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How can Germany, an ostensibly free nation, have such a law? If you can't insult political leaders, you don't have free speech. End of story. Political speech
by morgante 11y ago
How can Germany, an ostensibly free nation, have such a law?
If you can't insult political leaders, you don't have free speech. End of story. Political speech is the most important form of speech to protect.
- bayesian_horse 11y agoYou can actually insult political leaders all day long. Unlike less known persons, which can sue for defamation. There was even a case in Germany where someone argued for the assassination of a Politician, a clear crime, in other words, and acquitted at trial because the target was a public figure. And even if you couldn't, insults on that level are absolutely unnecessary to discuss any issue.
- morgante 11y ago> You can actually insult political leaders all day long. Then why is there a prosecution moving forward for insulting a political leader and a specific law which applies only to insulting foreign political leaders?
- bayesian_horse 11y agoBecause 1) there is a special law against defamation of a foreign nation's representatives and 2) there is no specific exception written into any applicable law, but courts have consistently ruled this way because of freedom of speech etc It is expected that there will be no punishment in this case.
- wayn3 11y agoYou can insult political leaders. You can NOT insult FOREIGN political leaders.
- morgante 11y agoI don't see how that makes it any more acceptable. Foreign political leaders are still public figures who clearly have an influence on the direction of public policy in your nation.
- lazyjones 11y ago> How can Germany, an ostensibly free nation, have such a law? In Austria you be jailed for 6 months for ridiculing religious customs or leaders, or flags and symbols of foreign states...