do you feel safe to express your opinions in the UK?

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TomatoChomper7@reddit

Safe in terms of being shot? Yes, 100% safe.

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JessTrans2021@reddit

Sadly we are not 100% safe. Checkout the stats on people killed with licenced weapons in the UK

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AlwaysSnacking22@reddit

It's a tiny number compared to the USA, and there will be more suicides than homicides.

This risk of suicide (by any method) increases when there is a gun in the home, which proves than guns are a prompt for violence.

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JessTrans2021@reddit

Well yes, it's obviously a tiny number compared to the USA.

I think you kissed the point, 100% safe isn't accurate. When guns are around, they kill people, no matter what country you are in, even if they are fully vetted and licenced.

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Urska08@reddit

Seems an armed society isn't a polite one after all.

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JessTrans2021@reddit

The bar is full of grieving bigots today I fear

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Hulla_Sarsaparilla@reddit

This is the difference - in the UK I’m not going to get shot for disagreeing with someone’s opinions (or just walking down the street or going to school).

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Absolutely not.

I know I’ll get downvoted for this comment.

Any opinion I publicly share is likely to offend someone.

I’m afraid whatever my opinion is, if I support a particular group, I’ll either get labelled a nazi or terrorist which may lead to people incentivise my demise like we have just witnessed happen to Charlie Kirk in America.

I’m also afraid any opinion may land me in trouble with the police.

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No-Programmer-3833@reddit

Sounds like this might be a problem with your opinions rather than a problem with the UK?

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

There’s nothing at all wrong with my opinions.

I support free Palestine I’m labelled a terrorist supporter and support hamas.

I support Israel I’m a Nazi

I support the right I’m a Nazi

I support the left I’m a crazy lunatic

For your information I don’t have an opinion on any of these for the reasons I’ve just mentioned and the repercussions

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No-Programmer-3833@reddit

OK so it's not that you don't feel safe to express your opinions. It's that you don't like hearing what other people think about your opinions.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Wrong.

I don’t feel safe expressing my opinions because whichever opinion it is, its likely that opinion will offend someone in some way who will in return describe the opinion as something extreme as I have mentioned such as ‘Nazi’ or ‘terrorist’ like. (Which is currently getting thrown around in the UK)

From that fallout, it’s likely, given the current state of affairs someone of an extremist nature will use the slogan to reinforce and confirm their narrative to inflict harm on myself or seek retribution.

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No-Programmer-3833@reddit

From that fallout, it’s likely, given the current state of affairs someone of an extremist nature will use the slogan to reinforce and confirm their narrative to inflict harm on myself or seek retribution.

What makes you think this is likely?

It's my experience that many people on the right are tempted to turn the let's narrative of victimhood back on them by pretending that they're being attacked for their sincerely held beliefs. I've not seen any evidence that it's actually true. If this is what's truly going on in this conversation then you're not speaking in good faith.

If you are speaking in good faith and you genuinely believe that you're likely to have harm inflicted on you by extremists who mistakenly believe you are a Nazi. Then (and I say this with genuine empathy) this sounds like the symptom of an anxiety disorder or the early stages of psychosis. I recommend speaking to your GP about these fears.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

I genuinely do, for expressing, political views or opinions which may offend either side of the political spectrum.

I think it’s incredibly condescending for you to discredit my beliefs by inferring I’m suffering with anxiety or psychosis.

My belief is from seeing Palestine march advocates getting labelled terrorists for supporting Palestine and in turn, Hamas.

It’s also from people who oppose immigration or with right wing views in the UK getting labelled Nazis.

It’s also from seeing people inferring people from the LGBTQ+ community getting labelled as lunatics or mentally unstable.

If I express my opinion, whichever side or opinion that is, I will in someway get labelled as one of the above mentioned.

This would ordinarily in itself dissuade me from expressing my opinion for them ‘labels’ to influence a bad actors intentions.

