Student jailed for 56 days for racial comments

Mal-Adjusted

Sky news are reporting that Liam Stacey, a 21 year old student from Wales has been jailed for 56 days (though he may only serve half that) for making racist remarks about Fabrice Muamba. He has also been discharged from college over it (he was a 3rd year biology student)

This happened on St Patricks day, when Wales won the grand slam and he admitted he had been drinking.

I'm a little conflicted over this. on one hand, I'm sure that whatever he said was abusive and it's a sure sign that you're a tool. on the other hand, 2 months in jail and being kicked off your coarse seems a bit harsh when a fine would have done. this could potentially ruin his life...

link:
http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16191419

Sykk

Good to see the no tolerance for racism.. Discharged from college? A bit harsh..

tigger123

Think your link is broke OP?

Anyway, people need to take more responsibility for what they say online, I don't believe it should be the anonymous free for all it is now.

Mr. Presentable

So if he wasn't a student the sentence is OK?

Drinking is no excuse, though it is used as a defense/justification in Courts here too "Judge, the defendant is from a harsh background and an alcoholic" "Grand so, probation act"

OP, sounds a good fit to me, might discourage others.

smash

Why don't you hear about bully's going to prison for making comments on FB which result in suicide?

booboo88

Does anyone know what comments the student made?

Skid

You don't get a free pass to be racist on St.Patrick's Day.

I'm glad to see he got sent down.

Dyr

Its kinda funny that people only care about dignity and respect in certain areas

He can call the guy a durty motherf**king son of a geebag whos going to need a dribble catcher for the rest of his life and that would probably be fair game.

Seachmall

Anyone know what the tweets were?

Were they threatening? Inciting violence?

DB21

Misleading OP. This had nothing to do with Rugby or St. Patrick's Day, it was to do with Fabrice Muamba collapsing.

Anyway, glad to see this guy being put away. Disgraceful what he said.

Grayson

56 days and kicked out of college seems a bit harsh for comments. Then again, I have no idea what the comments were. Were they inciting violence or were they along the lines of "I'm coming over there with a gun you filthy <insert racist slur>"

Seachmall

May not be safe for work (offensive language).

The tweets.

He used the word N*gger and Wog, no indication he was actually inciting racial hate or violence.

Although he did threaten one or two people, but it's the internet. We have pics to address those issues, no need for prison sentences.

Mal-Adjusted

tigger123 wrote: »

Think your link is broke OP?

Sorry. i got most of this stuff from sky news on the tv. the most recent link i can find is here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2120999/Fabrice-Muamba-Liam-Stacey-jailed-Twitter-abuse.html

DB21 wrote: »

Misleading OP. This had nothing to do with Rugby or St. Patrick's Day, it was to do with Fabrice Muamba collapsing.

edit: sorry, just realized i hadn't actually sait it was about Muamba (tough the link might be a giveaway) anyway, fixed

El Horseboxo

http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/fabrice-muamba.jpg

http://www.anorak.co.uk/316083/technology/fabrice-muamba-and-the-twitter-hunt-for-liamstacey9.html/

Beefy78

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

Sorry. i got most of this stuff from sky news on the tv. the most recent link i can find is here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2120999/Fabrice-Muamba-Liam-Stacey-jailed-Twitter-abuse.html


Not misleading. it probably shows what state of mind he was in.

He was tweeting about the football, not the rugby. I don't think there was any defence put up that the guy was drunk.

EDIT - he is now claiming he was drunk.

theteal

DB21 wrote: »

Misleading OP. This had nothing to do with Rugby or St. Patrick's Day, it was to do with Fabrice Muamba collapsing.

Anyway, glad to see this guy being put away. Disgraceful what he said.

yup, that's what i thought - too much of a coincidence to have 2 welsh lads at it in a short space of time

Seachmall

El Horseboxo wrote: »

http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/fabrice-muamba.jpg

http://www.anorak.co.uk/316083/technology/fabrice-muamba-and-the-twitter-hunt-for-liamstacey9.html/

Black people have black cocks.

Was that supposed to be a secret? Is it illegal to mention that?


I've told numerous people to suck numerous penises, it's weird to think simply mentioning whether that someone has a white or black penis is enough to qualify as inciting racial hatred.

biko

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kFNYuteAjA

El Horseboxo

Seachmall wrote: »

El Horseboxo wrote: »

http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/fabrice-muamba.jpg

http://www.anorak.co.uk/316083/technology/fabrice-muamba-and-the-twitter-hunt-for-liamstacey9.html/

Black people have black cocks.

Was that supposed to be a secret? Is it illegal to mention that?


I've told numerous people to suck numerous penises, it's weird to think simply mentioning whether that someone has a white or black penis is enough to qualify as inciting racial hatred.

