Expression of freedom

Sunday 11th December 2011 1:46 pm (first posted Saturday 8th October 2011 12:13 am)

...a freedom to express.

There is NO such thing as complete freedom, not in life; art nor in postings. So- as we are all subject to discretion or compromise it is best understood that 'your words' may be posted- then someone may remove them- freedom and oppression go hand in hand in this case.
It would be a madness to assert that one is allowed to 'express whatever one wants' and not be subject to censure. So Julian Jordan has expressed his 'right' to post a poem (I have not read it) and someone else has expressed thier 'right' to remove it- as have others in condemming or supporting it.
A matter of taste is another thing, and those that censure have the ability to express thier 'right' to be offended. I would not support anyones 'right' to be obnoxious and remain 'free' from reprisals, such as censure.
Does the poem have 'merit' that out-weighs 'offence'? the reader may judge for themselves and the writer may suffer the consequences of a poorly judged cynical attempt to shock...so be it.
I myself would oppose the freedom to offend on the grounds of race or gender or disability to name but three.

Words and foto by T. Carroll

Comments

Tommy Carroll

Sun 9th Oct 2011 16:56

Hi Lynn- I stand corrected (the name did look awkward with the foto! :o/) Thank you for your comment. :o)

Tommy Carroll

Sun 9th Oct 2011 16:55

hi Rachel- maybe I should make it 'clearer' I support the right to express 'anything' a poster wished to post, but I reserve the right to 'knock seven kinds of shite' out of the post as a consequence. I am then subject to the 'right' of others to support or attack my so doing. I think we are mostly in agreament on this...:o)

Rachel Bond

Sat 8th Oct 2011 21:35

tommy, its a tough one. i believe that if something is written and posted and it offends which all sorts of material is likely to do on all sorts of grounds..i think the writer should be held accountable to their readers as would be with published work. here a comments system operates.so if i were to offend i would personally feel obliged to defend, explain my writing. sometimes its an agree to differ situation. if someone were to post something inciting hatred be it racial, concerning disability, whatever i still beilieve it should stand and be criticised. As such it offers an exampler of its inadequacy as an idea. if someone were to post sexually inapropriate material i believe there should be a standard of censure based on the accessibility of this site to young people as a moral obligation.
concerning freedom of speech once blogged this goes out to the world potentially. Its a gift but just a medium. free media..is up for exploitation like anything else. I think we can only measure our own writing. I have only ever once been offended by a slight comment on this site and ive been a member for years. I think that a sign of its credibility and the level of responsibility of its writers.
Thanks for posting this.

Lynn Dye

Sat 8th Oct 2011 14:37

Hi Tommy, it was Julian that removed the poem, though I can see why you would think otherwise.
I am normally one for free speech, yet have to agree with pretty much all you say here. Well written.

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Expression of freedom

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