Freedom Of Speech By Unlikely Candidate

Court says Ill. student can wear anti-gay T-shirt at school

CHICAGO - A federal appeals court has ruled that a suburban Chicago student should be allowed to wear an anti-gay T-shirt at his high school -- a decision the teen's attorneys describe as a victory for First Amendment rights.

In its ruling, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals instructed the district court to order the Neuqua Valley High School to suspend its ban on the "Be Happy, Not Gay" T-shirt while a civil rights lawsuit in the case proceeds.

SOURCE: The Chicago Tribune

I applaud said decision... I applaud said decision if the atheist kids can wear a T-Shirt saying "God is imaginary" I wonder what The Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian litigation group, would say then? Would they still say: "The court's ruling is a victory for all students seeking to protect their First Amendment rights on a school campus"?

While I realise that fight was more of a battle to preach the Christian word and not really about the First Amendment, I can just as easily see them protesting the atheist kid's T-shirt as that would infringe of their freedom of religion.

Once again I will quote Voltaire as he was more succinct that I can ever be: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

An unfortunate side affect of people saying what ever they want is you don't always hear what you want to hear.

Outright ban of Scientology in Germany

German officials want Church of Scientology banned in the country

BERLIN — Top German officials announced Friday that they will seek to outlaw the U.S.-based Church of Scientology.

The announcement came after a two-day conference of interior ministers of Germany's 16 states well as federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble.

Berlin Interior Minister Erhart Koerting, who presided over the two-day conference, told reporters that Scientology is an organization that is not compatible with the German constitution.

The German government considers Scientology not a religion but a commercial enterprise that takes advantage of vulnerable people, he added.

The ministers said the planned to ask Germany's domestic intelligence agency to begin preparing the necessary information to ban Scientology.

The agency has had Scientology under observation for a decade on allegations that it “threatens the peaceful democratic order” of the country.

SOURCE: The Globe & Mail (Complete Article)

This is a tough one for me. Although I don't agree with the principles of Scientology / Dianetics, I don't see how any modern nation's constitution can disallow its citizens to practice anything of this nature.

Granted, I can see how anyone would draw issue with a "religious" institution that charges its "congregation" for salvation. And yes I can see how Scientology can be regarded as a money making endeavour,but couldn't the same be said about self-help "gurus" such as Tony Robbins who charge for their endless library of books, cassettes, CDs & DVDs? True, he doesn't tout himself as a religion, and I'm sure he doesn't receive the same tax breaks and benefits that most religious organisations do, but I'm sure you can still buy his media in Germany.

I can see a government refusing to recognise Scientology as a religion and disallowing many of the privileges that religious organisations enjoy. But to ban it outright seems more than just a little dictatorial.

Life Imitating Life

Nothing needs to be said here...

FOX censors Sally Field, but this isn't about that.

By now most of you have heard that Sally Field was censored by FOX, and if you haven't... you have now.

Here's the video...


This is my first video upload, hope it works... if it doesn't here's transcript of the bit I'm referring to.

This is was broadcast

“Surely this [award] belongs to all the mothers of the world. May they be seen, may their work be valued and raised. Especially to the mothers who stand with an open heart and wait. Wait for their children to come home from danger, from harm’s way, and from war. I am proud to be one of those women. If mothers ruled the world, there would be no….“

And this is how it was meant to end.

“…god-damned wars in the first place.”

While most I do abhor the fact that she was censored, it was by FOX, and right now there isn't much they can do to shock me. In fact, let's put it this way, if she wasn't censored, I would have been shocked.

The part I draw issue with is:

If mothers ruled the world, there would be no….“ “…god-damned wars in the first place.”

First, I truly sick of hearing this kind of hyperbole. Talk like this is not only divisive but flies in the face of the true feminist movement. I mean are women looking for equality of superiority?

Second, well for the second part, I'll bet Bill Maher address what she said... This is from Bill Maher's HBO Special "Victory Begins at Home"

Media-opoly

This is supposedly a skit that aired only once on NBC, presumably during SNL, and was never seen again.

You know... I just don't trust anyone any more, and I probably won't believe anything that anyone has to say...

Boston Legal - Freedom

If you ever need a defence to not pay your American taxes, this is it.

Fuckin' A eh

Do I HAVE to mourn?