As a Latino of African origin I wouldn't want jail time or somebody kicked out of college for that. I wouldn't want that for any racial comments really unless it was their views and were indeed actually racist beyond stupid comments on the internet. Most of these idiots are attention seekers on the internet and just say stuff to shít stir. Mandatory cultural awareness class or something would be more beneficial. Sending someone to jail over that could possibly harbor more racist thoughts. They'd feel hard done by and might blame whatever race they aimed the comments at.

booboo88

Seachmall wrote: »

May not be safe for work (offensive language).

The tweets.

He used the word N*gger and Wog, no indication he was actually inciting racial hate or violence.

Although he did threaten one or two people, but it's the internet. We have pics to address those issues, no need for prison sentences.

Wow just wow. Throw away the key if Im honest.

Bambi wrote: »

Its kinda funny that people only care about dignity and respect in certain areas

He can call the guy a durty motherf**king son of a geebag whos going to need a dribble catcher for the rest of his life and that would probably be fair game.

While I agree with you at some level, the stuff Liam Stacey came out was just vile. Utter poison, he'll forever been known as a racist coward.

pacquiao

So much for free speech.

Gbear

Because the poor black people have such thin skins they need to be protected from nasty words that might make them feel sad. :rolleyes:


Absolute nonsense.
Inciting to violence or hatred? What a load of ****. As if you can't judge the people being "incited" on their own actions - like they're automatons who act solely based on throwaway internet comments.

Edit:

booboo88 wrote: »

he'll forever been known as a racist coward.

And that's how society should deal with this - not by undermining free speech.

booboo88

pacquiao wrote: »

So much for free speech.

Racism isnt free speech, its hatred.

Seachmall

booboo88 wrote: »

Racism isnt free speech, its hatred.

What he did was express an opinion. A controversial and retarded opinion, sure, but an opinion none the less.

He is now jailed for expressing that opinion.

That is stupid.

Beefy78

The guy didn't mention his race for no reason. I'm sure there were a hundred other adjectives which he could have chosen to pad out his tweet. He chose one which he considered to be an insult.

This is always a tough issue but legislation is in place for a reason.

booboo88

Gbear wrote: »

Because the poor black people have such thin skins they need to be protected from nasty words that might make them feel sad. :rolleyes:


Absolute nonsense.
Inciting to violence or hatred? What a load of ****. As if you can't judge the people being "incited" on their own actions - like they're automatons who act solely based on throwaway internet comments.

Edit:
And that's how society should deal with this - not by undermining free speech.

Seachmall wrote: »

What he did was express an opinion. A controversial and retarded opinion, sure, but an opinion none the less.

He is now jailed for expressing that opinion.

That is stupid.

And I quote
'LOL, F*** Muamba. He's dead'.


you call that an opinion?

wes

booboo88 wrote: »

Racism isnt free speech, its hatred.

Best way to deal with hatred is education imho. Putting him in jail doesn't solve anything. Putting the guy on a course or something would be better imho.

Seachmall

booboo88 wrote: »

And I quote
'LOL, F*** Muamba. He's dead'.


you call that an opinion?

An opinion containing a poor sense of humor appended by an untruth.

booboo88

I wouldnt class what he said as having any sense of humour, just venom coming from a vile person.

leggit

He's just made himself out as a bigoted fool but shouldn't be put in jail for it, let alone kicked out of his course.

Political correctness gone mad again

HalloweenJack

I'm all for freedom of speech, even it's retarded stuff like this guy wrote.

I can't argue with the punishment but what I do have a problem with is the lack of discussion when people make idiotic statements.

In this case, he's just been condemned (rightly so) but I haven't seen any discussion about trying to convince him what's wrong with what he said. This needs to happen more.

Silencing bigots is just going to lead to more bitterness inside them and probably not going to lead to any change in their behaviour. It just pushes the problem underground. There should be proper discussion about why it's wrong, challenge people on their views, engage them and make them see what's wrong with what they say. If they're too idiotic to see it, then that's their problem but everyone can see how much of an idiot they are and the people who hold those sentiments are.

They shouldn't just be told their wrong and locked away. If anything, this could lead to them becoming martyrs for other racists.

Seachmall

booboo88 wrote: »

I wouldnt class what he said as having any sense of humour, just venom coming from a vile person.

Perhaps, but it's an opinion none-the-less.

We can't jail people because they disagree with us.

We can discuss the issue with them, or ignore them, but we can't just jail them.

pacquiao

booboo88 wrote: »

Racism isnt free speech, its hatred.