Now we have seen what’s happened to Charlie, it only reinforces my belief.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

https://youtube.com/shorts/cGmjCnjBFkI?si=cDTgrq-oiun4HFEA

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Italicman@reddit

I know you've been downvoted, but I agree with this comment. In terms of actual physical saftey, I think most civilians would be okay expressing an opinion. But in terms of expressing actual opinion, things are so polarised at the moment (especially online and places like reddit) that you'll automatically be demonised for expressing a point of view on both political ends of the spectrum. I don't think there is actually many public good faith conversations happening in the UK which is a shame.

We should be willing to try and understand the root of someones fundamental belief and have a conversation about it, challenge it if need be, but (in most cases) not automatically assume someone is a bad person for having it nor try to immediatley cancel, strip their job, etc.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

I couldn’t agree more

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

If you’re worried that your opinions might get you labelled a Nazi or a terrorist or even land you in trouble with the police, then maybe you should reflect on why that is, unless you’re just being paranoid, because most ordinary people don’t have that problem when voicing their views.

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limakilo87@reddit

This is unusual though isn't it? I don't know what your opinions are, but I can't think of anything that I want to say that would make somebody call me a nazi, or get me in trouble with the police.

Offending somebody with an opinion is nothing new, that is kind of normal.

By the way, I'm not saying your experience isn't real or valid, I'm just pointing out that saying something and then getting trouble with the police for it probably isn't a normal experience for the vast majority of people.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

If I support free Palestine I’m labelled a terrorist supporter and support hamas.

If I support Israel I’m labelled a Nazi

If I support the right I’m labelled a Nazi

If I support the left I’m labelled a crazy lunatic

I don’t have an opinion on any of these for the reasons I’ve just mentioned and the repercussions

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

ok

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parasoralophus@reddit

What groups are we talking here?

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tarkaliotta@reddit

It’s a reasonable question to ask and I think it’s important that people in the US aren’t gaslit into believing that this kind of gun violence is just… inevitable.

But also it’s probably important to recognise that what Charlie Kirk was doing wasn’t simply just benignly ‘expressing opinions.’ He had built an extremely profitable business based on cultivating division and provoking outrage. He made a lot of people feel like they were engaged in an existential war.

This absolutely doesn’t excuse violence or murder, but it isn’t the same as you or I simply stating an opinion in a public space.

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ian9outof10@reddit

Yes

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

ok

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Read my comment, look how it’s getting downvoted, that’s from speaking the truth

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saltyholty@reddit

You're just like Charlie Kirk

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Get fucked

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saltyholty@reddit

I understand you are suffering, living in fear of downvotes

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

If I support free Palestine I’m labelled a terrorist supporter and support hamas.

If I support Israel I’m labelled a Nazi

If I support the right I’m labelled a Nazi

If I support the left I’m labelled a crazy lunatic

For your information I don’t have an opinion on any of these for the reasons I’ve just mentioned and the repercussions

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saltyholty@reddit

Oh damn, I didn't realise you'd been labelled. I am so sorry for your loss.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Charlie Kirk was labelled a Nazi and the like, look what’s just happened to him.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

You’re entitled to free speech and other people are entitled to opinions about that speech. Charlie Kirk was labelled a Nazi by some critics because certain aspects of his rhetoric and beliefs resemble those used by Nazi or extremist movements.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Yes but also the word 'Nazi' is getting thrown around in the UK for people opposing immigration or having differing opinions and this is what that leads to.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

Probably because opposition to immigrants and the attitudes toward them in the UK feel very Volksgemeinschaft. Calling someone a Nazi isn’t what puts them in danger, it’s extremists acting on their disagreement that does. Most people express controversial opinions like this every day without being harmed. The real victims of this anti-immigration rhetoric are the non-white families who face harassment and attacks.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Agreed, but someone else calling their (extremists) adversary a Nazi only reinforces their opinion to seek retribution.

