A rant. Brace yourself.
Censorship is an issue that's troubled me for years. Frankly, I hate the arguments for it and I hate the arguments against it. There's quite a buzz right now concerning the Supreme Court's ruling on installing internet filters to block pornography in public libraries. The 'Family Values' camp regards it as a triumph, while the 'Free Speech' camp regards it as a defeat. But is it a triumph? Is it a defeat?
I like the fact that I can publish whatever the (**expletive deleted**) I want on JeremyBear.com without fear of consequence, but... let's be honest... that's not entirely accurate. I have an agreement with my hosting company that I won't use my corner of cyberspace as a download center for pornographic pictures and/or movies. I'm also not allowed to use my website to teach kids how to blow up their algebra teachers' cars using rust shavings and orange juice concentrate. I can talk about how much I love and/or hate the United States government, but I can't use my website as a collaboration board for individuals who plan on taking out the President with a sniper rifle.
Not that I'd ever want to do any of these things. (Please don't flag my site, CIA. It's all harmless.)
But, is that censorship? Well, I think so. Sure, to a certain degree. Am I for censorship? Well, maybe, to a certain degree. I don't know.
I can envision a day when the exclusivity of my faith is considered "dangerous" and even "criminal", though. It's certainly happened before, so why not? It's not completely ridiculous to suppose that the same laws that protect pornographers from going to jail for their smut also protect me from going to jail for my Christian propaganda.
And, in that sense, I'm against censorship. If I do have a complaint with the whole censorship debate, it has mostly to do with the whole "you're either for it or against it" mentality. I like the fact that I can say what I believe right out loud. I'm permitted to vocally express love or hatred of anyone, however much of an ass I may look like. I can draw or paint or sculpt or write any type of story I can imagine. (A few months ago, some folks got on my case for my one-page script that portrayed God as a punisher of fat women. Others have objected to my portrayal of a gay character and still others have taken issue with the amount of swearing in both my scripts and in this Blogger... by the secular world's standards I think I'm pretty tame, but probably not so much by conservative Christian standards. Really, all I can say is I'm glad that I not only have the freedom to use the "F" word on my website... I'm also glad that others have the freedom to complain to me about it. In a warped way, it makes me happy because it makes me think a little about what's coming out of my keyboard and, at the very least, it's a good reminder that my words do indeed have an impact and that I do have a certain responsibility.)
But, back to the library thing. A lot of folks seem to feel that content filters in public libraries are a violation of the first amendment. (It should be pointed out that, if an individual wants the filters to be lifted at the console they're using, they need only ask a librarian and it's done... however, that's sparked a whole "people shouldn't have to ask to enjoy free speech" debate... oy.) I will admit that I've used the internet at consoles with content filters and... yeah, I hate it. A lot of very valuable material that isn't remotely pornographic is blocked and there's really nothing one can do about it... in fact, I tried to access JeremyBear.com at a filtered console several weeks ago and... you betcha... blocked!
Obviously, the problems with censoring material are legion and they're all dependent on establishing some sort of objective moral standard in a society that places little value on objective moral standards. I know I certainly don't have the answer. I just don't like the idea of having to choose sides in the Censorship War.
So what about it? Censorship? For or against? Good or bad? Yes or no? What's the verdict?
Er... how about... "kinda"?
Censorship is an issue that's troubled me for years. Frankly, I hate the arguments for it and I hate the arguments against it. There's quite a buzz right now concerning the Supreme Court's ruling on installing internet filters to block pornography in public libraries. The 'Family Values' camp regards it as a triumph, while the 'Free Speech' camp regards it as a defeat. But is it a triumph? Is it a defeat?
I like the fact that I can publish whatever the (**expletive deleted**) I want on JeremyBear.com without fear of consequence, but... let's be honest... that's not entirely accurate. I have an agreement with my hosting company that I won't use my corner of cyberspace as a download center for pornographic pictures and/or movies. I'm also not allowed to use my website to teach kids how to blow up their algebra teachers' cars using rust shavings and orange juice concentrate. I can talk about how much I love and/or hate the United States government, but I can't use my website as a collaboration board for individuals who plan on taking out the President with a sniper rifle.
Not that I'd ever want to do any of these things. (Please don't flag my site, CIA. It's all harmless.)
But, is that censorship? Well, I think so. Sure, to a certain degree. Am I for censorship? Well, maybe, to a certain degree. I don't know.
I can envision a day when the exclusivity of my faith is considered "dangerous" and even "criminal", though. It's certainly happened before, so why not? It's not completely ridiculous to suppose that the same laws that protect pornographers from going to jail for their smut also protect me from going to jail for my Christian propaganda.
And, in that sense, I'm against censorship. If I do have a complaint with the whole censorship debate, it has mostly to do with the whole "you're either for it or against it" mentality. I like the fact that I can say what I believe right out loud. I'm permitted to vocally express love or hatred of anyone, however much of an ass I may look like. I can draw or paint or sculpt or write any type of story I can imagine. (A few months ago, some folks got on my case for my one-page script that portrayed God as a punisher of fat women. Others have objected to my portrayal of a gay character and still others have taken issue with the amount of swearing in both my scripts and in this Blogger... by the secular world's standards I think I'm pretty tame, but probably not so much by conservative Christian standards. Really, all I can say is I'm glad that I not only have the freedom to use the "F" word on my website... I'm also glad that others have the freedom to complain to me about it. In a warped way, it makes me happy because it makes me think a little about what's coming out of my keyboard and, at the very least, it's a good reminder that my words do indeed have an impact and that I do have a certain responsibility.)
But, back to the library thing. A lot of folks seem to feel that content filters in public libraries are a violation of the first amendment. (It should be pointed out that, if an individual wants the filters to be lifted at the console they're using, they need only ask a librarian and it's done... however, that's sparked a whole "people shouldn't have to ask to enjoy free speech" debate... oy.) I will admit that I've used the internet at consoles with content filters and... yeah, I hate it. A lot of very valuable material that isn't remotely pornographic is blocked and there's really nothing one can do about it... in fact, I tried to access JeremyBear.com at a filtered console several weeks ago and... you betcha... blocked!
Obviously, the problems with censoring material are legion and they're all dependent on establishing some sort of objective moral standard in a society that places little value on objective moral standards. I know I certainly don't have the answer. I just don't like the idea of having to choose sides in the Censorship War.
So what about it? Censorship? For or against? Good or bad? Yes or no? What's the verdict?
Er... how about... "kinda"?
posted by Jeremy Bear at
9:35 AM
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