Dissent
07.13.2005A friend & former student posted about an Iranian girl she met at a recent blogging conference in Seoul. It's an interesting look at how different life can be inside an unfree society, and how powerful blogs can be.
Too often we glibly criticize the "crushing of dissent" in this country. But in the US, taxpayers can fund controversial art that openly paints the current government as fascist (spoofed by The Daily Show). In Iran, a Mojtaba Saminejad went to jail for "insulting the Supreme Guide".
Posted by Miguel at 10:33 PM
Comments
Reading that article abt the jailed bloggers chilled me to the bones.
I find it incredulous that in the US, people can get away with mocking the presidents and legislators. Bush, and before that, the Clinton scandal. There are so many little things we take for granted that others aren't able to enjoy.
Posted by: Stephanie at July 14, 2005 04:50 AM
I think mocking presidents is fine. I find it distasteful, but in the US, people have a right to be distasteful idiots. It's amazing to live in a country that defends even of the rights of those who'd destroy it (e.g. separatist groups).
Posted by: Miguel ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.centellas.org/miguel/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 14, 2005 04:17 PM
I likes the mockery. I find it good sport. Sign of a healthy democracy, too, I think.
Posted by: tom at July 14, 2005 08:35 PM
I think the mockery's fine, too. Not only because of First Amendment rights. But also because it makes it easy to find the idiots in the room, so I can stop bothering to argue rationally w/ them.
Posted by: Miguel at July 14, 2005 08:42 PM