Lets just be clear about this, Old Holborn was a bit of a dick. He posted some horrible stuff, sometimes he could be funny but often he would be offensive. That shouldn't be hard to deal with on the internet, I mean you can ignore what he says. Even better than that Twitter has a block button, glorious my brothers we can never be offended by him again. I was horribly bullied as a child, both verbally and physically. You know what I was told, just ignore what they are saying, words can't hurt you. It's true you know, words are meaningless things to which we place a value. I get loads of abuse on Twitter, as you would expect when you say such controversial things as "I agree with the cap on benefits." You have 3 easy ways of dealing with online abuse, ignore, wind them up (my personal favourite) or block. I know how hard this is for the professionally offended. Hell when you offend them once they start looking through your Twitter history for more stuff to take offence at. When someone who has abused me for something I said then re tweets a comment from a month ago for their friends to have a go at you know you are dealing with an idiot.
Old Holborn is having his life systematically ruined by these people. Publishing his address, phone number and sending death threats to his family. Phoning his place of work and making threats as well, is this covered by the malicious communications act? The aftershocks are already happening, @obotheclown has announced he is leaving twitter because he is worried about the security of his family and friends, the threat of exposure and possibly police action.
We stand at an important point in our history. The controversial issue of "hate crime" has been in the news as it now includes "goths" (beating someone to death should carry the same sentence whatever the reason, not carry more because of race, religion or how you dress), what's next? Carrot tops, fatties, half pints, blonde bimbos, slap heads or toffs? Press regulation is already making papers nervous before it comes in, how else can you explain Guido scooping over a month ahead that Rolf was being questioned by police? Now add Old Holborn, police looking in to his actions for being offensive. We won the last big battle, the "Twitter joke trial" but can we win this?
If anything I have said offends you please take time to explain it in writing, put it in an envelope and shove it up your arse! (Said in solidarity with Old Holborn)
Rob
Well said sir
ReplyDeleteGreat piece xx
ReplyDeleteIn solidarity with a racist. There would be less censorship if people like you could handle the responsibility that comes with free speech.
ReplyDeleteSpot on Sir, apart from the bit about slap heads. As a professional slap head that bit offends me, the rest is fine just not that bit.
ReplyDeleteWhat is a half pint?
ReplyDeleteWorld of difference bewtixt "Caps on benefits" and gloating over Jamie Bulgers murder and Hillsborough "What happened to you man? Your ass was beautiful" (Jackie Brown)
ReplyDeleteYou can't blame twitter or the law for the way Old Holborn was ousted. He only has himself to blame for this, he behaved quite appallingly for a family man with children. He chose to offend Liverpool that evening, he chose to say some horrible things about children's death's. A rancid man that had his free speech that evening but didn't cover his or his families tracks. An utter pratt of the highest order who fell foul of just how much information is out there about you on the world wide web. I thought it was funny to be honest when his details were published, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall as he tried to explain to his wife & kids why their world was just about to fall apart, sorry guys Daddy's been a complete & utter dick & you may be getting some death threats, oh & the whole of the Internet now knows where we live because I was a twat.
ReplyDeleteFree speech comes without the fear of physical retribution, the clue is in the name. Not as if anyone attacking OH had ever had a bad thing to say about Thatcher or Munich, or Heysel, for which I believe he would uphold their right to do so. If you have to destroy someone's life when they attack your beliefs perhaps it's time to look to your beliefs
DeleteCalm down
DeleteJust a few thoughts, Dave.
ReplyDeleteOld Holborn's marital and familial status is immaterial. Surely. I mean, really, are you saying that free speech is only for the single?!
As far as, "He chose to offend Liverpool" is concerned, well that's part of the problem, isn't it? Look again at that sentence. Liverpool is not sentient; it is not capable of having its feelings hurt; it is not able to be offended. The inhabitants can choose to take offence if they wish; hell, it's their right to do so. But they have to actively choose to do so on an individual basis.
Old Holborn did not "[fall] foul of just how much information is out there about you". He fell foul of a determined, concerted, organised effort to publicise private information and threaten and intimidate not just him, but his family and business too. There's a massive, massive difference.
God knows I don't agree with everything Old Holborn says. Many times, I've disagreed completely with his viewpoints, particularly when they hit close to home to any of my own personal circumstances. Often, I've thought him a twat. However, on balance, I have decided to continue to read what he says. Indeed, he would probably be the first to call you an idiot if you blindly agreed with everything *anyone* said.
However, as horrible as some of the memories stirred when he talks of Liverpool tragedies past may be, they are IN NO WAY comparable to, nor justification of intimidation and death threats in the present. Two completely different things.
It isn't clever semantics; it's just a simple truth. Being a twat does not mean anyone has impunity to threaten you or anyone you know. By all means call out the twattishness, have an argument. But Do. No. Harm.
I think Old Holborn is/was a right dick,albeit an entertaining.But i found his tweets both fascinating and entertaining.I loathed everything he said re:Liverpool.'was Total Rubbish.
ReplyDeleteRoughly ,I disagreed with his total output (say 80%) The other 20% (eg;the torys: The State in general:Palestine ) I surprised myself by agreeing with him.
All this said, he has the right to say whatever he wants and any sort of censorship is wrong in my view.I look forward to seeing him saying loads of shite again real soon!
Cant have your cake and eat it...say hateful things = incite violence, then baawww that its your right not to be attacked for it. You have the right to offend? I have the right to kick your fucking teeth out if i am offended.
ReplyDeleteNo, see that's just plain wrong. That's like saying, "you have the right to drink tea? I have the right to shit in your box of Tetleys if I see it."
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