You either have free speech or you don't.

talkinyite

I don't get it? was he locked up for his words or his views, or are they considered the same in the UK?

booboo88

Seachmall wrote: »

Perhaps, but it's an opinion none-the-less.

We can't jail people because they disagree with us.

We can discuss the issue with them, or ignore them, but we can't just jail them.

So its ok to just say whatever you want?
Although that said I wonder how many people are jailed if it wasn't a famous person they targeted

pacquiao wrote: »

You either have free speech or you don't.

We've just regressed about 50years.

leggit

Wait a minute.... So if someone called me a "filthy white mickey licking bum banger" online I could call the police and get them incarcerated........ and possibly fired from their job/expelled from college?

tigger123

wes wrote: »

Best way to deal with hatred is education imho. Putting him in jail doesn't solve anything. Putting the guy on a course or something would be better imho.

I disagree, putting him in jail will teach him to think in future before spouting his nonsense online.

It also serves as an example to others that this kind of behavior is unacceptable in modern society. I've zero sympathy for him.

wes

tigger123 wrote: »

I disagree, putting him in jail will teach him to think in future before spouting his nonsense online.

So now he says this stuff in private instead, and his views don't change, and now he has a lot of resentment to add to it. It would be much better to educate the guy and try and change his views.

tigger123 wrote: »

It also serves as an example to others that this kind of behavior is unacceptable in modern society. I've zero sympathy for him.

Again, it will just drive this sort of racism underground. Far better to educate people who hold such view imho.

Seachmall

booboo88 wrote: »

So its ok to just say whatever you want?

It's OK to express an opinion regardless how controversial or offensive it may be.

It's not OK to incite hatred in others or to incite violence against others.

Show Time

He won't do it again in a hurry.

pragmatic1

Seachmall wrote: »

What he did was express an opinion. A controversial and retarded opinion, sure, but an opinion none the less.

He is now jailed for expressing that opinion.

That is stupid.

Yep thats the price of free speech. Sometimes we might hear things we dont like.

leggit

booboo88 wrote: »

So its ok to just say whatever you want?

No, but I also don't think it's ok to put people in jail for saying something.

token101

56 days in jail and they've kicked him out of college? So they've effectively wrecked this guy's life for what was a stupid comment? What a f*cking joke.

tigger123

wes wrote: »

So now he says this stuff in private instead, and his views don't change, and now he has a lot of resentment to add to it. It would be much better to educate the guy and try and change his views.



Again, it will just drive this sort of racism underground. Far better to educate people who hold such view imho.

Ah I know, I agree with you for the most part, I think we're getting into the argument around justice being served through rehabilition versus (my suggestion, the wrong way) justice being served through punishment and revenge.... perhaps I'm very intolerant of intolerant people!

The guy was acting like a pig though, and the defence of "I can say anything I want because I have the right to free speech" doesn't hold up.

tigger123

token101 wrote: »

56 days in jail and they've kicked him out of college? So they've effectively wrecked this guy's life for what was a stupid comment? What a f*cking joke.

No, he wrecked his life for what was a "stupid comment". He's responsible for his own actions.

Seachmall

tigger123 wrote: »

No, he wrecked his life for what was a "stupid comment". He's responsible for his own actions.

He's not responsible for the overreaction.

suicide_circus

Seachmall wrote: »

What he did was express an opinion. A controversial and retarded opinion, sure, but an opinion none the less.

He is now jailed for expressing that opinion.

That is stupid.

didn't you know? the Thought Police are in town!


if he was inciting violence, fair enough but he was just expressing his stupid opinion which i thought we were still allowed to do...obviously not.

i wonder if the cops have been on the stormfront website recently? they'd have a field day.

token101

tigger123 wrote: »

No, he wrecked his life for what was a "stupid comment". He's responsible for his own actions.

So talking can ruin your life now? Well Jesus that's the job isn't it? I feel safer now :rolleyes:

tigger123

token101 wrote: »

So talking can ruin your life now? Well Jesus that's the job isn't it? I feel safer now :rolleyes:

He wasn't talking, he was tweeting, he was publishing content to the Internet.

GLaDOS

Regarding him getting kicked out of college, do you think they want to be associated with a student making comments like this? A college I'm sure that has plenty of black students (amongst other races). I'm sure he broke the terms of his membership and that they were well within their rights to discharge him.

People have to take responsibility for what they say.

That said, him getting jailed doesn't really sit easy with me.

suicide_circus

leggit wrote: »

Wait a minute.... So if someone called me a "filthy white mickey licking bum banger" online I could call the police and get them incarcerated........ and possibly fired from their job/expelled from college?

no, it would only result in police action if you were a non white person being targeted. being racist againts white people isn't racism, it's justified critisism for our centuries of opression, do you see?