When I first heard about Jerry Falwell's death, my instinctive reaction was to smile. My next reaction was one of guilt. I was raised to respect the dead and be solemn in the time of death.. These two reactions led me to question the way I reacted. Do you have to be austere and respectful to someone you don't respect and dislike?

The reason I ask is because I have gone through these series of responses twice before. First, when my high school bully died a couple of years ago (yeah, I know, I can hold a grudge). For a couple of years I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder and just the sound of his voice would make my heart jump in to my throat. Second, when a guy who was sleeping with my girlfriend when I was with her got shot in the head (let that be a lesson to all of you out there). In both cases I was initially elated followed by pangs of guilt.

While I understand the reason for sombreness, why does it have to be imposed on someone. If one is not sincere in their mourning, doesn't it become meaningless?

So when someone say things like this, it's a tad difficult for me to mourn their passing. While I do feel for those close to him, and wish them all the strength they need to get through this terrible time in their lives, I can't help but want to jump and punch the air with my fist in celebration.

Some of what Jerry Falwell has said:

The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country.
Sermon (4 July 1976)

I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!
America Can Be Saved! (1979) Sword of the Lord Publishers, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, p. 52-53, quoted at "The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party"

I do question the sincerity and non-violent intentions of some civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mr. James Farmer, and others, who are known to have left wing associations.
As quoted in A Testament of Hope: the essential writings of Martin Luther King (1990) by James M Washington, pub Harper Collins, San Francisco ISBN 0060646918

Grown men should not be having sex with prostitutes unless they are married to them.
Crossfire (17 May 1997)

If the American Atheists Society or Saddam Hussein himself ever sent an unrestricted gift to any of my ministries, be assured I will operate on Billy Sunday's philosophy: The Devil's had it long enough, and quickly cash the check.
Christianity Today (9 February 1998)

God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.
As quoted in "God Gave US 'What We Deserve,' Falwell Says" by John F Harris, in The Washington Post (14 September 2001)

The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this.
On responses to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, as quoted in AANEWS #958 (14 September 2001) and at Positive Atheism

His message of peace and reconciliation under almost all circumstances is simply incompatible with Christian teachings as I interpret them. This 'turn the other cheek' business is all well and good but it's not what Jesus fought and died for. What we need to do is take the battle to the Muslim heathens and do unto them before they do unto us.
On Jimmy Carter in a radio interview on (4 March 2002).

I think Muhammad was a terrorist. I read enough by both Muslims and non-Muslims, [to decide] that he was a violent man, a man of war.
An interview given on 30 September 2002, for 60 Minutes (6 October 2002). The following Friday, Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, the spokesman of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued a fatwa for Falwell's death, saying that Falwell was a "mercenary and must be killed," and, "The death of that man is a religious duty, but his case should not be tied to the Christian community."

You've got to kill the terrorists before the killing stops and I am for the President — chase them all over the world, if it takes ten years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord.
CNN Debate with Jesse Jackson (24 October 2004)

And the fact that John Kerry would not support a federal marriage amendment [prohibiting gay marriage], it equates in our minds as someone 150 years ago saying I'm personally opposed to slavery, but if my neighbor wants to own one or two that's OK. We don't buy that.
CNN : Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees (3 November 2004)

Civil rights for all Americans, black, white, red, yellow, the rich, poor, young, old, gay, straight, et cetera, is not a liberal or a conservative value. It’s an American value that I would think that we pretty much all agree on.
"The Situation with Tucker Carlson" on MSNBC (5 August 2005)

Thank God for these gay demonstrators. If I didn't have them, I'd have to invent them. They give me all the publicity I need.
As quoted by Falwell's ghostwriter Mel White in "Religion, Politics a Potent Mix for Jerry Falwell" by Steve Inskeep in Morning Edition on NPR (30 June 2006)

Since Jesus came to the earth the first time 2,000 years ago as a Jewish male, many evangelicals believe the Antichrist will, by necessity, be a Jewish male. This belief is 2,000 years old and has no anti-Semitic roots. This is simply historic and prophetic orthodox Christian doctrine that many theologians, Christian and non-Christian, have understood for two millennia.
Quoted in "Religion, Politics a Potent Mix for Jerry Falwell" by Steve Inskeep in Morning Edition on NPR (30 June 2006)

Source: Wikiquote

I mean he's obviously an brutal misogynistic homophobic anti-semite. Of course, he's well within his right to say all of these things, but in doing so, he should expect some of the reactions he has received, and in this case, my heart finds it difficult to go out to him.

