Anti-Semitic site drops off Google

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YOu misunderstand the meaning of Freedom of Speech

It's probably moot to reply this late, but I'll do so anyway.

The Right to Free Speech covers what you say about "I can post all day that I hate Brussel sprouts". You can say it all you want and you're not breaking the law. But you don't have a right to have people listen to what you say. You don't have a right to have your Brussels Sprouts Haters club advertised in the Yellow Pages. You can try to get it published, but if the phone company refuses to publish your group's ad, tough luck. THAT's the difference.

We're not saying the website is illegal. Distasteful, horrid, yes, but not illegal. That is why the website itself wasn't taken down. What WAS taken down was their listing in Google, which is like a Yellow Pages for the Web. They reserve the right to publish whatever they want because they are a private entity. If they don't publish your website, you lose advertisement for your site (which you must somehow provide yourself). You do not have a RIGHT to have your site advertised on Google or any other search engine. You can say what you want, but if others don't want to hear it, that's your tough luck.

Now as for the student you mentioned: He didn't just draw "anti-war cartoons in his personal journal (that) included George Bush as an object of hate". At least one of his pictures showed an armed terrorist holding a spike on which the President's head was impaled. That was perceived by the student's teacher, the school administration, and the Secret Service as a direct threat to the President's life. It is a crime to make a threat against the life of anyone, and it is especially taken seriously (and handled by the Secret Service) when it's a government leader (ESPECIALLY the President of the US, who is arguably the most powerful person in the world).

It was a crime before the Patriot Act to threaten the President's life, and it will always BE a crime. You may be quick to dismiss the threat this teenager would pose on the President's life, but don't forget how ridiculous it would have sounded before the Columbine massacres that two teens could arm themselves with loads of military-grade weapons and homemade explosives, and literally take over a school while murdering classmates at will. Between Columbine and 9/11, no threat can be taken too seriously.

Posted by: doctormoriarty   Posted on: 04/28/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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