We’ve been talking about free speech. We’ve debated the merits of cable vs totalitarianism. We’ve given a place for those heart broken by google to vent on Valentines Day.
We’ve even debated what civilization means in terms of the rights and freedom of expression.
But I am reminded with this short video online the very reason it’s worth fighting for free speech..it’s not just because it’s the life blood of a healthy society, or it’s the best way that humanity has discovered to protect diverse opinions, it’s not even because it allows people with the ability to think be protected from persecution.
The reason the world needs free speech is so that Jon Stewart can make fun of Cheney.
Beware this really is funny. Cheney’s Gotta a Gun.
*Warning this video portrays the Vice President of the USA in a negative manner. Viewing it can cause Republicans to issue Fatwas against Hollywood personalities, and allow protests all around the world to escalate. Rocks and machine guns might be fired by mask gunmen in liberal neighborhoods such as west Hollywood where large amounts of democrats reside and near the daily show head quarters that function as an embassy… (oh, wait)
Actually..( a few hours later) I should be talking about burning businesses and shooting guns randomly that causes the death of three people. All those people who were like.. oh Muslims has the right to protest about this. I am sorry but this is starting to sound like the cultural revolution. It’s bunk. Those people on the streets need a lesson in allowing others to think what they want and debate in a non-violent matter. Not to mention what it means to be used by fundamentalists to reinforce their power within the countries where there are still people who are moderate or even Christians or even Jewish (can’t have that can we?) and governments that aren’t religious fanatics. They are just hoping for what happened in Iran in 1979 to happen all over the Arab world where the religious fanatics took over, keeping the people powerless, in poverty but the clerics really powerful.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 
Finally, i agree with you. This muslim outrage is ridiculous.
It’s self-anger manipulated into cultural charges of totalitarianism.
I mean, duh, it’s insecurity.
LikeLike
Not sure I agree with you about the Muslim anger. Burning stuff, okay that’s wrong but what’s wrong with saying that you don’t like to see yourself caricatured in a newspaper? I know I didn’t like the “slanty eyed buck toothed Chinamen” cartoons that used to be a staple of the editorial page.
But on the China/censorship topic, more evidence that you are winning:
http://blogs.siliconvalley.com/gmsv/2006/02/but_were_only_g.html
At least it’s getting coverage, though I don’t expect COngress to do jack shit.
LikeLike
Tim,
Of course there’s nothing wrong w/protesting about being caricatured, but that’s not what’s happening. Muslims are rioting, destroying, burning and in a few instances killing because their Prophet Mohammad has been caricatured. The analogy to the “Chinaman” cartoons thus isn’t accurate.
The heart of the debate are the riots, violence and threats of “beheading,” “slaughter”, “real holocaust”, “butchery,” at first of anyone even remotely (actual or perceived) related to the cartoons; but not generalized to all non-muslims to advocate free speech in the face of the cartoons. It seems an attempted tyranny by the masses.
LikeLike
No Tom, it’s an attempted tyranny by a group of really loud and media friendly minority of fundementalist…
And Tim, you’re the one whose insulting Muslims, as I am angry at fundmentalists, not all Muslims, but you don’t seem to make a distinction.
As for Congress. They are doing something. They are dragging those in management through hot coals, not in the court of public opinion but inside the congress where they are obligated to answer questions. They are making yahoo disclose the hows and whose of the government contacts they have had and what they have done. If they lie, they are breaking the law. If it wasn’t for the government all they would say was “no comment.”
I hate to say this, but someone made a really sarcy remark about Glutter becoming “Republicans abroad,” and I am thinking it too… Sigh…
Yan
LikeLike
Does anyone think it’s blasphemy if I say that Jon Stewart is God? No, I didn’t think I’d get much disagreement on that.
LikeLike
I feel you are insulting my religion of atheism dear mary. Sooooo offended. you can’t use make hollywood comedian to make them dieties to feed your left wing religious conspiracy!! Damn it. Some things are sacred, for example like that no man-human-being-chimp can possibly be bestowed with powers that make them ominipresent even if it’s a joke!! Down with your demo blog! Death to your server providers. Your country must go down!!!!
Religious fanatism is about the one things that makes my skin crawl… China putting people in jail for their thoughts makes me simply angry in comparison…
y
LikeLike
if i were you, i would should be afraid of public security bureau.
LikeLike
Well… does that mean I should be quiet and not say anything?
LikeLike
no, it means you should take protective measures. for example- always keep your passport ready to go, keep dual citizenship if possible, and have enough cash on hand to leave china on 24 h notice.
have one trusted friend keep a set of instructions in your sudden absence. prepare documents so that you will be traceable if you were unexpectedly detained by the security bureau. three to eight days may pass before your colleagues suspect that you are in government custody. your trusted friend should have the contact info with amnesty international and bbc.
never trust the communists. the party values control over human life.
LikeLike
Hi Yan,
I wasn’t clear that you were only objecting to the fundamentalist violence. I had interpreted it as “Muslim people shouldn’t be angry about the cartoons.”
I am very glad about the hearings, because it brings attention to the problem, like I said. And you’re right that without government there wouldn’t be hearings.
As to the Republicans abroad things, believe it or not I can sympathize, as a former small government kind of conservative. It all sounds good (like Newt Gingrich) but where the rubber meets the road its still the party of the fundamentalist Christians and the authoritarians. At least from where I’m sitting in the United States.
I generally think both the political parties, and the vast majority of our political system in America, is full of shit. Hence my own efforts.
LikeLike
And I second Misha’s comment.
LikeLike
Guys I live in HONG KONG.
They have plenty more people to arrest over here before they get to me.
Don’t worry.
LikeLike
And anyway. I ALWAYS have my passport ready, just in case I want to go on a holiday. 🙂
Not to mention, every major airline takes credit cards.
I dunno. I really am not worried. Although yeah, I probably should give a list of press contacts and personel at Reporters Without Borders to someone just in case.
LikeLike
I would like to see this probem (the Muslim issue) be put in a more global context. Half of all mayors in Holland have recently been threatened over one issue or another. There have been two political assassinations in the last five years, the first in centuries (not counting WWII of course). Is there evidence of this elsewhere? Could it be that people in general are getting more aggressive in expressing their political views?
LikeLike