Re: The Boys From Brazil - thoughts on cloning Nazi servers (fwd)

[Tom Gillman <syshtg@gsusgi2.Gsu.EDU>]

Simon Spero wrote:
> Freedom of speech means that it other peoples speech shouldn't be 
> censored; however there is no obligation for anyone to fund or lend other 
> support towards that speech.  This situation is somewhat complicated in 
> that in order to fight the censorship, the mirror sites must 
> 're-publish' the material; however as a side effect they are also 
> publishing the material in a  prominent way to people whose access has 
> not been censored.
> 

Is voluntarily offering support funding or lending? I never thought so.
I'm also unsure that web pages can be considered publishing in this partic-
ular sense. Certainly files put up on anonymous ftp cannot be considered to
be publishing. I would also dispute your use of the term 'prominent'. How
does making them available make them any more prominent than they were 
to begin with?

Censorship doesn't work. It doesn't stop people from believing in a point
of view. In fact, it only strengthens that point by making them martyrs.
The only combat to offensive thoughts or speech is more speech. When you
show their viewpoints to be a fallacy, they will slink away.

Censorship is a dull, poisoned, double-edged blade. It doesn't cut cleanly,
and the wound that it creates festers and makes the entire body sick. It's
also a blade that cuts both ways. If you're not careful, you might get cut
yourself. 


Oh, and BTW, before anybody asks: Yes, I am the sysadmin at the site where
Joe Bunkley (We call him Racist Boy) has his web site. I personally despise
his views, and might cheerfully cause him pain, given the opportunity. 

But I won't...because he has just as much right to believe the way he does
as any of the rest of us do. Of course, the decision ultimately rests in the
hands of those who have far more power than I do.

Tom

-- 
 Tom Gillman, Unix/AIX Systems Weenie  |"Personally, I have always found the
 Wells Computer Center-Ga. State Univ. |First Amendment to be a little irksome
 (404) 651-4503 syshtg@gsusgi2.gsu.edu |and a nuisance" Patrick A. Townson,
 I'm not allowed to have an opinion.   |moderator, comp.dcom.telecom
                                    
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