pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| reply to fuziwuzi
Re: Ugh...
said by fuziwuzi  :Yes, though not by "force of law", the political pressure in our own country to conform is still very palpable. Just ask the Dixie Chicks. Wow, post #2 and the USA already "sucks."
I might be out of it. Please tell me when the Dixie Chicks were killed, imprisoned, tortured or otherwise had their freedom deprived for expressing their views?
People choosing to boycott the Dixie Chicks is not the same as the government depriving you of your freedom for voicing opposition to government policy.
But this is still the USA, right? Are we no longer free to boycott businesses or acts that we don't like?
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
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| quote:
People choosing to boycott the Dixie Chicks is not the same as the government depriving you of your freedom for voicing opposition to government policy.
If it were people chosing the boycott the Dixie Chicks it wouldn't be a problem. But in their case, Clear Channel "silenced" them, which demonstrated the power Clear Channel really has on our purported "free speech". So I do see it as a very apropos analogy. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by djrobx :If it were people chosing the boycott the Dixie Chicks it wouldn't be a problem. But in their case, Clear Channel "silenced" them, which demonstrated the power Clear Channel really has on our purported "free speech". So I do see it as a very apropos analogy. So what? Clear Channel is a private company owned by members of the public that can do whatever it wants to within the confines of the law. We wouldn't be much of a free country if the government told radio stations that they had to play certain musical acts.
And even with that, there was nothing stopping people from buying the Dixie Chicks' CDs, downloading their music online, or going to their concerts.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO | I wouldn't waste your time defending the U.S. If Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iranian President) can come to this country and deny WWII, can anyone honestly argue that we don't have free speech? |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| said by rradina :I wouldn't waste your time defending the U.S. If Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iranian President) can come to this country and deny WWII, can anyone honestly argue that we don't have free speech? The only thing that disturbs me about Ahmadinejad's speech is that so many people at Columbia agreed with what he said... indicating this by "thunderous applause."
That is very sickening.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR
| reply to djrobx
said by djrobx : Clear Channel "silenced" them. Clear Channel justs cares about doing what it can to make as much money as possible. And with the audience they have on the country music stations, that means not playing the Dixie Chicks. It's all about the ratings, baby.
Look, Clear Channel owns the local Air America affiliate here. Their evening guy, who was too liberal even for Air America, spends three hours screaming into the microphone about what murderers and Nazi collaborators the Bush family are. Why does Clear Channel do this? Ratings and money. This particular viewpoint sells in Portland.
I don't see them pushing any right-wing conspiracy. |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| reply to pnh102
Yes but I just consider the source. Most of these people are kids and against any kind of authority. They see this guy as someone who is with them because of mutual opposition.
When the kids earn enough money to have skin in the game, they'll be less likely to believe dreamy notions spewed by the world of intelligentsia and might even grow to love this country.
I thought it was hilarious how Bollinger attacked Ahmadinejad. I don't disagree with what he said but he was simply saving his own ass since the president's visit wasn't popular with a lot of those with "skin in the game". He a fine example of another slimy, greasy politician who is only motivated by self-preservation. |
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FiL
Premium
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD | They allow kids to take classes at Colombia University? Heh, ain't know that. |
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S_engineer
join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL
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| "They allow kids to take classes at Colombia University? Heh, ain't know that. "
Wow.....well in China, this many grammatical errors might get this person tortured!
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Burn a tire, but make sure you buy that carbon offset! |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to rradina
said by rradina :They see this guy as someone who is with them because of mutual opposition. No... these are ivy league students. They know exactly the kind person that Ahmedinejad is. They fully, and completely, embrace his anti-USA, anti-Semitic, Holocaust-denying views. Their "thunderous applause" to just about everything he said is irrefutable proof of this.
Unless there's some new fad out there... clapping when you disagree with someone. The students are truly disgraceful, repugnant individuals.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | I want to see these students. I'll bet the place was packed with people who may or may have not been students, and may or may not be US residents... |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| reply to pnh102
I think we'll just have to disagree on this point. You might be right but the older I get, the more I realize that when I was their age, I knew very little. Even 25 years later, I only have enough sense to realize even now, how little I know.
I see this same immaturity in my oldest son. He has yet to go through puberty but he is already pushing boundaries and dismissive of his parents because he thinks he is a know-it-all.
Many of these students might have a high IQ and be considered the best and brightest but in my opinion, that doesn't mean they have the common sense that comes with maturity. At least that's my hope. If they truly are forever galvanized against our country, then my children will truly live in a challenging future. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD | I hope you're correct too.
