EU Considers ban on Nazi Symbols

[mapleleaf4ever]

Apparently in Germany it is illegal to display any sort of Nazi Propaganda / Symbols. So you see Neo-Nazis and other groups alluding to it with red signs and black writing. I don't see why the EU doesn't adopt similar rules.

[wum]

Originally Posted by automatic

i couldn't find anything about steven streach on the web, and i never heard of this story. if you could provide a link that'd be nice. regardless, elected individuals have always had stricter requirements on what they can and cannot say, because they are not just speaking for themselves, they are also speaking for their constituents, and when you get into passing off your opinion as the voice of your constituents then you get into sticky waters. steven streach is supposed to speak for ALL of his constituents, so a statement like this is inappropriate.

hehe.. i can guarantee you that he wasn't asked to resign on the behest of his constituents. Nova Scotia is one of the last white bastions in this country. they probably want to keep it that way.

[miss.myra]

Uhh wrong. I'm Nova Scotian. There are a lot more black people in Nova Scotia than you would EVER see in BC/Vancouver. There are ghettos in halifax!

[wum]

Originally Posted by miss.myra

Uhh wrong. I'm Nova Scotian. There are a lot more black people in Nova Scotia than you would EVER see in BC/Vancouver. There are ghettos in halifax!

ghettos, you don't say?!

[miss.myra]

here's a link: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/africanns/ch4.asp

in the 18th and 19th centuries, NS had Canada's largest black population. They probably still do.

[wum]

i mostly hung around the red neck parts.

[miss.myra]

Where?

[wum]

little town in the Bay of Fundy

[cubed]

If you know your Canadian history at all you'd know that Nova Scotia was safe haven for many African American slaves pushing their way to freedom up north. This African American exodus to Nova Scotia was not only limited to the slaves, many of the "FREE" African Americans made their way up to Nova Scotia to escape the civil war, as many felt they did not have a part in a war that wasn't theirs to begin with, these people that started many communities up there were known as the "Black Loyalists", they had similar believes to their white counterparts that were making their way up here at the same time.

As for the ban on the swastika, I don't support it at all. I'd have to agree with Chomsky's thoughts on free speech here,"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all". I don't agree with the message that the swastika sends, but I do agree they have the right to express it. This in turn allows myself and others to express their distaste for such things.

Banning something is not going to get rid of something hateful, the only thing that is going to do that is open discussion and education.

[wum]

^ not exactly a good precedent