Text 47636, 45 rader
Skriven 2007-01-17 15:56:00 av LEE LOFASO
     Kommentar till en text av BJöRN FELTEN
Ärende: telnetable BBSs
=======================
Hello Björn,

>LL>Because you say that you and your countrymen "value free speech"?

BF>That has absolutely nothing at all to do with freedom of speech, and you
BF>know it very well, Lee.

"I disapprove of what you say, but would defend with my life your
right to say it." - Voltaire

In 1975, on the steps of the Louisiana State University student union,
a certain student by the name of David Duke got up to give a speech.
He was dressed in full Nazi garb and tried his best to incite the crowd
with words of hate, making some very derogatory remarks about black
people.  Although many of the black students in the audience were
clearly incensed, it was white students who were the angriest toward
Duke.  If it had not been for black students holding back those white
students, Duke would have gotten himself lynched by an angry mob.

Duke went on to become Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.  Duke also
managed to win a seat in the Louisiana Legislature, as well as making
the runoff in an election for governor of Louisiana.  After spending
a year in jail for tax evasion, Duke wrote some books, went on tour
in Russia and in Europe, and made a fortune espousing his racist
hatred.  Most recently, Duke travelled to Iran as part of some whacko
Holocaust deniers group, shook the hand of Iran's madcap president,
and proclaims himself to be THE spokesman for white European males.

The point is, in this country we allow folks such as David Duke to make
all the rants they want, regardless of the rant, and allow them to
continue making the same rants over and over again, without punishing
or censoring them.

In Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, if a Nazi sympathizer makes
a pro-Nazi rant, that individual can be locked up in prison.

Of course, we kinda did the same thing to suspected Commies during
the days of Joseph McCarthy.  Especially if they lived in Hollywood.

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * Journalism reports facts. Poetry tells the truth.
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