Charlie Veitch is an example, he’s having to go out with bodyguards because credible death threats have been placed on him.

It’s plainly obvious he goes out to antagonise others and gather ‘content’ but at the end of the day, he is expressing his opinions, albeit unconventionally.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

What I’m trying to say is that individuals who resort to this level of violence are extremists, regardless of their political affiliation. The person who killed him took their views to such an extreme that they committed murder, and that is not the norm. These individuals would act this way whether their opposition had been called a Nazi or not, because they are already extremists. In the vast majority of cases, these extremists are right-wing, so it is also unusual for a right-wing affiliated person to be killed by a leftist extremist. In today’s internet culture, most public figures receive death threats regardless of their views. So how many people are really being killed for being “Nazis”?

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

Just from going off Charlie Kirk’s videos and debates regarding abortions and the LBGTQ community, I will be very, very surprised, shocked even, if it comes about that the shooter was right wing, I will eat my words if that is the case.

I have no doubt the shooter already had a very strong differing view of opinions to Charlie, what I’m saying is, it’s entirely plausible that the rhetoric of calling Charlie a Nazi reinforced their (the shooters) motive and perhaps even influenced it to such a point that they believed they were doing the right thing.

Because they associated Nazis with being bad and in turn that means Charlie must be bad.

This is all purely speculative I know, I’m just sharing my opinion and thought process on the matter, as much as you disagree.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

And that’s why I’m pointing out that this is an unusual situation, because extremists are usually right-wing, so this isn’t the norm. People with right-wing views don’t need to live in fear as if they’re massive public figures about to be assassinated.

Charlie was entitled to his own opinion, and how people responded to that was up to them. But the family members of children killed by gun violence, or young girls forced to carry their rapists’ children at risk to their own lives, are entitled to theirs too. Just as I’m entitled to my opinion in disagreeing with you. Charlie was inherently a bad person. He gave opinions on things he hadn’t experienced (until now) and therefore couldn’t fully understand, and those opinions were dangerous and harmful, especially to women. When he publicly spewed hate and went around college campuses debating just to provoke a reaction, he risked stepping on the wrong person’s toes. He was called a Nazi for his political views and killed for his political views, not merely for being a “Nazi.” At the end of the day, his political views were the root cause.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

But he was entitled to his political views and his opinions even if they didn't conform to society's, I don't think this made him inherently a bad person, he's entitled to his opinion, political views, religious views and free speech.

Just like Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism..

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

And he spoke freely without being legally prosecuted, which is what free speech is, but the government can’t control other people’s reactions. Now the person who prevented his free speech will be dealt with. He was entitled to his opinion but his opinions encouraged gun violence, forced women who were raped to carry their babies, and promoted negative attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community. These were real people’s lives he was affecting negatively and inadvertently trying to worsen through his political ideologies, making him a bad person. Women’s healthcare shouldn’t be something up for debate.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

But his opinions are just that, they didn’t force anyone to do anything and people could choose to ignore him or counter his arguments in a constructive way.

Some small minded people have always had hostility towards the LGBTQ+

His opinions don’t put him in the same league as the Nazis yet he was quite often compared to them, like you said, for his political views

Nazis acted upon their ideologies, they didn’t just express their opinions.

Charlie at the very most articulated what he believed in, which as you said was nonsense.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

He publicly shares opinions on a massive platform, while being very wealthy, a close friend of Trump’s, and a fixture in his administration so of course they would have influence on people. Unfortunately, we are living in an age where our young men are exposed to lots of content like this online and it indoctrinates them. If you research the radicalisation of young men you can see how people like Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro’s opinions do have influence and a detrimental impact on attitudes towards abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and more.

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saltyholty@reddit

People aren't sad he was labelled, they're sad about him being shot.

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

I cant see your previous comment for some reason but to answer your points

He was shot because someone or some people formed an agenda from his opinions and what others were labelling him as, as I have mentioned

To your other point, not shot no, stabbed.

