Sunday, September 25, 2005
Down the Slippery Slope
 | China is stepping up its program of censoring Web content with which the government doesn't agree. Totalitarian regimes have always tried to limit the flow of information into and out of oppressed countries. That way, they can control what the population knows. The Web makes this kind of censorship more difficult, but apparently, not impossible. Here in the US, we have a bill of rights that guarantees free speech. The government can't just jail people whose views they don't like. Right? Apparently not so under the Bush administration. The FBI is diverting resources from combating terrorism, organized crime, and corruption to focus upon pornography. No kidding. I have no special love for porn or the people who make it. However, I recognize that many consumers enjoy that kind of entertainment. The point is that it shouldn't be up to me, you, the government, or anyone else to determine what consenting adults watch (or do) in their homes. Erotic entertainment is an art form, and, as such, has a legitimate presence in the marketplace. I suggest that when one of our freedoms is supressed, all are in peril. Even though I am not a consumer of porn, I am concerned by this administration's moral crusade. It opens the door for more abuses. Might, for example, criticism of the government be the next target? I'm sure Chinese activists would tell us that's a real possibility, if they could. This discussion is not about exploiting children. No sane person would ever advocate that. Nor is it about exposing children to this material. This concern can and should be managed by responsible parents. I advocate the very Republican concept that government should not intrude into the private lives of its citizens. Besides, since when do American conservatives take their lead from Chinese communists? |
Comments:
Post a Comment
