Newt Gingrich Says Free Speech May Be Forfeit

[Ping898]

Saw this on Slashdot

http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=d3f4ee4e-1e90-475a-b1b0-bbcd5baedd78

Gingrich, speaking at a Manchester awards banquet, said a "different set of rules" may be needed to reduce terrorists' ability to use the Internet and free speech to recruit and get out their message.
"We need to get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city, which I think could happen in the next decade," said Gingrich, a Republican who helped engineer the GOP's takeover of Congress in 1994.

Kind of makes me glad he is no longer in power...
Wonder if he realizes those "tubes" that connect everything on/in the internet exist outside the US....what does he think?...we should become just like china?

 

[bushidomartialarts]

read/watch any piece of distopian future fiction that includes a totalitarian america. it always slides down that way in response to 'terrorism'.....

 

[Ping898]

when you get right down to it, haven't they already won if we loose our rights as a result...?

 

[michaeledward]

"We need to get ahead of the curve before we actually lose a city

I wonder where this rocket scientist was on August 30, 2005?

And, how would restricting Freedom of Speech, Assembly, the Press, Religion, and to Petition the Government have saved that lost city?

 

[mrhnau]

when you get right down to it, haven't they already won if we loose our rights as a result...?

Well, they have already made us dramatically change our lives. I sure don't recall not being able to take a drink on a plane, or having an hour line at security. I miss being able to wave goodbye to friends when they leave on the plane.

I wonder where this rocket scientist was on August 30, 2005?

Sorry, refresh my memory.

 

[michaeledward]

I wonder where this rocket scientist was on August 30, 2005?

Sorry, refresh my memory.

That was the day New Orleans died.

Although some may choose to name the date the 29th, the date the hurricane made landfall. But the city withstood the hurricane. It was the levee failure that destroyed the city. So, I choose to think of our lost city as dying on August 30th.

 

[Don Roley]

How amusing.

Just a short while ago some folks were saying that Senator Rangal's call for a draft was at least trying to help solve the problem. Now, those same blogs and such are screaming bloody murder about this.

This is what someone recently wrote,

As a strict constructionist, how do you deal with the changes in technology?

Shall we apply this to the internet and instant news reports all over the world?

Gingrich is out of power. No big deal about what he says. It is kind of like Reverend Jackson saying something. It makes for higher ratings, but nobody in their own party seems to listen. Thank goodness.

 

[Rich Parsons]

People whould have the right to say what they want, as long as it is not illegal such as personal attacks that are untrue.

They should not be allowed to make things up and present them as truth, Fiction yes or even faith or belief, but not truth or absolute truth.

 

[mrhnau]

People whould have the right to say what they want, as long as it is not illegal such as personal attacks that are untrue.

They should not be allowed to make things up and present them as truth, Fiction yes or even faith or belief, but not truth or absolute truth.

There is the difficulty Personal attacks that are untrue are often hard to prove untrue. People can easily make things up and present them as truth. Some people may honestly believe them.

Don't forget to add other things that are restricted. Certain threats, praying in schools, any particular set of words people may find offensive (Kramer et al for instance), saying "bomb" at an airport, publically demeaning someones religion, etc.. Much of this was existing pre-9/11.

Also, don't forget in the threat topic... just the suggestion of some problem is enough to set people off. Would you leave your children with someone accused of being a child molestor? How about once they are proven innocent? Think the Duke Lacrosse guys will ever have a normal life, even if its proven they are innocent? Often its the words that have a more lasting impact than the fact

 

[elder999]

Don't forget to add other things that are restricted. Certain threats, praying in schools, any particular set of words people may find offensive (Kramer et al for instance), saying "bomb" at an airport, publically demeaning someones religion, etc.. Much of this was existing pre-9/11.

Also, don't forget in the threat topic... just the suggestion of some problem is enough to set people off. Would you leave your children with someone accused of being a child molestor? How about once they are proven innocent? Think the Duke Lacrosse guys will ever have a normal life, even if its proven they are innocent? Often its the words that have a more lasting impact than the fact

Uh....prayer in schools isn't restricted, unless you mean restricted to the individual, or restricted from being required.

"Sets of offensive" words aren't restricted, as in Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Really?, and yeah, Kramer-who, even if his career is over ala Jimmy the Greek (who totally was screwed, imho)-isn't going to spend a day in jail over what he said. I'd also point out that Rush, Bill and Ann have all publicly demeaned Islam, that RIchard Dawkins publicly demans every religion, and that you probably can't name one of the Duke Lacrosse guys.

 

[elder999]

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." Thomas Jefferson to Archibald Stuart, Dec. 23, 1791.

"The jaws of power are always open to devour,and her arm is always stretched out, if possible,to destroy the freedom of thinking, speaking, and writing." John Adams, 1765

"Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us." William O. Douglas

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. "
Theodore Roosevelt(1918)


If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.
George Washington

 

[TonyMac]

Elder 999 congrats. This is all so spot on I can't even respond.

So the lesson here is speak the truth and Tone shuts up!