NP Mein Kampf (was NP another stoopid list ...

[Cyrus]

jbor at bigpond.com wrote:

> The issues of censorship and freedom of speech aren't as clear cut as 
> the libertarians would have you believe. Books and movies are still 
> banned, even in supposedly "progressive" or "liberal" Western nations, 
> but moreso obviously under sterner civil jurisdictions. Even 'Harry 
> Potter' ends up on the banned list in schools in Utah or wherever. And 
> I wonder how comfortable some people would be nowadays to allow their 
> children open access to, say, 'The Protocols of the Elders of Zion'.


Hi, jbor

I think the notion of freedom of speech is quite clear. Every idea 
should be allowed to circulate, even if it's outright harmful, and every 
artist should be allowed freedom of expression, even if his art may be 
insulting to certain groups of people. And if one doesn't agree with 
what is being said or shown, one has the right to criticise it publicly. 
I don't know any instances of government-banned books or art in Europe 
in the last 20 years or so (ok, "Mein Kampf" in Germany is 
understandable, even ancient Greeks didn't wan't to hear about their own 
misfortunes in Epidaurus). If you do, please share. Certainly there are 
groups lobbying, trying to ban this and that, but they fail in courts, 
as far as I know.

And I see no harm in allowing my (future) children open access to "The 
Protocols of the Elders of Zion", the "Da Vinci Code", or "The Holy 
Bible", as long as it's clear to them that they are works of fiction.

Cyrus.