From the SF Chronicle, Today's (Thursday, 3/29) issue: BAD BEHAVIOR IN THE BLOGOSPHERE by Dan Frost, Chronicle Staff Writer Death threats against a popular tech blogger this week have ignited an online firestorm about free speech, civility, and sexism on the Internet... ...The incident and its aftermath have drawn back the curtain on a computer culture in which the more outrageous the comment, the more attention it gets. It's a world that many women in particular see as still dominated by men, and where personal attacks are often defended on the grounds of free speech... ...Locke (the person who created the sites on which the death threats were issued <--Natalie) said that it all was "...meant to be amusing and a lot of fun...." ----------------- Hey, it's a Free Country...and this includes the freedom to create websites showing digitally altered photos of someone being strangled with a pair of panties...and include graphic and sexually violent comments...doesn't it? Geez, why is everybody getting so uptight? It was just a joke! Everybody is soooo serious these days. People who are attempting to limit this sort of personal expression are striking at the very heart of what it means to be an American, and an Individual. I can't believe this sort of thing is any big deal. ------------------- Here's a thought: " I have nothing against Black people. Everyone should own one." I think I'll also create a supporting website: www.buyblack.com, where we'll be showing digitally altered pictures which demonstrate that African Americans were actually happier as slaves. Now...why is everyone getting upset? It's just a joke...isn't it totally obvious that this whole thing is satire? It is to *me.* And I'll certainly take the site offline if enough people complain. Besides, I should have the freedom to think and express whatever I feel...right...? Isn't that the very basis of this great Country of ours? Anyone who asserts otherwise is unpatriotic.
I think it had been decided that death threats aren't considered "free speech". And their idea of "buy a black"? It has been done already, but for the exact opposite reasons.
I'd say if it's not acceptable in print, it's not acceptable on the internet. Except that the internet is much harder to regulate. Death threats, however, are illegal. "Humor" in bad taste can be much more thorny. But if that "humor" contains death threats, libel, incitements to violence, hate speech, etc., then it, too, is illegal. Humor is very personal, and some people will be amused by a death threat made against another person. Illegal speech is not made legal by the fact that someone finds it humerous. I'll bet some folks would think it very funny to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theater.
"Trick" went out years ago. Saying something outrageous and then claiming it was just a joke when you see the reaction you're getting isn't what you expected doesn't dismiss the faux pas. Doesn't work for Ann Coulter. Doesn't work for anyone else, either.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Mar 29 2007, 07:05 PM) [snapback]414555[/snapback]</div> Having had death threats made to me, from 'Christians' that thought I was preaching the devils work, I can say, they are not funny. One person in particular was fond outside my (then) condo, with a gun and some rope...the police, having put hi on surveillance already when he gave the death threats, caught him. I am all for free speech, but I think we need to be...well, sensible at the very least, when it comes to some speech.
So where does this bad behavior come from? Somewhere in the formative years, no one said 'No''; no one said "don't do that, that is not acceptable behavior." You could make the point that there weren't blogs back then, but the internet has been around long enough, forums have been around long enough, etc. So where is the information literacy? Who teaches those skills. Not the parents. Not the teachers. Neither have been trained and many know a lot less than their kids. The kids are digital natives. Their parents and teachers are digital immigrants. Well, there are the librarians. Nationally they average one librarian to every 800 students. In California it's 1 librarian for every 4,500 students. Not much information literacy going on there. Sorta why I take our Gubernator and all the other talking head politicians with a pound of salt when they rant on about literacy (and test scores). If they were serious, there would be a certificated librarian in every school that at least matched the national average. BTW for those that do statistics....with California's 4,500 as an outlier really skewing the average, take California out and what do you think the average ratio is for the other 49 states? Students commiting internet libel and character assasination
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Mar 29 2007, 02:38 PM) [snapback]414475[/snapback]</div> PGirl could you use italics or place text that isn't yours in a quote box as its hard to tell what are your comments and what are not, if any at all. Which I don't think any are but I still had to read it twice to tell. TY Wildkow
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TJandGENESIS @ Mar 29 2007, 08:33 PM) [snapback]414656[/snapback]</div> Fake "Christians" is a better label these wannbe's make you want to sneak up behind them and whack'em with a Gutenberg! Oops not very Christian of me was it? Well if he is in prison now, as he should be, for making death/terrorist threats you could show him what a real Christian is by forgiving and visiting him, quite often. Wildkow
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Delta Flyer @ Mar 29 2007, 02:43 PM) [snapback]414479[/snapback]</div> I like that.
