More attacks on free speech - Tory forced to resign
More attacks on free speech - Tory forced to resign
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Sophisticated Sarah

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

193 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coun...

On New Year’s Eve, Gareth Baines tweeted from his account @DrGABaines: “A&Es in Germany aren’t full of fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings/ pjs taking their kids for a day out at A&E to harvest Facebook likes because their darling little snot-covered Asbo fell over. Happy New Year.”

I guess he could have worded it better hehe



whoami

13,187 posts

264 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
He had a point.

Fatball

645 posts

83 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
Sophisticated Sarah said:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coun...

On New Year’s Eve, Gareth Baines tweeted from his account @DrGABaines: “A&Es in Germany aren’t full of fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings/ pjs taking their kids for a day out at A&E to harvest Facebook likes because their darling little snot-covered Asbo fell over. Happy New Year.”

I guess he could have worded it better hehe
No swearing, to the point and true?

steveo3002

11,084 posts

198 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
well done that man

AJL308

6,390 posts

180 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
I suspect the resignation was more about his comments about the NHS rather than anything else. He's probably right about the chavy parents though.

Whether right or not though, this is just another example of the dangers of having something like ttter on your phone when you're in a public position and have obviously been at the sauce. I don't understand why there is such a necessity for politicians to have such immediate access to a system of communication that could be so damaging. It's clearly just used as an extension of the person's ego, often unwisely. What's wrong with just having a press officer to release your st for you? At least that way you get some form of moderation applied to your rubbish. What benefit does ttter actually give you - none that I can see.

biggbn

30,520 posts

244 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
AJL308 said:
I suspect the resignation was more about his comments about the NHS rather than anything else. He's probably right about the chavy parents though.

Whether right or not though, this is just another example of the dangers of having something like ttter on your phone when you're in a public position and have obviously been at the sauce. I don't understand why there is such a necessity for politicians to have such immediate access to a system of communication that could be so damaging. It's clearly just used as an extension of the person's ego, often unwisely. What's wrong with just having a press officer to release your st for you? At least that way you get some form of moderation applied to your rubbish. What benefit does ttter actually give you - none that I can see.
Bang on. Idiot resigns for being an idiot. Nothing to see here.

Bodo

12,511 posts

290 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
Sophisticated Sarah said:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coun...

On New Year’s Eve, Gareth Baines tweeted from his account @DrGABaines: “A&Es in Germany aren’t full of fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings/ pjs taking their kids for a day out at A&E to harvest Facebook likes because their darling little snot-covered Asbo fell over. Happy New Year.”

I guess he could have worded it better hehe
What's his username on PH?

AJL308

6,390 posts

180 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
biggbn said:
Bang on. Idiot resigns for being an idiot. Nothing to see here.
Don't get me wrong, I think he's an idiot for saying it in the way he said it but I'm not necessarily saying he's wrong. Leaving the chav parents comments aside, there should be nothing wrong with criticising the NHS (or any state body) if the criticism is warranted and done in a reasonable manner. We are constantly told that the NHS is the "envy of the world" and it is legitimate to question whether that is true. The fact that literally no country in the history of world has copied it (maybe Cuba) may lead to legitimate questions as to how much it is allegedly "revered" the world over as is claimed.

These questions should not be raised whilst pissed on ttter, Facebook, Instagram or any of the other pointless social media sites, however.

Sophisticated Sarah

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

193 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
AJL308 said:
Don't get me wrong, I think he's an idiot for saying it in the way he said it but I'm not necessarily saying he's wrong. Leaving the chav parents comments aside, there should be nothing wrong with criticising the NHS (or any state body) if the criticism is warranted and done in a reasonable manner. We are constantly told that the NHS is the "envy of the world" and it is legitimate to question whether that is true. The fact that literally no country in the history of world has copied it (maybe Cuba) may lead to legitimate questions as to how much it is allegedly "revered" the world over as is claimed.

These questions should not be raised whilst pissed on ttter, Facebook, Instagram or any of the other pointless social media sites, however.
yes

Dog Star

17,365 posts

192 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
AJL308 said:
I suspect the resignation was more about his comments about the NHS rather than anything else. He's probably right about the chavy parents though.

