Quote Originally Posted by Axel
I guess you are making a confusion between the American Constitution that famously garantees the freedom of speech and the French Constitution that does not do it as strongly. There is no article where it is said the the freedom of speech is garanteed, and I advise to read the Constitution of the country you're living in:
http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/html/c...stitution2.htm
Yes, in France, you don't have the right to insult anybody.
For example, people who encourage racial hate in their speech can be sued.

Axel
Read it many times and have a copy of it in my office.
A good pornographer makes damn certain about his rights before he begins business.

The French Constitution acknowledges and accepts, in the preamble, it's association with the 1798 document, "The Declaration of the rights of man and of the citizen."

(I'll do my best to translate)

Artcile 10 and 11 of that document guarantee that

Article 10: No one can be harrased for their opinions, religious views. (Provided that they expression of such opinions does not break the peace)

Article 11 The free communication of thought and opinions is a sacred right of man. Any citizen can therefore speak, write and publish freely. (But they are not allowed to abuse that priviliage.)

But these two articles must be put into context of Artcile 15 and Article 16.
Whereas,

Article 15 clearly says a society has the right to demand a public official for an accounting of their managment.

Article 16 condemns any society in which the guarantee of rights is not ensured. And there is no speration of power defind in such a manner as to keep "power in check."

When brought together the objective of these 4 articles was to...

1) Allow people the right to develop and grow in both an intellectual and artistic manner. Or to remain ignorant if they so choose.

2) Clearly to keep goverment and public officials answerable for their actions to the those that they most impact. The private citizen.

3) Condemnation of opression and un-necessary goverment interference in the lives of private citizens or interference in the natural development of society.
(Source: Cisar - 1994)

But this does not end there.

France is a member of the United Nations and as such is bound by Article 19 of the Charter of Universal Rights.

It clearly states:

Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
(Source Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 1948)

Now where you are making your mistake is that the French goverment is seeking to blame Rap Artists for the riots that occurred last month in France. If you factor in Article 20 from the Universal Declaration of rights and the Rights of man and the citizen.


Article 20
(U.D.o.R)
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Article 4:
(R.o.M.a.t.C.)
States that Liberty is being ablt to do anything that does not harm other people. Therefore the only limit is to ensure that everyone gets to enjoy liberty as determined by law.

So,
1) I don't believe that any of the Rap muscians participated in the Riots. They did neither harmed nor deprived another of their rights.

2) They are in their rights to create Rap music and express their lyrics in any method they choose. And Monsieur R's lyrics, like most French rap artists, are about life in the French subburbs. (He describes what he sees.)

Hence, there is no direct or indirect correlation between the Rap music and the riots. Therefore, France is using Rap music as a scape goat and practicing censorship and stopping freedom of speech.

Indeed, the French priminister appears to be really pissed off that France was called a Prostitute. And saying a country sucks does not normally cause people to riot.
Unless of course it's extremly true.. but even then how can you say it was the fault of one person or a particular group of people.