Legal Pundits Pan Internet Exceptionalism

Back in Brown writes: "This article from today's Wall St. Journal (via MSNBC) presents the viewpoints of several legal commentators that the Internet should be treated like any other invention and not subject to novel legal interpretations. 'The steam engine ... probably transformed American law, but the "law of the steam engine" never existed.' Another quote: 'cyberbuffs are afflicted with "insufficient perspective, disdain for history, unnecessary futurology and technophilia."'"

Comments

Re:It's all downhill from here

[Anonvmous Coward]

I wouldn't say that Slashdot tolerates racism. Rather, it doesn't tolerate censorship. Unfortunately, that means that terms like the one that offended you (it offended me as well) can be expressed. On the flip side, though, the majority cannot quiet you. If everybody believes in God, and you say 'Long Live Vishnu', you won't be censored for it.

I don't think Slashdot is the problem, I think the real problem is the idiot who can't show some respect.

Re:It's all downhill from here

[WIAKywbfatw]

That isn't a racist statement. If you had instead slated someone elses religion in an insulting way, then that would be racist.

For example, if you started referring to 'those filthy kikes' or 'goddamn pig-fucking Muslims' - that would be racist.

Expressing happiness for your own religion/race should not be construed as racist.

Err, Muslims are semites. Just like Jews, they consider pigs to be filthy animals and don't eat pork (or, as Jules from Pulp Fiction would say, they don't dig on swine). The idea that a Muslim would lie down with a pig isn't intrinsically racist, but it is highly offensive to a Muslim.

Arguably, by even suggesting that Muslims would have intimate contacts with pigs, your words are more inflammatory than you perhaps originally imagined. In essence, your examples of how to cause offence are highly offensive, ignorant of the Islamic faith and, as such, could be interpreted as racist.

Oh, the irony.

(FYI, I am not a Muslim. I'm just a pedant.)