You Must Be At Least --This-- Tall to Ride....

I started working on this entry a month or more ago and have been stewing and stressing over exactly how to word it. The topic of this entry is censorship, and case in point, I was censoring myself to ensure that this entry is written well and doesn't alienate or offend or otherwise displease anyone. Why wouldn't I want to do such things? Of course, it is because it is in my best interest for people to enjoy reading my blog.
If I were to post something edgy, provocative and risque such as, for example a steamy video of a <>, what would occur? Sifu Brinker and Master Callos, who might for the sake of argument be opposed to <>, would immediately remove me from their respective websites, I would be thoroughly chastised and perhaps removed from the Ubbt. However, would the law be brought into it? Doubtful.
It is simple cause and effect, I can post or say anything I wish, but I must be willing to face the consequences of such actions.
Bill 44 was recently passed in Alberta with rather disappointing results. Topics such as censorship and gay rights were addressed with it and it will be treated as a human rights issue. Human rights legislation infringing on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms where it states under Fundamental Freedoms:
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

Some reviews of Bill 44:
The teachers oppose it because it regulates them
The gay/lesbian community organized two protests against it.
I haven't heard of any groups other than the Tories (the currently dominant political party) being in favour of it.

A few things go through my mind when I consider this. One is how very <> I am. Personally, I find government imposed censorship insulting in the extreme. I can see only one reason for it: Either your opinion is too worthless to be said, or you are too worthless to say it.

I often think of censorship using theme parks as an analogue. Just as not everything can put into my blog, such as a <>, not every patron can experience every ride. Everywhere you see signs saying your child must be --this-- tall to ride just like every forum and medium of communication has a little sign saying your brain child must be --this-- tall to ride. It's not that your child isn't super cute, it's that he'd be hurt. On the other hand, if they said no purple people because they simply don't like purple, that would be wrong.
Maybe it's the punk rocker in me, but I have a healthy dislike for being told I can't do something and having legal rights usurped. This may be do in part to a sentiment imparted by German friend of my father who lived under Hitler and said that you never know what's about to happen, and it always happens quickly. When Hitler rose, Germany changed quickly, and a month before the Berlin Wall actually fell, no one would have expected it to do so. I'm not saying Premier Stelmach is fascist nor am I trying to equate the Tories with the Nazis in any way , but I do think every time a freedom is taken it's a teeny tiny goose-step in the wrong direction.
So to recap, if you say or do something idiotic, people think you're an idiot. Do something ignorant and people will think you are ignorant. The notion that people need to be punished legally rather than socially for being idiotic or ignorant is just that, idiotic and ignorant.

Hoping the Tories collapse into unpleasant chaos,
Ben Davies
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada



http://www.canada.com/Controversial%20Bill%20passes%20through%20Alberta%20legislature/1654390/story.html
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/charter/1.html#anchorbo-ga:l_I-gb:s_1