Now, I'm not saying throw a party in honour of his death, I do realise that celebrating someone's death is inappropriate, but don't make me mourn it either.

The ensuing apology

Ain't that the truth?

Christopher Hitchens on Free Speech

Christopher Hitchens was the guest speaker after this debate at Hart House at the University of Toronto. He sums up a lot of what's in my head very concisely and precisely. I can't reiterate enough when he says something to the effect of not taking refuge with the consensus of the masses. We really need to curb our knee-jerk reactions.

Does Freedom of speech include freedom to hate?

Freedom of Speech

This is the debate that preceded Christopher Hitchens' speech at Hart House, University of Toronto. The resolution: Be it resolved that freedom of speech includes the freedom to hate.

Source: onegoodmove.org

This debate took place November 15th, 2006. You can see the debate here in quicktime. The final speaker really does a solid job. Very eloquent and professional. Came across this at onegoodmove.org, one of my links of interest.

Regarding the last speaker's point where he states that the debates end when people use the words "I hate" because those words and rationale are mutually exclusive... I find that a little specious. Case in point:

• I hate bigotry because it claims that one set of people are superior to another set of people.
• I hate child predators because they prey on the weak and indefensible.
• I hate George W. Bush's policies because they are uninformed and detrimental to global society.

A thought occurred to me - Isn't freedom an absolute? The moment one begins to tack on provisos, it ceases to be a freedom. It would be the equivalent of telling someone they were free to go absolutely anywhere in a building except through the door marked "Do Not Enter". Well then, they're not free to go absolutely anywhere, are they? By allowing even a single condition to be added to a freedom aren't we setting a dangerous precedent for more conditions to be added?

Then another thought occurred to me. We already have set conditions to freedoms. Child Pornography is illegal. Okay stop! Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm glad it is illegal. In my opinion it should be illegal. Now, due to the very sensitive nature of this can of worms I just opened I will tread lightly (almost another form of censorship).

Do not for one second think I am, in any way whatsoever, condoning child pornography. I am not! I abhor the very notion! But the fact it cannot be portrayed could be considered a form of censorship, could it not? Now I'm sure most, if not all of us, might agree that this is an acceptable level of censorship and it might very well be, however, once again, could this be a slippery slope to more "acceptable censorship"?

I hesitate to click the "publish" button. Okay here we go. I nervously await the barrage that is to come.

Am I stifling free speech?

So I was thinking about this whole Ann Coulter brouhaha with people boycotting media that give her a platform and it had a me questioning my principles. First, allow me to qualify myself. Very seldom do I agree with anything Ann Coulter has to say, but as Voltaire so aptly put it - "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

So my question is this - Is removing one's platform for opinion a form of hindering free speech? Or is just being able to say what you have to say enough? By my participation in the active boycott of media that syndicate her column am I, in effect, playing a part in controlling her right to exercise her right to free speech (even though, I am well within my right to exercise my right to protest)?

I'm confused.

Ann Coulter being dropped?

Coulter's "Macaca" spurs newspapers to drop columns

In the wake of right-wing pundit Ann Coulter's recent remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference about Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, at least three newspapers -- The Lancaster New Era (Pennsylvania), The Oakland Press (Michigan), and The Mountain Press (Sevierville, Tennessee) -- have decided to drop Coulter's nationally syndicated column from their opinion pages, according to an article on Editor & Publisher's website.

Source: Media Matters for America (Complete Article)

Finally some repercussions for Coultergeist. After everything she's said, it's high effing time! I don't really have any thoughts on the matter except - YEE HAA!!! After being dropped on her head as a child, being dropped from newspapers must being back some heart warming memories.

If you would like to get involved in curbing her platforms, please take part in the TAKE ACTION on the Human Rights Action Centre.

H/T Chapati Kid

Ann Coulter said what?

In light of of what Coultergeist (thanks Keith) had said about Edwards (the first quote below), I thought I ought to share some of her other pearls of wisdom.

