On Wed, 13 Mar 2002 23:32:07 -0600, Timothy R. Butler wrote:
>Hi,
>> Tom Sawyer?
>
> Hmm... that wouldn't be on my list of controversial books. How about a
>better example. If I wanted to read Mein Kampf (sp?) by Adoph Hitler, do you
>think I could get that at my library? I certainly hope not. Should it be
>there so that we can make sure the "Upstream" has a right to have his book
>featured in the library without being censored in anyway?
> I mean depending on how far one would take this, maybe we should enforce
>new rules to make sure every hateful document or program on the internet
>should be included to avoid censoring anyone. Obviously, I think at a point
>everyone will draw a line on what should be included. Otherwise you'd have
>one big mess.
Normally I wouldn't get into counting dancing angels on pinheads. The
above statements are idiocy of a dangerous brand. You hope "Mein Kampf"
would not be in your library? I suppose Henry Miller's writings are
taboo also? Who else shall be proscribed? Ray Bradbury for sure is a
dangerous writer; will you ban his works? And more importantly, who the
hell are you to even suggest what I may or may not have available to
read? If you don't want to read "Mein Kampf," then don't. Are you
afraid that if you do, you will start killing Jews? Or are you afraid
other, less right thinking people will turn into Nazi idiots due to its
taint, and this is your way of saving them?
You exhibit all the symptoms of the incipient tyrant, much in the vein
of the fundamentalist preacher or imam. You somehow have the Truth with
a capital T and you're out to drag the rest of us kicking and screaming
into your version of Righteousness and Morality. Well, the world
doesn't need your kind of tyranny.
What we do need is a free and open exchange of all ideas, good and bad.
Trust people to do what they think is best. You may not always agree,
and either you or they could be wrong on any issue. As long as we're
not force-fed this view and deprived of that one, we make pretty good
decisions. Having all views available is the _sine qua non_, even
Hitler's "Mein Kampf."
ps. I wrote the above before noticing the writer's sig line.
That's one pin I hit on the head. :-)
--
gt
Yes I fear I am living beyond my mental means--Nash
