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China Forces Websites To Register
Rodrigo Strauss writes "The Inquirer has the story that individual owners of websites and blogs must register with the government or face a shut-down. Apparently they will begin monitoring of all sites, both commercial and personal, beginning this month. Site owners have until the end of the month to register. The BBC has the story as well." From the BBC article: "'The internet has profited many people but it also has brought many problems, such as sex, violence and feudal superstitions and other harmful information that has seriously poisoned people's spirits,' said a statement on the MII website, explaining why the new rules were necessary."
As long as we can connect to Chinas internet none of this matters. Cultures are not all equal and it should be simple to understand why China wants to avoid the mistakes of our culture. At the same time, I want to be able to access Chinese culture, so as long as their internet is not a closed system I don't really care if they use the American internet or Chinese internet, it makes no difference to me just like it makes no difference to most American consumers if their Walmart products are made in China or America, they just don't care.
The USA is not the most free country on earth. Europe is more free, there are places like the netherlands which have more freedom than we will ever have. China is not bad with human rights, in fact China's human rights history is far better than Americas history of slavery, slaughtering native Americans, exploiting illegal immigration, and outsourcing. America has the worst human rights track record in the developed world, so China with its censorship isnt really anything new from the point of view of an American. Right now the American internet is censored to protect corporations, freedom of speech is being restricted, and while we are losing our freedoms we focus on China? Iraq? Who the hell cares? We have to fight for freedom at home.
Because America is the best.... we look out for the world. Sometimes I wonder . - ..why do people hate us. -- .I think it's because they're jealous.. -.you just know that they are. -.I mean just ask someone from France about America ---- they can't contain their jealousy --- not even for one second---. Sometimes I just dont know what to think.. Some day -- some day, I just know theyll come around --- America is too great of a country for them not to ---- right?
Sigur RÃs: I didn't know that Heaven had a rock band.