I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word "faggot", so I — so kind of an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards.
o Speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, DC, March 2, 2007

I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East and sending liberals to Guantanamo.
o Her column; December 21, 2005
o Governmental responsibility

Not all Muslims may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims.
o Her syndicated column, September 28, 2001


These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis... These self-obsessed women seemed genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attacks happened only to them... I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ deaths so much.
o Excerpt which caused media controversy Godless: The Church of Liberalism

I don't know if [former U.S. President] Bill Clinton is gay. But [former U.S. Vice President] Al Gore - total fag.
o Media Matters; July 26, 2006

Six imams removed from a US Airways flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix are calling on Muslims to boycott the airline. If only we could get Muslims to boycott all airlines, we could dispense with airport security altogether.
o AnnCoulter.com; November 22, 2006

Bill Clinton "was a very good rapist"; "I'm getting a little fed up with hearing about, oh, civilian casualties"; "I think we ought to nuke North Korea right now just to give the rest of the world a warning.
o New York Observer, January 10, 2005


[Canadians] better hope the United States does not roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent.
o Fox News; Hannity & Colmes, November 30, 2004

There are a lot of bad Republicans; there are no good Democrats.
o Interview with Brian Lamb; August 11, 2002

The ethic of conservation is the explicit abnegation of man's dominion over the Earth. The lower species are here for our use. God said so: Go forth, be fruitful, multiply, and rape the planet — it's yours. That's our job: drilling, mining and stripping. Sweaters are the anti-Biblical view. Big gas-guzzling cars with phones and CD players and wet bars — that's the Biblical view.
o Oil Good; Democrats bad; October 12, 2000

They're [Democrats] always accusing us of repressing their speech. I say let's do it. Let's repress them. Frankly, I'm not a big fan of the First Amendment.
o University of Florida speech; October 20, 2005

I'd build a wall. In fact, I'd hire illegal immigrants to build the wall. And throw out the illegals who are here. [...] It's cheap labor.
o Fox News; The O'Reilly Factor; Transcript via Media Matters; April 14, 2006
o On illegal immigration

When we were fighting communism, OK, they had mass murderers and gulags, but they were white men and they were sane. Now we're up against absolutely insane savages.
o August 16, 2004
o War on Terror v. Cold War

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.
o September 12, 2001

They're never very high in anyone's caste system, are they? Poor little Pakis.
o August 16, 2004
o referring to expatriate Pakistanis

"Press passes can't be that hard to come by if the White House allows that old Arab Helen Thomas to sit within yards of the president"
o (Version of her February 23, 2005 article, "REPUBLICANS, BLOGGERS AND GAYS,OH MY!" at her website

My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building.
o New York Observer article; August 26, 2002

Of course I regret it. I should have added 'after everyone had left the building except the editors and the reporters.'
o rightwingnews.com; June 26, 2003
o On her (above) statement concerning Timothy McVeigh

[Learning difficulties are a cover for] rich parents with dumb kids...That's why 'Pinch' Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, is alleged to have dyslexia - because he's retarded.
o The Independent; August 16, 2004

I think [women] should be armed but should not vote...women have no capacity to understand how money is earned. They have a lot of ideas on how to spend it...it's always more money on education, more money on child care, more money on day care.
o Comedy Central; Politically Incorrect; February 26, 2001

Canada has become trouble recently. It's always the worst Americans who go there. We could have taken them over so easy. But I only want the western part, with the ski areas, the cowboys, and the right wingers. They're the only good parts of Canada.

If Americans support abortion, let's vote. . . Just this past term, in Stenberg vs. Carhart, the court expanded the apocryphal abortion right to an all-new right to stick a fork in the head of a half-born baby.
o Her syndicated column, 12/28/2000

Source: WikiQuote (Complete set of quotes)

This is just a partial list of her inanity. Yes, there's actually more on Wikiquote. Go there... if you dare. I have a few of questions here:

First, why haven't the conservatives distanced and denounced her imbecilic rants of verbal diarrhoea? Are these obtuse vitriolic remarks really representative of the Republican Party?

Second, why do I keep seeing her on TV? Why do the media continue to give her a platform to dole out these kinds of disparaging comments?

Third, what the hell is wrong with this woman? How can she argue against abortion, when she's clearly a poster child for it?

Finally, I'm no doctor, but aren't only guys supposed to have Adam's Apples?

Eric Idle with his two cents

Eric Idle on the FCC, the EPA, Bush, Cheney, Condi and others. Nice one Mr. Idle.

Family Guy FCC song

In keeping with the theme

FCCFU.com