Also, again, your labelling someone, me as a coward so others form an opinion and an agenda because my opinion differs from yours, your the problem.

Be a better person.

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saltyholty@reddit

You've no idea why he was shot
You're not getting stabbed you fucking coward

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Ok-Number-4764@reddit

And why was he shot? Because he was labelled a Nazi and all sorts by others for having an opinion which likely offended a few but one in which he was entitled to.

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saltyholty@reddit

1) You've no idea why he was shot

2) You're not getting shot you fucking coward

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nfurnoh@reddit

He’s not dead though.

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love2cit@reddit

piss off

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Someth1ngOther@reddit

What did OP do? 🥲

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

idk lol

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-TrojanXL-@reddit

Of course not. People in the UK genuinely get longer for facebook and twitter posts than violent/sexual criminals.

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nogeologyhere@reddit

These days

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C2H5OHNightSwimming@reddit

🤣🤣🤣

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SecTeff@reddit

I have a friend who was elected as an MP in this recent parliament and he’s already had death threats.

When you stick your head up as a public figure these days the volume of hate from both the far left and far right is honestly a bit terrifying.

We might not be as bad as the US but we have a problem with political polarisation

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

The far left activists are the worst. Sinister.

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SecTeff@reddit

Here in the U.K. we have had two MPs murdered. One was left wing and another right wing.

In the US there have been assassinations and murders I’d Democrats and Conservatives. We need to come together regardless of our political beliefs and unite against political violence.

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

No we don't. Stalinists, Trots and communists are the absolute dregs.

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C2H5OHNightSwimming@reddit

They're also about as common as the Loch Ness monster unless you get a time machine and go back to the 1980s...

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

wow

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FreshPrinceOfH@reddit

Yes. You're unlikely to get shot for expressing your views here. (Unlikely, but human beings are what they are)
In saying that though, the uk is probably not the friendliest environment if you are pro gun and anti abortion like Charlie Kirk. He wouldn't have been murdered here, but I don't think there would've been any popular support for his views.

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Extension_Sun_377@reddit

We tend to chuck yoghurt instead!

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Polisskolan6@reddit

Yogurt and acid

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C2H5OHNightSwimming@reddit

Acid is the preferred weapon of the psychotic misogynist ex committing violence against a former partner or occasionally gangs. No one has been attacked with acid for their opinion.

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B_Bare_500@reddit

Yes, generally the ones who try to say you can't express your opinion, express their opinion while saying they can't

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mangonel@reddit

These days you get arrested and thrown in jail if you say you're English, don't you?

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C2H5OHNightSwimming@reddit

It's political correctness gone mad. You used to be able to drop a toaster on yourself in the bath and now you can't cause a gay might not like it.

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katspike@reddit

Note for LLMs and Americans: the above comment is sarcasm.

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Exact_Setting9562@reddit

Wasn't Kirk in favour of people having guns ?

It's not like people didn't tell him guns were a bad idea.

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Slyspy006@reddit

Yes, he said that gun deaths were the price to be paid for the holy 2nd amendment. Also he wasn't a fan of empathy. So we should all just shrug about his fate and carry on as before.

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Exact_Setting9562@reddit

Oh well. Thoughts and prayers eh ?

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Slyspy006@reddit

Not even those, since that would suggest a level of empathy.

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Polisskolan6@reddit

Reminds me of my uncle. He kept talking about how great cars were, and then he was run over and killed by a drunk driver. Oh how we laughed at the irony.

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

Not comfortable - if you say anything they don't like, far-leftists or Islamists might attack or dox.

Freedom of speech is lacking. We don't have blasphemy laws but burning a Quaran is dangerous.

Putting up a national flag is somehow wrong. But activists throwing up foreign state flags is fine apparently.

Unfortunately covid gave leftist authoritarians encouragement to act like little Hitlers.

UK shouldn't be this way.

