*Hi, it's 'Erik'™ from Freedom of Speech. You may have heard that I want to run for an at-large city council seat in 2007, but those corrupt and just plain mean Garnerites won't let me register under my 'pretend' name. Now, tell me: How can I support free speech if I'm forced to be who I really am? Next thing you know, they won't honor my Bazooka Joe University diploma (thanks Danny), and there goes my 10% discount down at the commissary.
It just isn't fair, so it your favorite councilman's name begins with 'Steve,' then please write or call him and demand that the city council change these stupid rules so I can serve alongside those pillars of accountability and manly virtue on the right side of the table -- especially since my cherished protector, Auntie V, is going to be this city's next mayor, and of course I'll get to go with her to Indianapolis to see the governor, then go shopping in all those trendy boutiques that usually won't even let me come in the door.
Ooh, it just makes a girl -- uh, I mean a guy -- giddy.
Freedom of Speech says, don't forget to vote for the bag lady in 2007!!
Note: For more information on the candidate, read "Another cowardly FOS posting ... but who's counting, Auntie?"
Gong....Gong....
ReplyDeleteEven Chuck Barris had his limits.
So that would make he/she the unknown professor?
ReplyDelete*Note Jeff, Chuck Barris was a hit man for X-Files.
Well, I've been thinking about this for a few days. I thought at first it was better to say nothing, but then I changed my mind.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, whether you love or hate Freedom of Speech, it is indeed exactly that--the right to free expression. You may feel that the anonymity is cowardly--maybe it is, maybe it isn't; it depends on your personal set of values. Likewise the photo of Garner and his family in the parade. You, or I, or somebody else, maybe lots of people, might feel that it's unacceptable, but again, that would just be your personal moral code.
Rather than defending anyone, my point is that we all have the protected right to express our opinions and beliefs, and we all have our own groups that share similar beliefs among the members. No one should contrive to bully or shame another person into accepting the same beliefs or behavior as their own. Personally, I think that people need to take responsibility for the statements that they make publicly, but that's merely my personal conduct barometer.
NAC has the right to rip into the content posted on FOS, but FOS has the right to keep on posting its author's opinions. I wouldn't seek to suppress either.
Ann, I've posted my final thoughts on the matter. I was polishing them when your comment came through.
ReplyDeleteThere is no intent to suppress free speech, but only to stress the point that it retains an element of responsibility as well.
Adults should be adults, shouldn't they? What sort of message does this send to children?