An Australian libertarian senator is getting the last laugh about matters of free speech.
David Leyonjhelm clapped back at a self proclaimed, “anti-discrimination campaigner” with these words:
“Go f–k yourself you communist turd.”
What is important to understand about the statement is that Australia does not have the same kind of freedoms granted to U.S. citizens under the First Amendment. Instead of a blanket of protection Australians can be prosecuted for offending others. No doubt, this affects the quality of their stand up comedians.
Australia has instead, free speech codes that offer less protection than our Constitution does, but probably keeps people out of jail during the World Cup for what they may say.
Garry Burns got the Senator’s reply after attacking him for being for free speech. He told Leyonjhelm that if he does not like the terms of multiculturalism to “pack up the Mrs and the kids and f–k off out of our country” at the same time he accused the senator of being unpatriotic. He also went on to say that “there is no free speech in Australia”
In other comments Burns has compared Leyonjhelm and politicians of like-mind about free speech to the usual round of suspects like Hitler, of course –liberals love to call people Hitler– as well as calling him a bigot and other inappropriate terms that do not have much meaning anymore considering that anyone with a differing point of view to people like Burns is considered to be one.
Leyonjhelm was clearly unaffected by the slanderous comments. After a time he responded again:
Dear Gary,
It appears that you have not yet acted on my advice. Please do so. Go f–k yourself as soon as possible. The world will be a better place.
Regards,
David Leyonjhelm
It took guts to stand up to someone like Burns without hiding behind politics or vague stances. I think our politicians could learn something from the senator about being direct and unashamed of what is right.