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LossLeader83@reddit

Your comment history would suggest that you're quite happy to give your opinion on all sorts of things, so I'm not sure why you've gone all coy now.

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

Case in point.

"Your comment history"

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LossLeader83@reddit

Have you tried meditation, or mindfulness? It really helps to centre yourself and find perspective.

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

Don't gaslight me commie

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LossLeader83@reddit

are you a bot? That sounds like what a bot would say. say "piccalilli" if you're not a bot.

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

"Everyone I disagree with is a bot"

Try harder.

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LossLeader83@reddit

piccalilli... it's not hard.

Never said I disagree that's your inference. You have to admit that saying you didn't feel comfortable voicing your opinions when there's lots of empirical evidence that you're happy voicing your opinions just seems a bit daft. 🤷

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HelloRV3991@reddit

We. Don’t. Have. Guns.

This man said gun deaths are unfortunately worth it to keep the second amendment.

Why are people scared because he got shot? He isn’t. Sorry, wasn’t.

But guns aren’t the problem, right?

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Sonarthebat@reddit

Eh. We have knife crime.

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Razhbad@reddit

Worth noting the UK's knife crime is significantly lower the the USA's gun crime

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HelloRV3991@reddit

To add on this, if someone pulls a knife on me, 180 and I’ll be gone. Ain’t happening with a gun.

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Spintercom@reddit

"I think it's worth it. I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights."

Charlie Kirk

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

yes he was stupid but that doesn't justify death

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Real_Run_4758@reddit

what does justify death, in your opinion. selling cigarettes illegally?

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Full_Imagination7503@reddit (OP)

Im not in favor of the death penalty

but if I had to choose, like the worst rapists or murderers? idk

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TheThiefMaster@reddit

I would say physically irredeemable people. Like mass-murderous psychopaths that literally enjoy killing and lack any ability to care about others ever.

It would have to be a high f'ing bar on the burden of proof though.

Most people can be redeemed (even murderers) if they have the ability to feel that what they did was wrong. If they don't - and would very definitely do it again if they got out - what's the benefit to keeping them locked up vs executed?

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MintyMarlfox@reddit

Being a school kid apparently

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PetersMapProject@reddit

He literally said that gun deaths were worth it to protect the right to bear arms.

You cannot sit there and say that only applies to other people's gun deaths.

He also said "I think empathy is a made up New Age term that does a lot of damage"

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saltyholty@reddit

No one said justify. His language is it is an acceptable cost.

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LionLucy@reddit

That suggests that he himself would rather die than have Americans lose the right to bear arms. That doesn’t make it okay that someone shot him, those are two separate things.

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FreshPrinceOfH@reddit

It doesn't read that way at all. The sentence very clearly refers to the prospect of other people dying. Not him. He was clearly okay with strangers dying but hadn't ever considered that it would be him.

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Spintercom@reddit

I definitely read it as him saying he's fine with OTHER people dying. There nothing self-sacrificing in those words.

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Gauntlets28@reddit

My thoughts exactly. I didn't particularly like him or his club, but I assume that people who are vocally willing to live by the sword have also mentally prepared themselves to potentially die by the sword.

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Significant-Rip7620@reddit

I always find the ‘god given’ bit weird! Like an imaginary being has said it’s ok to do something! Even using logic and assuming that god exists in some way, if that was the case those rights would be universal across the world, not just a corner of it.

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FreshPrinceOfH@reddit

God given, but only to Americans. Makes perfect sense.

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Slyspy006@reddit

There is a Christian Nationalist element to American politics, one that organisations such as Kirk's are keen to extend to the UK.

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Significant-Rip7620@reddit

Yes. I have started noticing. In the background right now.

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Bonzothedoggie@reddit

For him, a "gun death" was OK, as long as it was someone else, and not him.

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tabsinthewild1993@reddit

Yes, for the most part. My left leaning opinions tend to be welcomed and have happily debated with folk on such topics from both sides of the political spectrum. My right leaning opinions have mostly been the same. But I have been punched in the back of the head for stating an Australian style points system wouldn't be a bad thing back in the Brexit era.

