Precedent set in Szczecin for offending homosexuals?

Harry

6 Aug 2009 / #1

I must admit having slightly mixed feelings about this case.

A court in the north-western city of Szczecin has ruled that offending homosexuals by calling them "fags" should be punished, setting a precedent.

Fourty-four year old Anna S., who called a 25-year-old Ryszard G. a "fag," will have to formally apologize to him and pay a 15,000 zloty (3,650 euro) fine.

"Everyone has a right to defend their dignity and privacy," said the judge Urszula Chmielewska, explaining the ruling. "Everyone has a right for a normal life in a society regardless of their sexual orientation. The word "fag" is offensive and it was used to hurt Ryszard G."

Last year, Anna S., while shopping at a grocery store in the western Polish island of Wolin, said "a fag has gotten himself another fag" referring to her neighbour Ryszard G. and added: "I saw the fags going to a park to f**k one another."

The court has forbidden the woman to call her neighbour a "fag" and to publicly comment on his private life and sexual orientation. The courts also ordered the payment of a 15,000 zloty (3,650 euro) fine and to cover the cost of the trial - 4,000 zloty (974 euro). "The defendant has to be punished so that she would change her behaviour and make up for the wrong she did," said the judge.

The woman claimed that she was innocent, all witnesses lied and it was actually her who had been offended by Ryszard G. "He threw tools at me from the window. I'm depressed because of him," said Anna Sz. "15,000 zloty (3,650 euro) is a lot of money for an unemployed person."

mvefa 5 | 591

6 Aug 2009 / #2

she got what she deserved...Dont nose and comment into the life of somebody else, its just tacky...

michaltk

6 Aug 2009 / #3

She got exactly what she was asking for… If it's not your business just stfu.

z_darius 14 | 3960

6 Aug 2009 / #4

The word “fag” is offensive and it was used to hurt Ryszard G.”

The word "fag" in Polish refers to "bakteriofag", which is a virus capable of attacking and destroying bacteria.

So what was the word she actually used?

OP Harry

6 Aug 2009 / #5

So what was the word she actually used?

One would assume it was "pedał".

PlasticPole 7 | 2641

6 Aug 2009 / #6

As long as we are on the subject of stupid comments it would be nice if this were extended to all kinds of things coming from the mouths of people I don't want to hear. I want to be able to take them to court and make them PAY for stuff they say about me I don't like.

I want the judge to slap them all with a gag order too. Man, I wish this judge were over here.

niejestemcapita 2 | 561

6 Aug 2009 / #7

One would assume it was "pedał".

realy? so theres that assocation of gays and child molesters?
Silly b'itch got what she deserved..why is she so interested anyway? Probably a closet dyke.

mvefa 5 | 591

6 Aug 2009 / #8

close dyke haha good one

Grzegorz_ 51 | 6138

6 Aug 2009 / #9

A court in the north-western city of Szczecin has ruled that offending homosexuals by calling them “fags” should be punished, setting a precedent.

The beggining of fag dictatorship in Poland.

SzwedwPolsce 11 | 1589

7 Aug 2009 / #10

I know you don't even believe that yourself. But however, no one should accept to be publicly offended.

grethomory 1 | 155

7 Aug 2009 / #11

That's right...people have enough trouble trying to take care of their own lives to be worried about other's lives...just shut up. If they are not hurting anyone...it's not your business.

Tymoteusz 2 | 346

7 Aug 2009 / #12

The beggining of fag dictatorship in Poland

Not quite. However, It the beginning of the takover by Neo-Liberal fascists.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Fascism

mvefa 5 | 591

7 Aug 2009 / #13

The beggining of fag dictatorship in Poland.

Respecting other people is not a dictatorship, is a democracy, discriminating is a known characteristic of a dictatorship...

OP Harry

7 Aug 2009 / #14

The beggining of fag dictatorship in Poland.

I bet you can't wait for the day of total take-over by that dictatorship. On that day you can finally come out of the closet.

mvefa 5 | 591

7 Aug 2009 / #15

hahaha

niejestemcapita 2 | 561

7 Aug 2009 / #16

"...I can report with a clear conscience that Liberal Fascism is one of the most tedious and inane — and ultimately self-negating — books that I have ever read. ... Liberal Fascism is a document of a deeply frivolous culture, or sub-culture."[21]

aphrodisiac 11 | 2427

7 Aug 2009 / #17

The beggining of fag dictatorship in Poland.

no, it is a case of human rights but you would not know what it is. Would you?