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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ackman
join:2000-10-04
Acworth, GA
| reply to pnh102
said by pnh102 :said by rradina :I wouldn't waste your time defending the U.S. If Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (Iranian President) can come to this country and deny WWII, can anyone honestly argue that we don't have free speech? The only thing that disturbs me about Ahmadinejad's speech is that so many people at Columbia agreed with what he said... indicating this by "thunderous applause." That is very sickening. Relative to the quality of leader of the country where he was speaking, the audience saw him as an improvement. |
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ackman
join:2000-10-04
Acworth, GA
| reply to pnh102
said by pnh102 :said by fuziwuzi :Yes, though not by "force of law", the political pressure in our own country to conform is still very palpable. Just ask the Dixie Chicks. Wow, post #2 and the USA already "sucks." I might be out of it. Please tell me when the Dixie Chicks were killed, imprisoned, tortured or otherwise had their freedom deprived for expressing their views? People choosing to boycott the Dixie Chicks is not the same as the government depriving you of your freedom for voicing opposition to government policy. But this is still the USA, right? Are we no longer free to boycott businesses or acts that we don't like? Wow, pretty out of touch with the nature of the problem. Take a look at how many stations and markets Clear Channel controls. It's all about monopolistic control of content. The outcry about the speaking engagement mostly came from conservatives, who are deathly afraid of free speech and real democracy. They need a strong leader they can stand behind to give them direction, not a representative government for and by the people, in which everybody has a voice. May as well start up some good book burning. Or maybe illegal wiretapping...oh wait, we're doing that. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
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| reply to ackman
said by ackman :Relative to the quality of leader of the country where he was speaking, the audience saw him as an improvement. I'd gladly pay for a one way ticket to Iran for each one of those ingrates. That audience is so stuck up, it has no idea what living in a truly oppressive country is like.
How is it even possible to compare a country like the USA, where anyone can criticize the government, to a country like Iran, where criticizing the government will have you meet up with the business end of a noose?
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to ackman
said by ackman :Wow, pretty out of touch with the nature of the problem. Take a look at how many stations and markets Clear Channel controls. It's all about monopolistic control of content. Completely and totally wrong. Clear Channel doesn't hold a gun to anyone's head as a means to force people to listen to its programming. Even if Clear Channel owns all the radio stations in town, there is nothing stopping someone from listening to satellite radio, MP3 players, their own CDs or any other source of content that they happen to own.
said by ackman :The outcry about the speaking engagement mostly came from conservatives, who are deathly afraid of free speech and real democracy. Which is reasonable because Columbia doesn't support free speech. How can Columbia make the claim that it supports free speech when they told the ROTC and the leader of the Minutemen to go stuff it, while they would give a forum to Ahmedinijad and Hitler?
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Only SHATNER is Kirk. |
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ackman
join:2000-10-04
Acworth, GA
| said by pnh102 :said by ackman :Wow, pretty out of touch with the nature of the problem. Take a look at how many stations and markets Clear Channel controls. It's all about monopolistic control of content. Completely and totally wrong. Clear Channel doesn't hold a gun to anyone's head as a means to force people to listen to its programming. Even if Clear Channel owns all the radio stations in town, there is nothing stopping someone from listening to satellite radio, MP3 players, their own CDs or any other source of content that they happen to own. said by ackman :The outcry about the speaking engagement mostly came from conservatives, who are deathly afraid of free speech and real democracy. Which is reasonable because Columbia doesn't support free speech. How can Columbia make the claim that it supports free speech when they told the ROTC and the leader of the Minutemen to go stuff it, while they would give a forum to Ahmedinijad and Hitler? Hmmm, they gave a forum to Ahmedinijad and Bush?  |
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ackman
join:2000-10-04
Acworth, GA
| reply to pnh102
said by pnh102 :said by ackman :Relative to the quality of leader of the country where he was speaking, the audience saw him as an improvement. I'd gladly pay for a one way ticket to Iran for each one of those ingrates. That audience is so stuck up, it has no idea what living in a truly oppressive country is like. How is it even possible to compare a country like the USA, where anyone can criticize the government, to a country like Iran, where criticizing the government will have you meet up with the business end of a noose? That door was opened in the USA with the end of habeus corpus, and the opening of CIA torture camps in Poland. People like to say that liberals must HATE America. No, liberals love America the same as the in-the-closet conservatives. The liberals just think anything worth having is worth fighting for and seeking to improve. Conservatives are afraid of liberals because they fear change, which is the very definition of conservativism. I personally find it funny that the conservative attack machine is still labeling democrats as "tax and spend" democrats, and they're going to take all your money with higher taxes. The past 3 Republican presidents are responsible for 70% of our national debt. So, really, it's a choice between "tax and spend" liberals or "borrow and spend" conservatives. Usually what happens is we get sick of the damaging economic policies of the conservatives, so we vote in democrats, who HAVE to raise taxes to dig us back out of the hole. Hence the stereotype, and the perfect attack plan for those righteous conservative republicans.
So, criticize the government? Yeah, I'll criticize the simpleton in the White House. But he only bears a small portion of the blame for the mess the USA is in. That responsibility goes to the morons who voted him in twice, and the RNC staff who made the caging scheme so successful in 2000 (Florida) and 2004 (Ohio). Thousands of votes in Ohio were never even counted, and just recently all of those records were destroyed, so we'll never know the true count. However, many election workers were arrested and convicted of various charges related to election fraud. In Florida, a consortium of newspapers commissioned a whole state recount, and the result was a Gore victory. When they just recounted Bush's selected districts, Bush held the margin. All fun stuff, but I sure would like to see these people in front of an international court one day. |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| said by ackman :...So, criticize the government? Yeah, I'll criticize the simpleton in the White House... But would you cheer for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? |
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