containing information likely to be of use to a terrorist,[98][99] treason including compassing or imagining the death of the monarch or advocating for the abolition of the monarchy (which cannot be successfully prosecuted),[100][101][102][103][104] sedition,[101] obscenity,[105] indecency including corruption of public morals and outraging public decency,[106] defamation,[107] prior restraint, restrictions on court reporting including names of victims and evidence and prejudicing or interfering with court proceedings,[108][109] prohibition of post-trial interviews with jurors,[109] scandalising the court by criticising or murmuring judges,[109][110] time, manner, and place restrictions,[111] harassment, privileged communications, trade secrets, classified material, copyright, patents, military conduct, and limitations on commercial speech such as advertising.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_by_country

NewJeffCT · Oct 29, 2013

Morrus said:
What's freedom of speech to do with anything? Who's being denied that? Harry exercised his. The newspapers exercised theirs. People in this thread are exercising theirs. I don't get why it's an issue.

People were saying that if Harry if people were offended by Prince Harry wearing a Nazi uniform, it's too bad it's freedom of speech and you can't do anything about it and that you shouldn't be offended.

However, there are a whole slew of exceptions to freedom of speech in the UK (as well as in Canada, the US and elsewhere) and Harry potentially violated several by wearing the nazi uniform in so public a manner (exceptions including threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior intending or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or cause a breach of the peace (which has been used to prohibit racist speech targeted at individuals)) or corruption of public morals and outraging public decency or incitement to racial hatred,[93] incitement to religious hatred,

Kramodlog · Oct 29, 2013

Morrus said:
Umbran hasn't mentioned it. You have, though.

Indeed, cause I do have a right to express myself and have nothing happen to me, as opposed to what Umbran said. ;-)

Remus Lupin · Oct 29, 2013

But remember, Eric's grandmother is watching.

Kramodlog · Oct 29, 2013

Remus Lupin said:
But remember, Eric's grandmother is watching.

Cartman?

NewJeffCT · Oct 29, 2013

goldomark said:
Indeed, cause I do have a right to express myself and be offensive, as opposed to what Umbran said. ;-)

and, if the powers that be at enworld wanted to boot you off the website, they could do that, too. And, in a public forum, you could be in legal trouble if you engaged in certain types of speech.

Morrus · Oct 29, 2013

NewJeffCT said:
and, if the powers that be at enworld wanted to boot you off the website, they could do that, too.

That wouldn't curtail his ability to speak, though. The opinion isn't universally banned. He could post what he wanted elsewhere, or release a song about it, or publish a novel about it. That's not curtailing freedom of speech; it's just us choosing not to publish it here. There's an important difference.

camoudragon · Oct 30, 2013

As a European and german guy i feel i should write something.
If a very well known public figure puts on a nazi uniform in public he offends a lot of people who lost a lot because of the horrible things the nazis did and he kind of promotes something that most of us fight really hard to get rid of - racism. Some of the people who survived the concentration camps are still alive - that was a very unsensible thing to do and caused a lot of press all over europe.

Homicidal_Squirrel · Oct 30, 2013

Flowchart to the rescue.

Halloween costumes -- where is the taste line drawn?

Remus Lupin

Adventurer

NewJeffCT

First Post

NewJeffCT

First Post

Kramodlog

Naked and living in a barrel

Remus Lupin

Adventurer

Kramodlog

Naked and living in a barrel

NewJeffCT

First Post

Morrus

Well, that was fun

camoudragon

First Post

Homicidal_Squirrel

Adventurer

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