censorship
It was brought to my attention in a comment on this blog that some feel there is a censorship 'feel' to it. I do not except personal insults. I don't have to. I do not insult others for thier opinions if they are, in fact, opinions and not simply mocking jeers at my opinions. Mocking or insulting me and using foul language serves nothing. You can argue your point of view without acting like a school yard bully and picking on someone because they disagree with you.It is beneath intellegent people to lower themselves to this level of infantile behavior.
It does not encourage open debate.
I do not believe you should judge people based on your beliefs.
This is why I am a firm believer in the separation of church and state. It seems to me to be part of the problem with this US administration.That separation is not as well defined as it has been with other Presidents.
In Canada we have had two devote Catholics in office in a row. Our past Prime Minister received alot of criticism for voting in favour on the legalized abortion issue from members and leaders of the Catholic Church. His answer to this was that he had to represent his country and it's people. Therefore he had to represent ALL religions or none. So, he took the strictly legal standpoint on the issue. It was really the only choice he had given the nature of his office. Our pesent Prime Minister took the same standpoint on same sex marriage issue. It was an option where he received a great many dissaproving letters about. However, in order to be a true representative of a diverse, multiculural population he had to follow the only clear path left to him. I do not suggest that our system of government is perfect. I am very proud that this aspect of it is very much in tact.
A leader has to remain fair and unbias in his judgements. It is unfortunate the US constitution doesn't guarantee this right. It should
"It is true, of course, that the phrase 'separation of church and state' does not appear in the Constitution. But it was inevitable that some convenient term should come into existence to verbalize a principle so clearly and widely held by the American people.... [T]he right to a fair trial is generally accepted to be a constitutional principle; yet the term "fair trial" is not found in the Constitution. To bring the point even closer home, who would deny that "religious liberty" is a constitutional principle? Yet that phrase too is not in the Constitution. The universal acceptance which all these terms, including "separation of church and state," have received in America would seem to confirm rather than disparage their reality as basic American democratic principles."..............Leo Pfeffer.
Comments
Dude, there's no way you could have stolen money from my purse. I don't carry a purse (how sexist of you to assume that because I am female I do) and if I did there wouldn't be any change for you to steal.
"I do not believe you should judge people based on your beliefs."
Hmmmm. What do you judge them on then? You hold no beliefs? You are completely smooth, with no nicks or crags where a deeply held belief lives?
~~~ I don't "judge" people at all actually. I offer my opinion and counter thier opinions with knowledge learned not religious or spiritual beliefs. I do not ridicule other people because they don't think or feel as I do the way you have. As to what beliefs I do have, that's absolutely none of your business.
You have absolutley judged me and my opinions based on YOUR beliefs. To say otherwise is to defy logic.
~~~How can you say that? You don't know what my beliefs are. I have not "judged" you. I have offered valid points to illustrate my opinion but you've ignored those. I have called you rude when you have been rude. I have asked that you not insult me and you've ignored that also.
Yep, you go girl!
~~~Thanks I will. I appreciate the banter. I want to remind you that if you do not offer a legitimate counter point and offer instead a jeering, mocking comment in return for my posts, your post will be immediately and completely deleted.I entertained you for a while but I won't anymore. I am hoping you understand the difference between the words 'disagree' and 'mock'.
**edited**
You have a riveting web log
and undoubtedly must have
atypical & quiescent potential
for your intended readership.
May I suggest that you do
everything in your power to
honor your encyclopedic/omniscient
Designer/Architect as well
as your revering audience.
----------
Please remember to never
restrict anyone's opportunities
for ascertaining uninterrupted
existence for their quintessence.
P.S. One thing of which I am sure is
that the common culture of my youth
is gone for good. It was hollowed out
by the rise of ethnic "identity politics,"
then splintered beyond hope of repair
by the emergence of the web-based
technologies that so maximized and
facilitated cultural choice as to make
the broad-based offerings of the old
mass media look bland and unchallenging
by comparison."
'Thought & Humor' by Howdy
Cyber-Humor, Cyber-Thought
Cyber-Riddles for your divertissement!!!
I do not distrust or have contempt for the United States of America. Not at all. I do have contempt for and distrust this present administration.
" The conflict of ideas and opinions is something the United States strives upon.."