Nathan 18 | 1349

7 Aug 2009 / #18

people pretending to be the opposite sex is kind of strange ...huh Maphro??

Do these people take the bread from your table?
And by the way, sex is not what you have between your legs. Nor rubbing against each other can be called love. Who you are and what you feel is in your brain and that can be experienced only by the carrier, not by a drooling bystander who stupidly looks at the pants or skirts. If we are limited to define sex of a person by physical appearance, then IQ should be measured by number of freckles on the butt.

PlasticPole 7 | 2641

7 Aug 2009 / #19

Since when does the law care if neighbors gossip about neighbors. Oh man, I can't believe this! A judge stops a gossiping neighbor! I just wish some thing like this would happen over here. I would love to tell everyone who has ever gossiped about me to stick it where the sun don't shine take all their sorry asses to court so they get fined thousands of dollars. That would show them!

aphrodisiac 11 | 2427

7 Aug 2009 / #20

A judge stops a gossiping neighbor!

there is a difference between a gossip and and slander.

mvefa 5 | 591

7 Aug 2009 / #21

this woman did not only gossiped she insulted publicly, using sexual orientation as her weapon, that's discrimination in Polish law...so there you go..

Nathan 18 | 1349

7 Aug 2009 / #22

there is a difference between a gossip and and slander

Absolutely.

Since when does the law care if neighbors gossip about neighbors. Oh man, I can't believe this!

Gossip is what you usually hear from someone who was told by someone's friend's cousin's sister-in-law. It is a different story when someone tells you in face these things.

sausage 19 | 775

7 Aug 2009 / #23

political correctness really has gone mad in this case. be gay if you want, but don't expect everyone to approve

PlasticPole 7 | 2641

7 Aug 2009 / #24

Last year, Anna S., while shopping at a grocery store in the western Polish island of Wolin, said “a fag has gotten himself another fag” referring to her neighbour Ryszard G. and added: “I saw the fags going to a park to f**k one another.”

Is neighborhood gossip. In the workplace you can call it "discrimination" but what Anna S. did here is nothing but low down gossiping in a grocery store. This happens all the time. Can you imagine if people started getting arrested for it, lol. Where do you draw the line because people insult other people all the time. I want everyone who ever called me a name to pay at least $15000 a head because I am worth that and so much more. I deserve it and they shame me by saying their crap. It's a good idea. I hope it catches on.

mvefa 5 | 591

7 Aug 2009 / #25

.....did they offend your religion, race or sexual orientation?

PlasticPole 7 | 2641

7 Aug 2009 / #26

It doesn't matter because I was offended and they were rude and hostile. An insult is an insult. You think race religion and sexual orientation are all that matter? I want to clamp down on all these rude obnoxious jerks. We need more of this. Good precedence!

Better not flip me off because you don't like the way I drive either because I will be getting your license plate, recording it and saving it for our day in court!

mvefa 5 | 591

7 Aug 2009 / #27

well i ain't layer, but what i l know (in most countries) the discrimination card can be pull out by those 3 reasons. Not because someone told you're ugly, annoying, stupid or whatever...

aphrodisiac 11 | 2427

7 Aug 2009 / #28

It's a good idea. I hope it catches on.

you can sue people for that in the US, after all part of the US law is based on precedent.
Also, I think you are comparing the US to Poland, which is not a good way to go, because those 2 countries have different law systems and the human rights in the US has a long history, so I am not sure why would this become a trend in the US, if it has already been a part of the american law for a long time.

PlasticPole 7 | 2641

7 Aug 2009 / #29

you can sue people for that in the US, after all part of the US law is based on precedent.

Haha. No you can't. If you tried that you would get laughed out of court, the judge would hate you for wasting tax payers dollars on it.

In the workplace, if you can prove discrimination, you can try but a case like this, neighbors gossiping in a grocery store, would go no where.

People think sexual orientation, religion and race are all that matter but being called stupid, annoying, ugly, dumb, or sexy over and over can actually have worse effects than bashing based on the traditional three. Why are race, religion, and sexual orientation so sacred? Shouldn't harrassment be considered harrassment regardless of what it's about?

michaltk

7 Aug 2009 / #30

be gay if you want, but don't expect everyone to approve

Nobody there was seeking for the approval. I bet this guy didn't give a sh!t about her till she started her public speeches… he got upset, sued her and won as expected… wouldn't u get upset that some b!atch is calling you names behind your back?