Showing posts with label Freedom of Speech. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom of Speech. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Smithsonian Christmas-Season Exhibit Features Ant-Covered Jesus, Naked Brothers Kissing, Genitalia, and Ellen DeGeneres Grabbing Her Breasts | CNSnews.com

The Smithsonian Building in Washington D.C., U...Image via Wikipedia
Click on the title to read the article about the Smithsonian's new Christmas season exhibit.  I am all for freedom of speech, art and expression and I spent 28 years in the service defending such rights. But I have to wonder how this level of art made it to the Smithsonian as the technical aspects of some of the exhibits seen in this article don't seem to be museum quality. I have seen better stuff at high school exhibits. It makes me wonder whether the Smithsonian was more interested in the artists' motivations rather than masterful technique. Evidently a few of the commenters, some of whom have actually been to the exhibit, thought so as well. It's a good thing this article provided an explanation of some of the exhibits as some of them were completely lost on me. For example, I never would have figured out on my own that the video with the ant covered Jesus was supposed to be a metaphor for the AIDS epidemic.  I have to wonder if the underlying motive was to simply offend, rather than portray true emotion.  I just saw an update that the Smithsonian has removed the ant covered Jesus from the exhibit.  Wow! Never thought I would see the day!    
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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Internet Censorship

A website blocked in BahrainImage via Wikipedia
Comments: EDITORIAL: Democratic Internet censorship - Washington Times Yet another attack on the first amendment! If this legislation goes through this blog and others like it could be shut down with no warning. The feds wouldn't even have to give a reason. So I am writing and posting as much as I can as fast as I can because time is running out for free speech on the internet. Just a few short years ago, this would have been a non-issue. With it's passage by the Senate Judiciary Commitee however, legislation to regulate the internet and free speech is fast becoming a reality. Hopefully this will not pass in the lame duck congress and if it does hopefully it can be reversed somehow when Congress reconvenes in January. Bear in mind though that even if we can stop this now, the other side will continue their efforts to try to regulate free speech. Don't forget we have a powerful regulatory force in place now that doesn't answer to Congress. We can get rid of them hopefully in 2012 but if we can't then we are stuck with them and the damage they will inflict for the duration. We must stay awake, alert and we MUST KEEP FIGHTING no matter how exhausting and futile it seems at time. The stakes are high and are going even higher because our freedoms are being assaulted on not one but several fronts as we have seen with the TSA debacle. The key is to remain calm and stay focused on the goal of protecting our freedom. Without freedom we have nothing. In the meantime please take some time today and contact your senators and congressmen to tell them to stand against every piece of legislation the lame duck congress is trying to ram through. That is a good first step.
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