Some speech that should be banned

On the day the Supreme Court ruled incorrectly by failing to completely strike down hate speech laws, I think that there is a form of speech that should be illegal nationwide: partisan government advertisements. Is it just me or is there really a whole spree of them going on right now? I’ve seen ones from both the federal government (it’s action plan, etc) and from the provincial government (especially the one with the cell phone dominoes). Now, these ads aren’t technically partisan, as they aren’t explicitly promoting any political party. But, still, if you read between the lines, you’ll see that they intend to show you how the government (the party currently in power) is doing X (low taxes, action plan) to help you. Hence, since these are supposed to remind you of what the current party in power is doing, they are still partisan, even if not explicitly so.

Partisan government ads are nothing more than legal propaganda. They should be banned, for all levels of government.

Any problems arising from people not being informed of necessary government functions (which advertising is in part supposed to deal with) can be handled by requiring the official opposition to agree to those advertising expenditures as well. This way, partisanship is avoided.

Child of the random stuff

In no particular order:

• Brilliant takedown of someone who fails to understand that freedom of expression does not mean freedom from criticism.
• Have you ever seen a more obvious and more blatant example of deliberately losing? At least they got what they deserved.
• Vietnam (of all places) might enable marriage equality. If it does so, Vietnam will be the first country in Asia to do so. Get with the times, USA.
  • I wonder when the wingnuts will start claiming that marriage equality is some communist plot.
• China’s brutal athlete training methods. They seem uncomfortably close to the “professional amateurs” some communist countries used to use.
• A must–read post about maladaptive daydreaming. Please, please read it.
• The Sensuous Curmudgeon fisks a creationist who’s so far along the downward spiral of stupid that they claim “[plants] are not alive.”
  • No, that’s not a Poe and no, I’m not making this up.

SCOTUS strikes down ban on selling violent video games to minors

In a 7–2 decision, the Supreme Court of the United States has struck down a California law outlawing the selling certain violent video games to minors. Parents have to take responsibility for the games their children play. 

I don’t play and don’t like shoot–em–up style video games. But nevertheless, this decision is the correct one.

A good decision from SCOTUS

Today, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Westboro Baptist Church has the right to protest at funerals. Even though they are vile, hateful, really petty people, this is the correct decision. Popular speech doesn’t need protection; unpopular speech does.

Please don’t tell me that conservatives don’t hate women…

…because they do. They really, really, fucking do.

Missouri funeral anti–protesting law struck down

A United States federal court has ruled a Missouri law prohibiting protesting at funerals is unconstitutional (via). It was targeted against Fred Phelps and his ilk. As much as a vile, despicable human being Phelps is, this is the correct decision. If Westboro Baptist Church does not have freedom of expression, no one does.

Good post on freedom of speech

At Pandagon, there is a post about why free speech is important, and I can’t over–recommend reading it. As Amanda makes clear, the best solution to speech you don’t like is more speech.