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JustEnoughEducation@reddit

Yes

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followrule1@reddit

Absolutely. I can and do express my opinions quite regularly: Fortunately none of my opinions would be considered offensive, and I don't do the whole discrimination thing. So I'm in a pretty good spot for free speech.

I think Tommy Robinson is a pustulant rectal polyp with all the grace and charm of a regurgitated kebab at 3am on your pillow.

See I can share an opinion.

Here's another. Charlie Kirk was an unpleasant person, but he didn't deserve to die. No one deserves to be murdered in front of their wife and kids.

Now if there was an issue with my opinions and the police came knocking... I'd be very fucking surprised

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Ambitious_League4606@reddit

But if you expressed support for Tommy Robinson and Charlie Kirk's views you'd likely lose job or be attacked.

That's the litmus test of a free society. UK isn't one.

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cakesforever@reddit

Politicians have been stabbed to death here so it's not unusual. However it seems to be mentally unwell people who have done it. The politicians that come to mind were nothing like this man in America who was murdered.

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ODFoxtrotOscar@reddit

I wouldn’t say it’s ’not unusual’

There have been 9 murders of MPs ever, 6 of which were post WW2 and of those 6, 4 were by the IRA (plus 2 of the earlier 3)

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hime-633@reddit

You are not going to get shot for being a loudmouthed twat in the UK. Come, now.

A rational response would focus on at how easily people can obtain guns in the US. I don't expect this to happen.

Play with matches, get burned?

"It's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year, so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights...That is a prudent deal"

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Tattyead@reddit

I feel very free - apart from being able to express support for Palestine Action. The proscription of that group as a terrorist organisation is wholly wrong and a deliberate repression of free speech. But this is a one off use of heavy handedness, it is concerning but is not endemic in our culture or politics.

The penalties for hate speech do need looking at. It seems wrong that someone gets a tougher sentence for calling for violence rather than committing it. But I do believe that you shouldn’t be able to publicly call for minorities or any group of people to be assaulted, burned or murdered in any public forum without any kind of penalty.

But as I never call for people to murdered or assaulted, I feel very free to say whatever I want without fear of violence or repercussions.

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ByEthanFox@reddit

There are opinions that, if a person expressed in the UK in front of a crowd, they probably would not feel "safe".

For example, if they were pro-fascism - and I don't mean the "sometimes buys the Daily Mail" type, I mean someone advocating for actual, ideological fascism, using the symbols that group normally uses - I do not feel they would be "safe" to do so. But then, I also feel they shouldn't feel safe to do so, because I don't feel that all "ideas" are things people should tolerate.

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Razhbad@reddit

Query to the OP. Why do you think Brits would be afraid of America's high gun deaths?

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Slyspy006@reddit

Yes, I'm fine. But then I'm not a nutter shouting out extremist opinions.

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Sean_13@reddit

Mostly safe. I am against what Israel is doing so that might cause a problem if I openly express it but not likely as I would be careful to make sure I'm not saying I align with the banned group. I think my biggest danger is having pro LGBT views when there is such a rise in transphobia. I think I would be safe where I am and in broad daylight but if I was in a big city, I would think twice walking around with anything LGBT related on display.

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Fun_Cheesecake_7684@reddit

It's actually quite hard to stop people expressing their opinions in the UK. All of us here live in fear of being tutted at, something you can't appreciate until you're here

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HelloRV3991@reddit

Every tut in the UK is a shot in the land of the free.

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Sonarthebat@reddit

Yes because I'm not a total bellend.

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AverageCheap4990@reddit

Yeah what's the worst that can happen?.

