> This has nothing to do with terrorism, and AFAIK, not even politicians would attempt to link the two entirely different issues.
Don't be too certain. Howard basically ran most
of his election campaign this time around on linking
the issue of his disgraceful treatment of refugees
to some people flying aeroplanes into buildings
in NY. He didn't really come up with much policy
because he didn't need to - this was enough to
turn what looked like a certain change of government
into a swing towards the coalition (they got less
than half of the vote last time around but got in
due to the way electoral boundaries work).
> WOW! doesn't that describe many versions of the Bible? Are they trying to outlaw religeon?
Well, sounds like it.
But OTOH I believe many states in the USA outlaw
books containing Darwinian content from being
accessed in schools. It seems to me that
outlawing the results of rational science
(incidentally by someone committed to a religion)
is far worse than outlawing a set of religious
beliefs that may/may not have any basis in
fact.
Not that I have any time for censorship
of any sort. Making actions illegal that
have harmful effects on others is certainly
a very good thing. Using publishment of
depictions of such actions to track down
criminals and punish them is also a very
good thing. Countering racism and hate
arguments with a proper education is a
responsibility that most nations/states
seem to be shirking. But restricting what
people are allowed to say/show is a great
way of opening up the doors to fascist
and totalitarian regimes, and does NOTHING
else that couldn't be better accomplished
by more civilised means.
Anyway, who says about this stuff being
"unsuitable for children" at all. Surely
with a society that properly supports children
growing up they'd be able to discover for
themselves pretty quickly what they actually
find is inherently wrong and not cop too much
of a shock. It's not like there's a big
red line sitting there that you cross and
suddenly you're an adult not a child, it's
a process you go through for your whole life...
- Jamie
[one Australian who will certainly be arguing
against this legislation].
Slashdot Mirror
> This has nothing to do with terrorism, and AFAIK, not even politicians would attempt to link the two entirely different issues.
Don't be too certain. Howard basically ran most
of his election campaign this time around on linking
the issue of his disgraceful treatment of refugees
to some people flying aeroplanes into buildings
in NY. He didn't really come up with much policy
because he didn't need to - this was enough to
turn what looked like a certain change of government
into a swing towards the coalition (they got less
than half of the vote last time around but got in
due to the way electoral boundaries work).
> WOW! doesn't that describe many versions of the Bible? Are they trying to outlaw religeon?
Well, sounds like it.
But OTOH I believe many states in the USA outlaw
books containing Darwinian content from being
accessed in schools. It seems to me that
outlawing the results of rational science
(incidentally by someone committed to a religion)
is far worse than outlawing a set of religious
beliefs that may/may not have any basis in
fact.
Not that I have any time for censorship
of any sort. Making actions illegal that
have harmful effects on others is certainly
a very good thing. Using publishment of
depictions of such actions to track down
criminals and punish them is also a very
good thing. Countering racism and hate
arguments with a proper education is a
responsibility that most nations/states
seem to be shirking. But restricting what
people are allowed to say/show is a great
way of opening up the doors to fascist
and totalitarian regimes, and does NOTHING
else that couldn't be better accomplished
by more civilised means.
Anyway, who says about this stuff being
"unsuitable for children" at all. Surely
with a society that properly supports children
growing up they'd be able to discover for
themselves pretty quickly what they actually
find is inherently wrong and not cop too much
of a shock. It's not like there's a big
red line sitting there that you cross and
suddenly you're an adult not a child, it's
a process you go through for your whole life...
- Jamie
[one Australian who will certainly be arguing
against this legislation].