The Feds are Attacking Freedom of Speech on the Web

Discussion in 'Politics' started by PTD, Jul 20, 2010.

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  1. PTD
    Fiendish

    PTD Administrator Moderator

    Looks like the Feds finally found a way to shut people down without due process. I just had a friend pass this story along, it seems that the Feds shut down these people's website without either prior-notice or even letting them know why. The Feds went directly to the hosting company and had the hosting company shut down their server.

    From what I can piece together from that article, and reading more information that has been posted in other venues by the owners of the site, there service allowed members to post on member blogs. Not unlike this one, but their software was Wordpress, we use vBulletin. So, the Feds found that one or more of the members of that site were posting information and links about terrorists. Now, I'll be the first to speak out against the Muslims, but I also hate what the Feds did in this situation.

    What should the Feds have done? The Feds should have worked with the owners of the website to remove the offending information. Why does it bother me? Well, because, let's say tonight some Muslim joins up here and decides to post information that is friendly to Terrorism. Tomorrow morning, I wake up and the Feds have my server shut down. Now, I'll go on the record saying that stuff like how to make a bomb or the terrorists' hit lists aren't things I want posted here or on any site I control, but I've got to know about it before I can remove it. If the Feds just go around shutting sites which have information they don't like posted, then where does that leave the First Amendment?
     
    PTD, Jul 20, 2010
    #1
  2. Moen1305

    Moen1305 Not Republican!

    There are other exceptions to the 1st Amendment that we all accept and live by already. When was the last time you heard someone yell "FIRE" in a movie theater? Hate speech is not a 1st Amendment right. There has to be some limits and if the Feds want to limit terrorists access to information, I can live with that. If they take it any further than that, there going to get a fight from people like myself and the ACLU.
     
    Moen1305, Jul 20, 2010
    #2
  3. Stujoe

    Stujoe Well-Known Member

    I have gathered something about this in snippets here and there and I can't remember where it was I first read it...maybe as an aside reference in an article in Time. I don't think it is urban legend material, though.

    But, anyway, there apparently has been a law passed somewhat recently (without media coverage, of course) that it pretty worrisome. From the gist I have gotten, it can put you in jail for much of anything related to a terrorist. Even conversing (and I assume hosting a site) with someone suspected (or more likely on some huge list) of being a terrorist. It apparently give some pretty broad ranging powers...and shutting down web sites was one of them too.

    I am sure it was passed under the guise of stopping people from aiding terrorists but I think that the language must not exactly explicit on what the 'aiding' is (surprise).

    I have not yet done a lot of searching on it. But, if I hosted a web site any more, I probably would be.
     
    Stujoe, Jul 20, 2010
    #3
  4. SAMDARWEN

    SAMDARWEN New Member

    Feds are doing way worse things than that. Take this for example
    Mr. Ronald Smith{Not the actual name) (Memphis) who was arrested only because he was a Young Successful business man, started with buying an-old towing-truck for $1500 and start working and the Lord was good to him. In few years he owned a towing company and had more than 10 truks. He was working 18 hours a day because he did not want to end-up like some of his friends (In jail).
    Well; Mr. Smith's nabor was a police officer who had a little problem with African American living next to him. He could not have anything on his for years. One day, he stopped Mr. Smith's car 11:00 AM and arrested him due (front Lights). The police after that turned the case to the FBI who came and picked Mr. Smith and charged him with Heroin. They claimed that the police office found (AN-EMPTY BAG OF HEROIN 6 FEER FROM HIS CAR).
    The Fed's gave him one of two options (That is the usual). Either sign a plea Guilty agreement and have time served, or fight your case for years and if you won it (WHich is the case with Mr. Smith 29 month later IN PRISON). The FBI charged him with something new to keep him in custody.
    See; if the Fed's arrested you or anyone or even susspected anyone, that person is very much done.
    Hello to Freedom and justice
     
    SAMDARWEN, Jul 21, 2010
    #4

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