You seemed to mistake this for what I do censor. I have no problem with people stating thier difference of opinions. I have a problem with someone simply mocking my opinion. You obviously don't see the difference. To mock sonmeone's opinion and not offer an intellegent counter point serves nothing. I keep having to explain this over and over. Why can't you see the difference?
"You call on others to question you, and your beliefs, but you lack a very important ingredient to the process of debate: level-headed logic. Call it an insult if you’d like, but when I read the things posted here, see things that paint America with the same brush the Nazi’s used, and listen to your arguments, I cannot fathom as to how you have come to those conclusions based on fact."
~~You haven't read the blog thoroughly then. You also haven't offered a logical counter point. I do not paint America with the same bruch the Nazi's use. Your president is doing that and 58 million Americans seemed to want him to.
You see these things when you read my blog because you and so many of your ilk view any comment against this administration as Anti American. You can't seemed to come up with resonable discussions so you insult the opinions that are disimilar to your own!
"If you would like an open debate, remember the guidelines that adults and mature individuals use to have a decent conversation about large issues. Emotion, contempt, and a lack of clarity are things that I see on this blog."
Yes I see those too. from the commenters. I've kept those guidelines in my posts...you haven't.
"And while on the Islamic thing, we aren't multi-culturalists either. And if you would ever get past whatever pacifist, morally bankrupt, multiculturalist thing you are on you would recognize that you probably are living with and around people who are just like you. People are like that. We hang with those who are similar to us in looks, traditions, and values. "
so...you're true colours finally show. You are a racist. Your precious "values" and "morals" are based in hatred. Thank God not all North Americans believe as you do.
I have friends who are from varying cultural backgrounds and different sexual orientations. That's the way it should be. God doesn't want us to judge or hate anyone but I believe he wants us to stand up against people who do.We don't have to use violence to do that. I believe we are supposed to be evolving beyond that primal behavior. Go "Kick some one else's ass" if they disagree. You'll learn that it won't stop them from disagreeing. You'll have changed nothing except perhaps force them to respond in kind
"Returning violence with violence only multiplies violence adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.."
~Martin Luther King jr.
I am beginning to wonder if perhaps you are a man. Your responses are so male-like. I am not trying to be rude, but I can't shake this feeling , that you are not a woman. I saw your name a few times on rosie's blog,and have been reading you regularly. I have learned that people express themselves through their words, and your comments indicate to me that you may not be a female. This is not an attack, because I do like your blog. Just wondering.
""apologist.
Dude, there's no way you could have stolen money from my purse. I don't carry a purse (how sexist of you to assume that because I am female I do) and if I did there wouldn't be any change for you to steal.""
No, sorry to disappoint yet another attacker (OCgirl) but I am definately a woman. Least the last time I checked anyway ;). Rue is a nickname given to me by my best friend derived from one of my given names (RuthAnn). I am a happily attached, straight woman at that. So there's no point poking at my sexuality either. Unless you have a problem with straight people the way some straight people do with gay people.
Shame on YOU (OCgirl) for assuming I would pose as a woman.
Why in heaven's name would I do that?
what difference would it make if I were a man? Not meaning to insult but just curious.
Instead, where debate is offered and appropriate, I discuss differences, weigh the pros and cons of different belief systems, embrace new ideas that are better or less costly/hurtful than ones I may have previously held, respect people who have beliefs different from my own, and recognize that the richness of human society stems from our individual differences. How boring society would be if everyone was a plumber! Nothing against plumbers, here, I really like my working sinks and tubs and toilets, but where would be the roads, where the great buildings, amazing gardens, the art and literature and (most importnatly this weekend), the latest Harry Potter book?!?!?
I think the important thing to consider, when debating the differences in government and people, is to ensure that whatever our beliefs, behaviours, conversations, whatever, we neither force them on others or cause pain to others. The minute we start using stereotypes based on an individual's ethnicity, religion, gender, or cultural background, we are ignoring the issues and placing value on the speaker instead. That way lays... well... nothing good!
As to censorship on a person's blog... isn't it their right? Even if a person was just erasing any opinion that didn't agree with theirs... it's their blog... you don't like the rules, go choose another pool! Thus far, however, I've only seen the removal of debasing comments, not debating comments. One letter... BIG difference in establishing productive debate.
On that note, I now return you to your regularly scheduled activities, which I strongly recommend should be the perusal of the latest Harry Potter book. But that's just my own personal belief system, so I won't be insulted if no one takes me up on my suggestion!