Thanks to Per for allowing us this space...

[Dave Rawson]

Dan Rosenberg wrote:

 > One is either free to speak or one isn't. Free speech means
 > precisely that I can talk anywhere, anytime about any topic
 > I want.

Dan, your words are obviously heartfelt and I know many folks deeply agree with 
your sentiments which are, to my mind, noble and idealistic. Respectfully, 
though, I completely disagree with you.

Further the varied laws of Man disagree with you. You may not slander. You may 
not libel. In many countries that have suffered from it, you may not incite 
hatred. You may not yell "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. You may not burn a cross 
on my lawn. There are many limits to your "free" expression and those limits are 
always advancing or retreating or simply evolving.

Regulated human behavior is necessary to the preservation of life.

 > Now, whether you respond or simply ignore me is your choice.

That's true, but completely beside the point. Once an individual forces their 
behavior onto another, the damage is done. One may be shot and ignore it, but 
still die. One may be stabbed and ignore it and still bleed. On may be raped and 
ignore it and suffer the psychic damage of having been violated by the 
expression of another's will. It's a matter of degree as to the damage done, but 
where one violates another's will, there is damage. Ignoring that component 
denies reality and reduces other human beings to abstractions.

 > If my right to speak freely has to be kept under control, then
 > I don't really have the right to speak freely and everything I
 > was taught in school about my country was a lie.

I know of no school that teaches what you espouse. If it did, it *would* be a 
lie. It contradicts an ancient canon of law as old as recorded history.

Personally, I see this forum as a room full of guests who understand that we are 
on our best behavior to respect and abide by the wishes of our host. No one has 
*forced* us to be here. No one has *forced* us to choose a place where there are 
knowingly *as we enter* guidelines for behavior. We know coming here that we 
have pledged to restrict our behavior to a certain class of expression. To 
pretend that that choice was not made is self-delusion.

We are here, explicitly, because we have chosen to abide by those guidelines.

It's true that anyone may abdicate their pledge of honor and choose to ignore 
those agreed to guidelines, but that is a kind of violence and a damage to the 
common bond is most certainly performed.

To be here is to have chosen to abide by the guidelines. To deny that they apply 
is disingenuous. One need simply go elsewhere. There is no restriction on your 
"free" speech save the compact you freely made when you entered this arena.

All my best,

-- 
,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_
riverrun past Eve and Adam's from swerve of shore to bend of bay
,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_,.-:*'``'*:-.,_