Censorship, or the Empowerment of Hypocrisy

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Note: the contents of this page may offend. Temperamental id!ots who are unable to take a joke are advised to fcuk off right now… (see what I mean?)

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The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen. ~Tommy Smothers. (cf. `vote with your feet` in the associated NVS article >> here <<)

I have recently, to my intense surprise, received a 3-point infraction for tribal abuse. As, I hope, several of my previous posts imply, I am actually dead-set against tribalism, which I blame in large part for the harrowing situation in which our country finds herself. I am also dead-set against censorship. It seems to me self-obvious that if one is right, then there is nothing to fear from open debate. On the other hand if one is wrong, then open debate is at least a way of learning of one’s error.

Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. ~Voltaire

By now you may be wondering what all the kerfuffle is about. You can find the original, unexpurgated post >> here <<. Yes, welcome to the 21st Century: the internet makes censorship increasingly difficult, if not outright impossible!

Insofar as it is factually correct that the land now called Abia once belonged to the British Crown, and thenceforth to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I cannot imagine that the Administrator, in his/her wisdom, has seen fit to revise that common knowledge. Furthermore, as it is also factually correct that the Federal side won the Nigerian civil war, I cannot imagine that the Administrator, in his/her wisdom, has seen fit to revise this commonly-known detail either. I am therefore forced to believe that the Administrator is `concerned` about the single statement: Perhaps the rest of us should bomb these people to smithereens.

I had hoped that the inclusion of the word, `perhaps` would suitably demonstrate the (semi) tongue-in-cheek nature of the post, but perhaps I invested too much faith in the Administrator’s/other readers’ power of language. I don’t know. I have asked the Administrator to explain his/her decision, but either lacking in good upbringing or time, I have not had the ordinary courtesy of a reply.

Still, what do you think? Was I incorrect? Do you find the post offensive? Please make your feelings known by commenting below. Give reasons for your `yay` or `nay`. Participate! Bear in mind that participation is the first defence against the censor.

If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind. ~John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

Muddying the waters is this: upon joining NVS, we are informed of the fact that some members are supposedly of tender years, for which reason we are asked to tone down our language. This seems a reasonable request (though it might be argued that NVS is probably not a good place for the very young, given the sexual innuendos and peccadilloes of some of you posters here , as I have had cause to mention before >> here <<). In order to comply with the stated restriction, I employ the following spellings: id!ot, f00l, b@stard, cvnt and fcuk. How tender in years a reader has to be in order to be bemused by these misspellings is unclear, but what is more important is this: am I saying then that some censorship is good? What order of magnitude should be applied to the sentence: `x` censorship is bad? Should `x` be no, some or all? Please let me know what you think by commenting below…

Now, speaking of fighting censorship, how do I intend to go about that, here in NVS? Well, first of all overly-powerful buffoons wielding their situational advantages in an injudicious and ludicrous manner must be fought with wit and humour; with not so much a sense of outrage, as with a sense of wry compassion. Those whose world-views are so fragile that they cannot bear to be opposed; those whose `sensitivities` are so delicate that they are offended by the merest suggestion of that which they find unacceptable... these are people more to be pitied than hated. Therefore, gently, and with good humour, we must steadfastly comment upon hidden posts.

If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all. ~Noam Chomsky

Secondly, I have created a post in a forum which is built for this very purpose, to play host to material banned in other fora. In my signature, you will now find a permanent link to that forum. If you have had material which has been hidden by an NVS administrator or moderator:
1) Post your article into the forum at the same thread as I have already done.
2) If you are unable or unwilling to join that forum, send me the banned material by PM and I will post it for you.
3) Tell all and sundry to look up the material by adding a link which includes the words: FIGHT CENSORSHIP in your signature.
4) Get organised! Join me in this action and together we will ensure that no banned post will be ever again made permanently unavailable to honourable Villagers.
5) I *seem* to remember some complaints about how censorship in NVS is slanted in favour of the members of a certain tribe? If you have any feelings about this, please add your comments below or PM me.

If you have a good idea which will help us to keep NVS as open a place of debate as possible, please add to the comments below, or send me a PM.

At any rate, no matter what you do, FIGHT CENSORSHIP!

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ~Voltaire

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You can send me a private message (PM) at the address to be found by concatenating the following:
papal@
mail2
dude
com
Obviously, there must be a dot before the `c` in com.

A final poser:
President Sarkozy of France is going to attempt to ban the wearing of the burka in his country. According to Sarkozy, this is in order to `free` moslem women from the `inherent slavery and subservience` that conditions the wearing of the burka. My question is this: isn’t it the `forced` wearing of the burka which conditions subservience? Since there are lots of moslem women all over the world who *want* to wear the burka, is Sarkozy not actually imposing his will on French moslem women? Why doesn’t Sarkozy work to ban the forcible wearing of the burka, thereby making it illegal for anyone to force the burka upon a woman? Therefore, in light of the foregoing, is the proposed ban on the wearing of the burka actually a form of censorship on moslem women?