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Using This Six-Word Phrase Could Land You In Jail For Two Years
An Australian state is set to take drastic action to ban a six-word phrase, with the threat of two years in jail if it is used.
The state has said the new laws are about ‘drawing a clear line.’
Other controversial phrases
Some everyday expressions—like ‘spirit animal,’ ‘first-world problem,’ or ‘spooky’—may seem harmless but have histories that can be offensive.
CBC Ottawa collected examples from readers and journalists and consulted experts, who explained that certain terms carry harmful cultural or historical meanings.
Linguist Ai Taniguchi noted: “Being an English speaker doesn’t entail that you necessarily know the racist etymology automatically,” adding that ‘The fact that you said it… doesn’t automatically make you a bad person.’
However, she stressed that ‘I didn’t know it was racist’ does not eliminate the pain of the hearer.
Experts say the focus should be on understanding impact rather than intent. Jas Kalra stated: “It’s not so much about political correctness… it is about the empirical accuracy.”
Phrases like ‘blacklist,’ ‘ghetto,’ ‘sold down the river,’ and ‘grandfathered in’ reflect histories tied to racism or exclusion. Overall, being mindful of language helps ensure communication does not unintentionally harm others.
Australian State introducing new hate speech reforms
New proposed laws are being introduced in one Australian state, which displays of hate symbols, chanting terrorist slogans, harassing worshippers, or damaging places of worship could land you up to five years in prison.
The hate symbols ban would forbid the display of the ISIS flag, Nazi symbols, the Hezbollah emblem and the Hamas flag and emblem, among others.
Tensions have been fraught in Australia over the past few months, following the Bondi Beach terror attack in December of last year.
Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen, allegedly Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, opened fire on a gathering of roughly 1,000 people who had gathered to celebrate Hanukkah at the Sydney beach.
The massacre was an anti-Semitic attack, which the Islamic State later claimed credit for. Four homemade bombs were thrown into the crowd of revelers, but did not detonate. Another bomb was found in a car belonging to one of the shooters.
In claiming the lives of 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl, the attack on Bondi was the deadliest in Australia since 1996’s Port Arthur Massacre, in which 35 people were murdered by Martin Bryant in the Tasmanian tourist town.
The Bondi massacre was also the first terrorist attack to deliberately target the Jewish community in Australian history, and came shortly after an anti-Semitic terrorist attack at a synagogue in Manchester, in the United Kingdom.
Bondi saw that the National Cabinet unanimously agreed to further restrict gun laws and introduce a gun buyback program. It also saw new hate speech laws brought into practice.
‘Stamping out the embers of hatred’
The new laws in question are coming into effect in Queensland, with Premier David Crisafulli saying on Sunday (March 8) that the proposed reforms would be introduced to state parliament on Tuesday (March 10).
Explaining the decision to introduce the new laws, Crisafulli said: “We called this out from the beginning, we said we’d act, and through this legislation, we are delivering a strong and considered response.
“This is about drawing a clear line – and stamping out the embers of hatred that were allowed to burn unchecked for too long – to ensure we protect Queenslanders.”
Attorney General Deb Frecklington added: “These sayings have no place in Queensland, when they are used to incite hatred, offence and menace.”
The phrases, which are being considered anti-Semitic, could land people using them in jail for up to two years. The new laws have been welcomed by Queensland’s Jewish community.
Queensland’s Jewish Board of Deputies president, Jason Steinberg, said in a statement, per The Independent: “Antisemitism and hate have no place in Queensland. Our community greatly appreciates the commitment by the Crisafulli government to ensure Jewish Queenslanders can live, work and play just like any other Queenslander.
‘”his bill moves beyond words and delivers real, practical protections for our community and for all people targeted by hate.”
What phrase has been banned?
The phrase that has caused the most controversy is the chant, ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’
This phrase refers to the stretch of territory from the Jordan River on Israel’s eastern border to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.
The phrase has risen in prominence over the last couple of years, following Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which has taken the lives of at least 72,027 Palestinians, many of whom are children.
In addition to this, ‘globalize the intifada’ is also being added to the list of proscribed phrases under the new legislation.
If these words are displayed or said out loud, they could land the person or people responsible two years in jail.
Activists have contested the laws, however, claiming that the phrases are calling for human rights for Palestinians, for the freedom of people in the country, rather than being an incitement of violence towards Israel.
Should the laws be passed, Queensland would become the first Australian state to officially outlaw the phrase ‘From the river to the sea.’
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