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

[François Monti]

I remember that, a couple of years ago, an association of children 
protection sued an art gallery who had curated an exhibition of a 
photographer whose work solely concentrated on photos of prenubile children 
naked. The association won, the exhibition had to be stopped. It happened in 
Toulouse or Bordeaux, France.Then again France has a mix record when it 
comes to freedom of speech.
I also seem to remember that a couple of person were condemned in the UK for 
blaspheming Jesus Christ, a couple of years ago. The judge invoked a 
anti-blasphemy act from the 18th century.

I myself think there should be absolute free-speech, but you shouldn't think 
that governements or judges do share this point of view in Europe. We censor 
less than 50 years ago, but we still do.

François

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cyrus" <ioannissevastianos at yahoo.gr>
To: <jbor at bigpond.com>; <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 12:28 PM
Subject: Re: NP Mein Kampf (was NP another stoopid list ...


> 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.
>
>
>
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