Internet Censorship

The Diffraction Of Truth

As the age of monochrome obfuscation approaches, one might wish to reconsider that fine line between good and bad, heaven and hell, black and white, because not taking sides prompts further mental disorientation. The obscurity of human outlook and the strength of human fear of knowledge are beyond measure. They destroy the will and abilities of the minds not yet dazed by the opiate of fascist comfort. They prevent natural flow of information and enclose those minds into a shell of anti-democratic security.
Internet censorship is an oxymoron that sneers upon the very basis of democracy - the Freedom of Information. Internet censorship is an obstacle in the path of a strong and educated society. Internet censorship is a monument to the social decay it was created within. Internet censorship should not be the law. It should be against the law.

Internet censorship demotes informational freedom and effective learning. There is no way one can totally protect anyone else from every form of expression; we can, however, seclude young minds from information about our society that would normally enable them to participate and make rational desicions within that society (Berry). Due to the absense of human intervention in filtering software, useful information is restrained along with information branded as "bad" by a software developer: according to a recent study, "SmartFilter blocked the Declaration of Independence, Shakespeare's complete plays, Moby Dick, and Marijuana: Facts for Teens" (Internet filtering...). Moreover, the recently issued CIPA (Children's Internet Protection Act), which requires public schools and libraries to implement filtering software, "prevents students from obtaining a well-balanced, globally-competitive education" (Doherty).

Filtering software - a widely utilized means of Internet censorship - is not only unsuccessful in its rather impossible task, but is also difficult to implement (Internet censorship...). According to a vendor's own test, out of a sample set of sites, for every inapproptiate site, 57 useful sites were blocked (Hochheiser). Besides, its very idea defies logic. Harmful information doesn't just lie around on random websites - one has to make an effort to find it (Sagall).

Finally, Internet censorship is entirely anti-democratic. It overrides the sacred privilage of democracy - Free Speech. To back the immorality of Internet censorship, several Supreme Court Judges conclude that "Government regulation of speech is more likely to interfere with the free exchange of ideas than encourage it" (Kennington). Internet censorship is, by definition, an "imposition of values of one group in society upon all others" (Kennington). It is, therefore, a fascist disillusionment of the human mind.

As the age of informational distribution approaches, it is our natural goal to stop resisting knowledge and free flow of ideas to create a society of peace and harmony. It is our natural goal to outlaw Internet censorship and all other restraints of free thought and speech.

~ March, 2004

Bibliography (Works Cited)

Berry, John III. "Choosing sides." Library Journal March 1, 1998: 6.

Doherty, Will. EFF: Study Released on Internet Blocking in Schools. 2003. March 15, 2004.
<http://www.eff.org/Censorship/...>

Hochheiser, Harry. ACLU White Papers: Censorship in a box. 1998. March 16, 2004.
<http://archive.aclu.org/issues...>

"'Internet censorship unlikely to succeed', NEW STAIR TIMES - MANAGEMANT TIMES." Technology Wire October 16, 2003:NA.

"Internet filtering (And Furthermore)." Teacher Librarian April, 2002: 65-66.

Kennington, Alan. Internet censorship. 2004. March 19, 2004.
<http://www.topology.org/net/ce...>

Sagall, Richard. "Speaking My Mind --." Pediatrics for Parents. May, 1997: 10.

"No Censorship" Campaign Buttons

You are encouraged to use either of the provided no-censorship campaign buttons. I recommend linking to this page (http://www.oocities.org/dreamquest4u/censorship.htm) so that your visitors are able to read about internet censorship and why it's so-o-o-o bad, but linking back is not at all required.

More original @#$% censorship buttons coming soon :-P!