Twitter user jailed for 56 days

[Marf]

Oakey said:

Marf said:

The only thing I don't tolerate is intolerance.

Oooh, hark at Voltaire here. I don't agree with you but I'll defend your right to say it

Oh I'm all for freedom of speech. You're free to say what you want, just be man enough to take the punishment that the law dictates if you transgress it.

[Guffy]

Obviously the guy is a complete tool and i would be quite happy to see him horsewhipped at dawn in the market square.... but prison... What a waste of tax payers money.

Even Community service would have been better, not to mention how many scrotes get away without do time for theft/drug related crime, ooooh, but they're victims of society... bks.

[V8mate]

That's an amazingly rapid delivery of justice, isn't it?

Takes months to get most people in front of a beak.

[Samerati]

Have to agree with the above, prison is an extreme punishment. Community service (ideally alongside a few black fellas for some educational benefit) would have been much more suitable.

[s1962a]

BBC said:

Jim Brisbane, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales, said: "Racist language is inappropriate in any setting and through any media.

"We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that comments made online are somehow beyond the law."

Watch what you say on PH!

[12gauge]

Of course its stupid. No one has a right not to be offended. Dozens of things offend me each and every day. I live with it, as do most other people. If we didnt, there would be anarchy.

If I was that lad id probably come out of prison very jaded and feel compelled to do an actual crime...

[12gauge]

s1962a said:

Watch what you say on PH!

Thing is, the left wing fanatics devising this abuse of law wont stop there. Next it'll be global warming 'denialism'...

[Hoofy]

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

[Marf]

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

Hey I offered red sauce too! I mean if he really wants some white sauce with his chips I can offer mayonnaise, tartare or horseradish! If he wants yellow there's picalilly too!

I am an equal opportunities sauce offereror.

[Hoofy]

Marf said:

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

Hey I offered red sauce too! I mean if he really wants some white sauce with his chips I can offer Mayonnaise, tartare or horseradish! If he wants yellow there's picalilly too!

I am an equal opportunities sauce offereror.

It's your use of words that I find offensive.

[Marf]

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

Hey I offered red sauce too! I mean if he really wants some white sauce with his chips I can offer Mayonnaise, tartare or horseradish! If he wants yellow there's picalilly too!

I am an equal opportunities sauce offereror.

It's your use of words that I find offensive.

Did you choose to be offended, or is this the genuine kind of offense that getragdogleg seems to feel doesnt exist?

[Hoofy]

Marf said:

Did you choose to be offended, or is this the genuine kind of offense that getragdogleg seems to feel doesnt exist?

Actually, I'm offended on behalf of black people who live in inner city ghettoes. And lesbians.

[Apache]

Marf said:

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

Hey I offered red sauce too! I mean if he really wants some white sauce with his chips I can offer mayonnaise, tartare or horseradish! If he wants yellow there's picalilly too!

I am an equal opportunities sauce offereror.

But you didn't did you, you went straight for the red or brown sauce without any consideration to the others....saucist! were you bullied at school by a jar of Hellermans or something

[Marf]

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

Did you choose to be offended, or is this the genuine kind of offense that getragdogleg seems to feel doesnt exist?

Actually, I'm offended on behalf of black people who live in inner city ghettoes. And lesbians.

Only lesbians, what about them thar gay man folk?

[Marf]

Apache said:

Marf said:

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

OK some brown sauce maybe?

Racist. What next? Coloured sauce?

Hey I offered red sauce too! I mean if he really wants some white sauce with his chips I can offer mayonnaise, tartare or horseradish! If he wants yellow there's picalilly too!

I am an equal opportunities sauce offereror.

But you didn't did you, you went straight for the red or brown sauce without any consideration to the others....saucist! were you bullied at school by a jar of Hellermans or something

Nah, it was sainsburys value mayonnaise. The hellmans mayo was far more civilised.

[Mojooo]

Got what he deeserved but maybe a week owudl have suffied - which is probably what he will serve.

[Hoofy]

Marf said:

Hoofy said:

Marf said:

Did you choose to be offended, or is this the genuine kind of offense that getragdogleg seems to feel doesnt exist?

Actually, I'm offended on behalf of black people who live in inner city ghettoes. And lesbians.

Only lesbians, what about them thar gay man folk?

Did I say lesbians? Oops. Got distracted by a video I'm watching online.

[carmonk]

The bloke clearly has issues but this is insanity. Totally out of proportion to the crime. He should have had a warning for his idiot behaviour, or a fine, but 56 days prison? Crazy. It's an unfortunate fact of life that people experience real racism every day, not to mention bullying because of disability or sexual orientation, and often far worse than a few silly words on a website, but because they aren't some football player who's been elevated to the status of a saint because he fell ill on a football pitch they don't enjoy the same protection.

[Getragdogleg]

Marf said:

Getragdogleg said:

Marf said:

Like I said above, had he just thought it he'd not be in trouble.

Getragdogleg said:

I am white, if someone called me a white tt I would not give a st,

Good for you.

He should be free to type it and shout it from the rooftops, all it should do is prove he is an idiot, I like idiots when they are easy to spot it makes it easier to avoid.

Words spoken or typed do not possess the power to hurt unless the person reading or hearing them wants them to.

Wants? You're actually serious aren't you?

You don't choose to be offended[1] at a racist comment.

[1]well lefty middle class gaurdian reading folk do on behalf of others, but that doesnt count

Yes, you do choose, you choose to let stuff bother you even if that decision is conscious or not, the individual has the power to rise above any insult and know that they are the better person for not reacting to others stupididty and prejudice.

We have some bad things in our history but that is what it is, history, keep an eye on it so a not to make the same mistakes but don't expect me to apologise for it either. Move on, live now in more enlightened times. If others prove to be fools see it as a strength you have that they don't but don't let it bother you.

[rover 623gsi]

So, prison has four functions

Punishment
Deterrent
Protection (of society)
Rehabilitation

The lad in question (who was clearly acting like a complete knob) is definitely being punished excessively.
Will the sentence actually be that much of a deterrent to others – not sure?
Is society being protected by having this lad behind bars? Well I’m certainly not going to be sleeping any better or worse as a result.
Will the lad be rehabilitated? I doubt it very much – imho he is more likely to end up in a downward spiral.

I’m not really sure there are any winners here.