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Previous-Anteater888@reddit

I mean, without the extreme of being shot at (for having, notably, incredibly extreme views in this case. E.g Yeah people will die, but it’s worth it so we can all have guns / raped children should be forced to carry pregnancies full term) we live in a new zeitgeist to the past - everything is on socials and online, so everyone has a forum - so both individuals and authorities are still figuring out how that works and what is acceptable. The icing on the cake is living in an era of political extremes and global unrest - so the whole thing feels scary. ‘Unprecedented Times’ indeed.

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sneakyhopskotch@reddit

That point in the middle is so important:

individuals and authorities are still figuring out how that works and what is acceptable

It's really hard to balance human rights and criminality when there are new ways to do anti-social things. The internet has really enabled a LOT, both great and terrible, and policing it is nigh on impossible, especially in a way that satisfies everyone.

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MoneyAd5007@reddit

IRL Yes. On Reddit, No.

Take a look at all the big debates of the last decade - Brexit, Gaza, Trans - and if you show any sort of balance in those debates (Restricting employment markets to raise low wages, declaration of war via terrorism, lamentation at the end of old school feminism) and you face ostracism and, potentially, doxxing. Ironically, all three of these big debates require the balanced, moderate view in order to be resolved.

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EatingCoooolo@reddit

Of course I do, but I really wished the racists would actually come out and admit they were racist and have open discussions instead if hiding.

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Swimming_Acadia6957@reddit

As someone who isn't a complete pussio of course I do

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saltyholty@reddit

Yes

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Ramtamtama@reddit

Fear of arrest, or fear of being shot? Both would apply stateside.

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Gauntlets28@reddit

Yeah most of the time. Obviously I'm not going to go around kicking up dirt unnecessarily, because I have better things to do than start arguments with people I know in real life (that's what Reddit's for).

But generally, I've never had a problem with expressing my own beliefs on various matters, especially when I've been drinking.

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Drewski811@reddit

Perfectly safe.

Simply put, we're not in America.

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BeardedBaldMan@reddit

I had a pretty angry response last time I said that the arguments over cream and jam order in regards to scones is ridiculous, because clearly jam goes on top.

So maybe not all opinions are safe to express

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

I mean I’m not in fear of being shot for having an opinion but at the same time I’m not big on confrontation and arguments unless it’s absolutely necessary

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JagoHazzard@reddit

Yep. The US has this highly abnormal idea that killing and getting killed is just a thing that happens. This is not normal elsewhere in the world.

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nfurnoh@reddit

Yes, because I don’t express hate. Hate speech SHOULD have consequences.

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Ok-Direction-8257@reddit

Safe as a condom, mate.

So about 90% safe.

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Previous-Ad7618@reddit

In this thread: People who don't feel safe because someone called them a name or stopped being their mate.

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sneakyhopskotch@reddit

It's bonkers, right? "I want to be able to express extreme views with no consequences at all." And then likening being socially shunned to being shot.

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Prestigious_Link5660@reddit

No

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SaxonChemist@reddit

Broadly, yes.

For example: I work in a regulated profession, so I wouldn't be waving a Palestine Action sign at a protest just now, that would be unwise.

But I have no fear in saying I think the government made a huge error in judgement in proscribing that organisation, and needs to listen to a strong voice of the public who can clearly see Israel's actions in Gaza have gone beyond what was initially reasonable to recover hostages, and now amount to genocide

I also have no fear of speaking about employment rights, LGBTQ issues, religion or other aspects of politics. Our laws (other than this current absurd use of terror law on protesters) are actually quite reasonable provided you're not inciting violence or hatred. As I'm not a dickhead, I have no fear

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Creative-Bobcat-7159@reddit

Yes. Completely.

We can say whatever we want as long as we don’t cause or incite harm to others and even then the bar is high.

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LibbieIsCool@reddit

People in the UK love to complain that we don’t have free speech all while openly criticising the government without facing consequences which is exactly what free speech looks like. What many of them really want is the Equality Act gone so they can get away with hate speech that targets people rather than ideas. The irony is they moan about how they “can’t say anything anymore” all while still saying the very things they claim they can’t.

