Censorship

[Progo35]

How do you feel about it and how does it impact your life?

[Erik]

I %&^*ing hate censorship. :p

[Progo35]

I %&^*ing hate censorship. :p

LOL!

I think that censorship is bad when it impedes the expression of ideas. People should be able to express themselves freely as long as they don't cause severe psychological or physical injury to someone else. For instance, I don't think that verbal harassment falls under freedom of speech, so I think that that should be resistricted. But, I also think that people have a right to be aware of what's going on in the world, and that censorship generally impedes that.

[ladyinred]

Censorship belongs in a country with a dictatorship for a govt, not in a democratic society, censoring free speech is dangerous, in my mind. Unfortunately even intelligence has been suppressed and "censored" so it happens even in our govt. These people should be allowed to do their jobs and not be censored for their findings even if they contradicted Bush's and Cheney's policies and intentions. Who suppressed intelligence that there was lack of evidence for WMD's among other things, according to the PBS special I watched Cheney did.Here is this story .http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Book_Bush_told_aides_he_would_0906.html Many of the White House's most dramatic claims about the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction were repeatedly questioned by senior members of the U.S. intelligence community-but these dissents and views were suppressed or ignored by the White House. Admiral Thomas Wilson, the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency until May 2002, is quoted in the book as casting doubt on virtually the entire White House case for an invasion of Iraq. "I didn't really think [Iraq] had a nuclear program," retired Admiral Wilson told the authors. "I didn't think [Saddam and Iraq] were an immediate threat on WMD
Had intelligence been allowed to do their job without being pressured and intimidated by those at the top to do otherwise and the American people and Congress had been presented with the facts, would there had still been the war in Iraq? More than likely not. At least that is my point of view, it seems that Cheney deliberately manipulated(Or I should say bullied) the American people and our troops into this war and intentionally suppressed information by intelligence. "Nice guy,huh?" Of course Bush was caught later saying that the Iraq war had nothing to do with Alqaieda,when he directly linked Saddam and the Al Qaeida before. Sadly folks this is a prime example of "censorship" by top govt officials of other government officials who were trying to do their jobs with integrity.

[NathanATX]

Dear Progo,
Do I believe the government should suppress the people's right to free speech or their access to accurate public information? Absolutely not.

Do I believe in self-censorship? Do I believe we each have a responsibility for the things we say/write? Absolutely.

Do I believe in a private organization's right to monitor and censor the speech of it's members who are posting messages on its privately owned online message boards, especially when all members with posting privileges have given their word to abide by specific requirements regarding the content and tone of their postings? Absolutely.

Nate Black
Moderator

[Alecto]

I guess we need to look at what exatly we're talking about. Like Nathan mentioned, context does matter. I always laugh at really public places (I used to frequent Yahoo questions a bit) where people post something really ridiculously offensive and then cry about "freedom of speech" when it's censored. If a private company is offering you a service (and for free at that!), you really don't have a gripe. Public schools have a responsibility to protect their students (and also their staff and faculty): to that end, some forms of censorship might be necessary. Most of the rest of the time, yes, you have a right to say whatever you want. And I have a right to call you on your bullshit. (The "you" above is a theoretical general "you" and does not refer to any board member).

[found49]

Well, then, shouldn't Soulforce not "cry" when it is hauled off of private Christian college campuses after going there to protest the school's policies? After all, this is just one form of censorship-if, in fact, Soulforce feels it is okay to censor people with whom it doe not agree because of its private control over these forums. If I hang around here, do I have to share the establishment's viewpoints on social issues? I.e, do I have to agree with any positions Soulforce may have on the war, the president, healthcare issues, right to die cases, and abortion?

[Jamie McDaniel]

found49 is Progo35, who has lost (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4343) her posting privileges.

[scott snedeker]

Well, then, shouldn't Soulforce not "cry" when it is hauled off of private Christian college campuses after going there to protest the school's policies? After all, this is just one form of censorship-if, in fact, Soulforce feels it is okay to censor people with whom it doe not agree because of its private control over these forums. If I hang around here, do I have to share the establishment's viewpoints on social issues? I.e, do I have to agree with any positions Soulforce may have on the war, the president, healthcare issues, right to die cases, and abortion?

PLEASE BE OPPOSITIONAL ELSEWHERE, MEGHAN

[Daniel]

found49 is Progo35, who has lost (http://www.soulforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4343) her posting privileges.

Meghan, Progo and now -what was the name- Crystal.

The irony here is that the very name of Crystal bespeaks of that which is clear and transparent.

Well. One thing is clear to me: your participation here- culminating in an act of duplicity- reveals that your motives- whatever they may have been when you joined this forum- are not worthy of the Christ whom you claim to follow.

Opinions are one thing. Acts which mean to decieve are another. Did you really think that the end would justify the means?

I hope- with time and an able counselor- you can come to see that those who you think have been your adversaries- have been more friend to you than you have been friend to yourself.

That's the kicker. If you've decieved anyone. It's yourself.

[tdogg]

The fact that we were deceived by someone many of us trusted, it sad and disappointing.

The fact that we could be deceived is a testament to our accepting and compassionate nature. Many put up with a lot to converse with Meghan.

As much as it sometimes hurts and angers to be deceived, I would much rather be the one deceived than the deceiver.

Good luck to you Meghan, and I hope you someday figure out what this life is really all about. :love: