Letter in Support of Andrew Bolt and Free Speech
September 28, 2011
Dear Mr Bolt,
In my view Free Speech is Free Speech. If you want to ‘racially vilify’ someone (whatever the hell that even means!) go right ahead. This should not even BE a crime. It’s all only just words. All this should be covered and protected as Political Free Speech apropos cultural identity.
Today Mr Bolt you are a Free Speech hero. Unpopular Speech must be protected as much as popular. Some may not agree with your views but your right to express them is paramount, whatever they are, unpopular or not.
This to me seems self evident re: Free Speech. But a lot of people miss the subtlety. You can’t just like the speech of the people you agree with!
I created this hash tag to repost on twitter: #supportandrewbolt.
By the way I found the comments you made on the Aboriginal Community an interesting take and filled, like much of your writing, with a cheeky sense of humour. You should be congratulated for daring to question a standard of the scared cow of Australian Political Correctness, the Aboriginal Community. A community that is far from perfect.
You have my full support and that of the Melbourne Underground Film Festival, an event I run that supports Free Speech.
Best Regards
Richard Wolstencroft
I’ve no idea what you represent but I fully support Bolt and his comments, and his right to say whatever he wants. The people he’s commented on are clearly malingerers, recipients of largesse on dubious grounds and totally reprehensible. That they get a Judge to agree with them denigrates his position as well as their own.
So, sue me too!
FJ
I agree. He is totally in the Right on this issue. I like Andrew Bolt’s writing at times. I think he’s fun.
I also agree. Bolt is a very astute, fearless writer. I think that the accusation of ‘racial vilification’ is a complete nonsense that brings into disrepute the whole notion of racial vilification. It also lowers the judge’s esteem in the eyes of the public. Sadly, the squeal ‘racism’ is raised all too frequently these days, it’s almost the insult of choice on the internet, from people who have no other riposte in discussions and debates.
Bolt only wrote what ALL of us know and say privately. I’ve often wondered why people who are mostly of Causcasian origin would choose to call themselves aborigines anyway, if not for the financial inducements.
FJ
Exactly. His comments are timely and astute and most importantly should be protected as Free Speech.