Freedom of speech
A lot has been said about free speech, but little about the boundaries of what can and can’t be said.
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Clearly there are legal constraints on what is not allowed.
Treason, lying to the police, the courts and parliament are out of bounds, as is defamation and what could be judged as inciting terrorism.
What is less clear is where community and social standards, values and ethics limit what is acceptable and these vary, as does the nature of the society and community that impose them.
Examples of these are pornography, radical artistic expression, swearing, drunkenness and obscene behavior in public.
Here we have a problem.
Some of these find their way into laws and there may not be consensus about whether they should be.
Even more problematic is the diversity of opinion, and how this can be influenced by political spin, economic or social circumstances, in a fickle and changing world.
Obvious examples of this are the polarised and see-sawing attitudes to discrimination due to gender, religion, sexual preference, ethnic origin, mental and physical limitations and political persuasion.
The most contentious limits on free speech though are the ones we impose ourselves.
Personal views when made public label us in the eyes of others.
If our public views show tolerance and respect, others are likely to judge us like cream rising to the top.
Where we express bigotry, offence, insult and intimidation we are more likely to be seen as the sludge that settles at the bottom of the septic tank.
This is not about political correctness! It’s common decency.
Kevin Chamberlain,
Queanbeyan
Animal cruelty should not be tolerated
People of the region and throughout NSW are rightly dismayed at the light sentence handed out in the case of the Goulburn man who allowed hundreds of sheep to die in agony on his farm.
By the time inspectors arrived at the property, hundreds of sheep had died; many others were still alive but had their eyes pecked out by crows.
The sentence, a twelve-month suspended sentence and a two-year good-behaviour bond, does not in any way reflect the seriousness of this crime.
People who hurt animals are just getting warmed up.
The link between cruelty to animals and other violent crimes is recognized by the FBI, which has found that a history of cruelty to animals regularly appears in its records of serial rapists and murderers.
Psychiatrists list cruelty to animals as a diagnostic criterion in the standard diagnostic and treatment manual for conduct disorders.
Numerous studies show that people who harm animals often move on to harm humans.
For example, one United States study found that animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against humans.
Another study in Australia, revealed that 100 per cent of sexual homicide offenders examined had a history of animal cruelty.
Penalties for cases of cruelty and neglect are rarely imposed to the full extent of the law.
The Crimes Act and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act allow for penalties up to five years in prison or $22,000 fines for individuals or $110,000 for corporations.
Cruelty to animals is a serious crime that must be taken seriously.
If you suspect someone of abusing an animal, report it to authorities right away for the safety of the entire community.
Claire Fryer, PETA campaigns coordinator, Sydney