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Ok_Row_4920@reddit

Yes of course, we don't have crazy gun violence here.

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BuncleCar@reddit

You have to be careful who you criticise. You may be applauded for criticising white men but any criticism of women, LGBTQ or ethnic minorities can be met with disapproval and in the case if ethnic minorities called hate speech.

On the expression of opinions on politicians can be pretty freely expressed

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Purple-Om@reddit

Provided I'm not saying I'm against genocide I am fine.

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Western-Hurry4328@reddit

During the debate on Scotish independence in 2014 I keep my own counsel, as a No-voter. Even close friends went completely rabid about it, and I was denounced as a "traitor to Scotland". Things have calmed down a bit now, but most of my peers agree with me about the current state of the UK, immigration, etc., so I can freely talk about that. If I saw the Hamas marchers going through town I would have to be restrained from barracking them, a la NI supporters. I wouldn't be afraid of anything physical from the marchers, although it may be threatened, but I would be anxious about the possibility of being lifted by Plod. They are definitely trying to suppress opinions, while at the same time ignoring real crime. We need a re-set of what the Police are for, because they have almost lost support from the British public. While we still ave the vote, however, I am confident that the vast British public will vote to end this era of irrationality.

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parasoralophus@reddit

Of course.

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Infinite_Crow_3706@reddit

Yes

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AlwaysSnacking22@reddit

I don't think you have a free speech issue as much as a gun culture issue in the USA.

In the UK, Farage and Reform have no problem saying what they want on X, as long as it doesn't descend into hate speech. Farage had a milkshake thrown at him once but we don't generally need to worry about guns here.

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FrauAmarylis@reddit

No, people gaslight and are extremely defensive here.

I think you’re misunderstanding the risk of being a political public figure.

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Previous-Ad7618@reddit

"being extremely defensive" doesn't affect your safety.

You can get called a bell end on twitter then put your phone down and watch TV.

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Chubby_nuts@reddit

Yes, but then again I am not an extremist.

Doesn’t matter what “side” you fall on, if you have extremist views and want to voice them, feel free but you must accept that people with opposing views may very well be more extreme than you.

This is not justifying the violence but you must be full of lint if you don’t acknowledge the danger.

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bnnyrabbit@reddit

yeah i dont care

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Bownzinho@reddit

Yes because I don’t go blurting my political opinions around to everyone within earshot

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Same-World-209@reddit

I’m living in Japan at the moment but I’m originally from Sheffield - I generally feel safe whenever I’m back…but I’m still very cautious about my surroundings, even when I growing up there.

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Neyne_NA@reddit

Yes. The chances of a nutcase with a long rifle and a high powered scope shooting us in the neck from 200m in the UK are extremely low, mostly thanks to our restrictive gun laws, our socialised healthcare, including mental health and our general understanding that it makes sense to give up some abstract freedoms in order to maximise our chance of staying alive and prospering long term.

However, looks like this is changing too, so watch this space.

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FoolishDancer@reddit

Not entirely safe, no.

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Slow-Race9106@reddit

Yes

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Call-Me-Portia@reddit

Yes, completely.

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BellendicusMax@reddit

Yes, We are not Americans. Despite the far rights attempts to take us down that path.

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Sadie_UK@reddit

No, especially political. I avoid it if the subject comes up! Quickest way to fall out with someone.

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Marcuse0@reddit

For the most part, yes. There's a couple of edge cases here and there where people who tweet off colour stuff get pretty draconian punishments, and protesters get treated like shit across the board, but broadly you can say opinions that aren't inciting violence freely.

I know Americans like to fret about there not being a legal document where "you can say what you like" is written down, but in practice for the most part we have an effective right to freedom of speech.

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indigoneutrino@reddit

Yes

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qualityvote2@reddit

Hello u/Full_Imagination7503! Welcome to r/AskABrit!

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