Today, a large, alien, spacecraft
landed on my front lawn and very tall, thin, aliens, resembling big
foot, wearing pink coats and roller blades, had a massive BBQ during
the blizzard and ensuing tornadoes....
OK, so that didn't happen, or did it?
You assume it didn't and you assume that it was fake because you have
your own values and belief system and in that system this kind of
thing can't happen, but you weren't here to prove me wrong so how can
you know for sure that it is fake?
Apparently, while I paying attention to
the absurd idea of Russia hacking our voting system (something I said
would happen if Clinton lost) there has been a renewal of an idea to
try and shut down so called “fake news” sites both here in the
USA (freedom of speech and the press anyone?) and Europe. It would
seem that the powers that be don't care for a well informed( my
humble opinion of course) electorate, nor do they like the results of
recent elections caused by a better informed electorate, so instead
of countering with their own sites (they do own pretty much of all
the main stream media after all) they instead want to shut down what
they consider to be “fake news” (conservative) sites. So tell me,
oh knowledgeable ones, what is to be considered “fake?”
My opening paragraph, by all reasonable
thought, should be considered fake, but short of actually being here
can you say for certain that it didn't happen? No, of course not, but
even if it is “fake news” should I be shut down for writing it? I
write what I write it's up to you whether or not you believe it.
What should the bench mark be for
news? Who gets to make that kind of decision? Something I might find
informative you might find to be a big load of horse puckey. There
are many web sites and articles on them, that I find utterly
ridiculous or that I disagree with on many levels, but I wouldn't
shut them down just because I disagree with the content. They call it
free speech and press for a reason.
What is truly scary is how many people,
those who make their living with the press, seem to think that this
is a good idea. In what universe is this a good thing? The former
Soviet Union? Communist China?Are we going to allow for this to
become our reality? Just because you don't like the outcome of an
election or you don't like things that are not politically correct or
things you just wholeheartedly disagree with, does not give you the
right to shut them down.
If your idea of a free press or freedom
of speech is only that which you agree with, what happens when you
are no longer in favor? Who will be left to defend you once your
speech has been taken away?
For me, I am always going to defend my
rights to speak as I will and write what I wish, as well as defend
your right to do the same, even if you don't believe aliens landed on
my lawn.
“ Congress shall make no law....or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press...”
Part of Amendment 1 of the
Constitution.
