Man gets 30 days in jail for insulting the Dutch king

[Machismo]

No it really is not, you can not slander anyone, this includes the king.

But they didn't charge him with clander, they charged him with insulting the monarchy. If he slandered someone, then charge him with slander.

[Tijuana]

But they didn't charge him with clander, they charged him with insulting the monarchy. If he slandered someone, then charge him with slander.

Pretty much. If you can't insult the dictator, you in fact do not have free speech.

[Tijuana]

We're a better democracy than you are.


But it's a basic human right.
Basic human rights always apply.

No. Not at all. You are just continually illustrating my point for me that you don't even know what free speech is, because you have never lived where it existed.

You are not a full democracy. Every position of power is electable in the US. You cannot run for dictator/king. Just because a dictator lets you pretend to run your own country, does not mean you are free.

[Deleted]

But they didn't charge him with clander, they charged him with insulting the monarchy. If he slandered someone, then charge him with slander.

Just because they made a different rule apply doesn't make it any less slander. And you can't slander anyone.. I really don't understand why this is so hard!?

[Cairhiin]

I am sincere in my question since I want to see how people respond.

If it is a similar case then I don't see how he's a shit dictator but you don't have to convince me.

[zechz]

Not outside America, "where at least I know I'm free".

I'm typically not the "God Bless America" type but that's pretty fucking obnoxious, throwing a guy in jail because he insulted you.

Same, I have plenty of problems with my own country but I'm still glad I live here over anywhere else, this being just one example of why.

[Machismo]

Just because they made a different rule apply doesn't make it any less slander. And you can't slander anyone.. I really don't understand why this is so hard!?

If it was simply a case of slander (which is often very difficult to prove), then they should have charged him as such. Instead, they simply charged him for insulting the monarchy. That's a pretty hefty restriction of freedom.

[Deleted]

If it was simply a case of slander (which is often very difficult to prove), then they should have charged him as such. Instead, they simply charged him for insulting the monarchy. That's a pretty hefty restriction of freedom.

I really don't see it as such, again, when you have the president coming over for dinner and your neighbour has the presidents head on a stick as his face book profile pick im pretty sure he will be detained and questioned too.

[pmkaboo]

Pretty much. If you can't insult the dictator, you in fact do not have free speech.

i guess the dutch dont need the right to insult their king to feel free.

[Noradin]

The bar for such things is still far higher in the United States, especially in regards to public figures.

Yes, in the US you have the "right to make your employees lie for you" for "news stations" and the and "free noise" for everything else.

[Deleted]

There was zero restriction on Iraq war opinion pieces. Yes, when you have embedded journalists in a war zone, you have to restrict some level of information so that your enemy doesn't use it to out maneuver you. That's just common sense, and has nothing to do with limiting speech.

It has everything to do with limiting free speech if Journalists are reporting that they are being threatened, harassed by Troops and when the Military decides what can and cant be reported.

No Americans have been imprisoned for political beliefs since like the civil war. Get out of here with that fairy tale, rofl.

Emma Goldman? The Red Scare? McCarthyism?

I have been there. My ancestors were Dutch. I am aware of the permissive society. I'm just having a bit of fun with these guys since they spend every day bashing us for being backward here at MMO-C.

Yeah, your not really bashing them as much as reinforcing the stereotype of the Backward American.

[Mifuyne]

Oh it's a Turk.
No fucks were given today.
Maybe don't post dumb shit on the internet.
Especially photoshopped images of a king or queen being decapitated by ISIS.

[Tijuana]

It has everything to do with limiting free speech if Journalists are reporting that they are being threatened, harassed by Troops and when the Military decides what can and cant be reported.


Emma Goldman? The Red Scare? McCarthyism?


Yeah, your not really bashing them as much as reinforcing the stereotype of the Backward American.

We are the backward ones because we get to choose our leaders? We are the backward ones because we don't build fancy buildings for people in funny hats to sit around and order us about from? Lol, get real...

Look, if you like living under a dictator, that's fine. But don't act like you are so progressive because of it.

[Spl4sh3r]

Freedom of speech is about being about being able to say things in public without being censored. That does not prevent the consequences of saying those things.

The fact that there is a punishment for insulting an office is quite odd and counter-intuitive to the interest of the office. Since obviously this perp has some issues and I doubt any reasonable person paid him any heed.

The fact that they put him in jail for being insulting puts the king in a bad light as it seems like a very feudal way of handling these things. But that's the law there.

Actually the law can't do anything about what your opinions are even if you say them out loud. But there is a difference in expressing your opinions and the things he was doing.

[Faenskap]

The Dutch have a king?!?

I was just as surprised as you

[Tijuana]

I was just as surprised as you

The more they pop in to defend having a king, the more I realize about all these countries over there still have them. It makes no sense to me, because I am told constantly how progressive they are, and how backward America is.

[Deleted]

Don't worry, its very cute Americans think what other countries should do with their royalty.

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No, its spreading lies about somebody.

Its acteally against the law in most countries.

I'm not American. I'm Swedish. Good job dude. Really showing your ignorance. How typical of a royalist.

[Tempguy]

I am fine with him being punished for slander. And yeah, Kings are kings. Back in the day you would probably be killed.

But I think we are past the age of kings. Weird some still exist.

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I'm not American. I'm Swedish. Good job dude. Really showing your ignorance. How typical of a royalist.

America is the go to country to hate. It's weird how bashing America is allowed here even when it is wrong.

[Tempguy]

We have dozens of threads bashing nearly every country in the world.
Bashing the US is the topic that gets you banned quickly; they'll allow it with most other countries.
So stop whining.

That's a lie.

[Mifuyne]

The headline for this article is a little misleading. It isn't because it is a king that he insulted, it's because he used suggestive violence with a public figure. If you did this in the US, likely nothing would happen, but different countries different laws.

Nothing would happen if he photoshopped Obama on a isis victims head in a beheading picture?