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After Columbine, Eric Holder Advocated Internet "Restrictions"

ErikTheRed writes "In an audio clip discovered by NewsBusters, then-Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder advocated federal censorship of the Internet. This was in the aftermath of the Columbine High School shootings. From the clip: 'The court has really struck down every government effort to try to regulate it. We tried with regard to pornography. It is gonna be a difficult thing, but it seems to me that if we can come up with reasonable restrictions, reasonable regulations in how people interact on the Internet, that is something that the Supreme Court and the courts ought to favorably look at.'" Holder is reported to be Barack Obama's choice for Attorney General of the United States.

8 of 430 comments (clear)

  1. Change by isotope23 · · Score: 5, Funny

    All your CHANGE is belong to us....

    Welcome to the Obamanation.

    --
    Service guarantees Citizenship! Questions Guarantee GITMO.... Amerika Uber Alles!
  2. Re:oblig by tnk1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Once again, who deemed the internet to be appropriate for children?

    I hear that Internet has the prestigious Pedobear Seal of Approval(tm).

  3. Re:Reasonable restrictions? by megamerican · · Score: 3, Funny

    That is why you'd never be considered for a government position.

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    If you have something that you dont want anyone to know, maybe you shouldnt be doing it in the first place -Eric Schmidt
  4. Re:why not be mindful of the time he said it? by Sloppy · · Score: 3, Funny

    A gun barrel is a type of tube. Ergo, the internet is a series of guns.

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    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  5. is the honeymoon between Obama and the 'net over? by viridari · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it ok to start criticizing Obama and his judgment now?

    Or is he still the Messiah?

  6. Re:It's no more appropriate than the local library by philspear · · Score: 1, Funny

    The interwebs freedoms are the last freadoms we still have in the world. You will be shot if you try and stake a claim to new lands. You will be on the news (and in jail) if you open the throttle of just about any car out there. You just can't go out and tinker anymore: You can't make modifications to your house w/o an inspection, you can't build your own chemistry sets, you can't create your own fireworks, god forbid if you actually make the devices you use every day. You are labeled a terrorist if you do these once playtime activities.

    Just so we're clear, the internets are the only freedoms we have after the following freedoms were taken away
    - Claiming new lands
    - "Opening the throttle to any car" (You mean driving fast or removing speed restriction devices?)
    - Modifying your house
    - Building your own chemistry sets
    - Creating fireworks

    Kind of an odd list. I know there are people who want to do those things, but I don't feel like not being able to do them means we're in a totalitarian dictatorship. A little perspective, please.

  7. Re:Hahah . . . no more Washington insiders, huh? by CorporateSuit · · Score: 2, Funny

    He'd look pretty ridiculous saying "Vote for change by voting for a Washington insider", now wouldn't he?

    Maybe he meant he would change into a Washington insider?

    --
    I am the richest astronaut ever to win the superbowl.
  8. Par for the course by realinvalidname · · Score: 4, Funny

    Good to see that Obama is sticking with Presidential tradition:

    1. Find the most singularly disturbing, deranged, freedom-hating person you can
    2. Nominate that person as Attorney General

    Hey, it worked for Reno, Ashcroft, and Gonzales. The hits keep on coming...