Whether right or not though, this is just another example of the dangers of having something like ttter on your phone when you're in a public position and have obviously been at the sauce. I don't understand why there is such a necessity for politicians to have such immediate access to a system of communication that could be so damaging. It's clearly just used as an extension of the person's ego, often unwisely. What's wrong with just having a press officer to release your st for you? At least that way you get some form of moderation applied to your rubbish. What benefit does ttter actually give you - none that I can see.
Absolutely - I’ve got some “views” on things that might be considered controversial (maybe they aren’t - do burglars really need hands?) and if I was in public office I’d know not to go sounding off about them on social media or to randoms in public. How stupid can you be? Why even have a Tw@tter account?



bitchstewie

64,412 posts

234 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
It's always "taken out of context" isn't it hehe

Not sure how he's been "forced" to resign.

Actions have consequences.

Who knew?

thewarlock

3,285 posts

69 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
Sophisticated Sarah said:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/coun...

On New Year’s Eve, Gareth Baines tweeted from his account @DrGABaines: “A&Es in Germany aren’t full of fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings/ pjs taking their kids for a day out at A&E to harvest Facebook likes because their darling little snot-covered Asbo fell over. Happy New Year.”

I guess he could have worded it better hehe
This is not an attack on free speech.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.

Particularly when you're an elected official, one that's elected by the general public.

The most retarded thing about this is not the content, nor the outcome, it's the title of the topic.

Macroni18

444 posts

69 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
Nothing wrong with what he said. Knowing today's culture, he should have been wise though.

Sophisticated Sarah

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

193 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
thewarlock said:
This is not an attack on free speech.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.

Particularly when you're an elected official, one that's elected by the general public.

The most retarded thing about this is not the content, nor the outcome, it's the title of the topic.
Can’t you tell the title is a joke based on the YouTube thread rofl

Biggy Stardust

7,068 posts

68 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
thewarlock said:
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.
That's exactly what it means- if there are adverse consequences then the speech is not free.

If I said you have the freedom to call me a shortarse but if you do then I'll kill you, would you consider yourself free to do it?

voyds9

8,490 posts

307 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
thewarlock said:
This is not an attack on free speech.

Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.

Particularly when you're an elected official, one that's elected by the general public.

The most retarded thing about this is not the content, nor the outcome, it's the title of the topic.
Perhaps those that clobbered Owen Jones should have tried that as a defence

mrporsche

742 posts

66 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
why has he resigned ?

He has not broken any laws.
His comments were not an attack on any one person / race / ethnicity / religion
Do the consequences bear any resemblance to the act ?
Who has actually been offended here, or is it a case of beign offended for the sake of it, or political gain ?
Do these comments in anyway effect his ability to serve the people he represents ?



Rivenink

4,292 posts

130 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
He resigned from his role as Chairman of the local Conservative Association. He's still a councillor.

Presumbly because the Conservatives of the area felt that it might cost them some votes from working class people who might not be impressed with his prejudice.

No doubt he'll still be working for them in some less public role.

AJL308

6,390 posts

180 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
Biggy Stardust said:
thewarlock said:
Freedom of speech does not mean freedom of consequences.
That's exactly what it means- if there are adverse consequences then the speech is not free.

If I said you have the freedom to call me a shortarse but if you do then I'll kill you, would you consider yourself free to do it?
You're wrong and that was a bad analogy. It's perfectly legal for me to refer to black people as n*****s, to start a political party to have them all deported or to campaign for gays to be locked away for life or to espouse the theory that the holocaust didn't happen. All of this I have a right to say as long as in saying it I do not incite others to break the law and simply saying it or expressing those as my beliefs does not do so.

I have the absolute freedom to say that st but I can absolutely guarantee that it will not be free of consequences if I chose to do so and rightly so!

AJL308

6,390 posts

180 months

Tuesday 5th January 2021
quotequote all
mrporsche said:
why has he resigned ?

He has not broken any laws.
His comments were not an attack on any one person / race / ethnicity / religion
Do the consequences bear any resemblance to the act ?
Who has actually been offended here, or is it a case of beign offended for the sake of it, or political gain ?
Do these comments in anyway effect his ability to serve the people he represents ?
I agree. There should be more tolerance for people to express their feelings as they see fit, especially for elected officials, but at present, that isn't the way things currently work. He knows the rules and will be well aware that posting shouty stuff on ttter whilst pissed will not be seen as being acceptable.