[punky]

Originally Posted by Chris

No, I'm not shifting the goalposts. I'm trying to discover where you've put them, by exploring the absolute which you used earlier: namely, your use of the word 'always', when quoting and agreeing with comments made by Ignition: "Freedom of speech should always trump peoples' sense of offense."

I deliberately asked you if you would define the boundaries, if any, or whether you considered 'always' to be truly absolute, because I wanted to establish whether you were defending freedom of speech in private surroundings or whether you were making a case for people being free to say whatever, wherever, whenever.

It appears that the extent of your proposition is actually that "[Where comments are made in surroundings that could reasonably be construed to be 'private'], freedom of speech should always trump peoples' sense of offense."

Please correct me if I have misunderstood your position.

I'm completely lost now. We were talking about Frankie Boyle now you're talking about people walking into cathedrals and outright insulting christians.

Going back to start again I don't think it's right that comedians should have their subject matter vet their jokes.

Perhaps you find it difficult because you're grappling with something that I didn't actually say. I used the word 'community'; I did not qualify it with the term 'ethnic minority', or anything else.

My use of 'community' was a very broad one, intended to describe any identifiable group or possibly a society as a whole.

This is just getting more bizarre now. Ethnic minorities or not I find it odd that any community based upon an populaous to get together and collaboratively decide what the community (and presumably everyone in it) will and be offended at

Originally Posted by danielf

Surely an omnipotent being has every opportunity to defend him/herself?

Like in The Exorcist, such a vulgar display or power!

The difference is that the fact that Royals can't defend themselves is a consequence of the role they play in society. As such, it stands to reason to give them some additional protection imo.

If a woman makes a joke about men, can I realistically defend myself?

I don't know why a joke would mean anyone defend themselves. It's a joke not an accusation.