Comments on Known Turf: What they wouldn't let them say

Censorship and bans do not reflect the state of th...

2009-10-06T22:37:10.794+05:30

Censorship and bans do not reflect the state of the moral fabric of a society, they are in fact indicative of a usurpation of a society's rights by a few people who fashion themselves as our moral guardians.
A modern society that hopes to foster equality cannot encourage censorship. People need to decide for themselves what they are okay with and what makes them uncomfortable. People need to understand how to deal with things that are strange, they need to be able to think why they are angry, repulsed, fearful, tolerant, unconcerned.
Censorship works on the principal that some one out there knows what's better for you than you could ever figure out for yourself. People need to realize that this is one of the most powerful forms of disenfranchisng a society.
Censorship makes decisions for a society, prevents exposure and limits intellectual exercise. It is not indicative of a society's moral stance, because a society that is okay with censorship concede's it's right to have a stance.

WHy not take our cue from Voltaire; "I may not agr...

2009-10-06T16:30:48.917+05:30

WHy not take our cue from Voltaire; "I may not agree with you but will till death defend your right to say it"

So why are we so afraid to hear the other persons point of view?

And if you don't like it, don't see it. Why ban it?

What if the average citizen wants historical or re...

2009-10-06T12:53:18.783+05:30

What if the average citizen wants historical or religious plays or films banned? If the average citizen does not find hate speech particularly disturbing, should the government let racial hatred and war-mongering and all sorts of potentially dangerous speech go on, without any checks or controls? How average do you have to be to qualify as an average citizen? Thought provoking questions...