Are current politicians turning into the new Victorians? I ask as in recent days there has been an increasing case of prudishness in a number of things that have been done.
Of course firstly the UK has decided to bring in line what is allowed in online pay on demand pronography with what is produced in DVD in this country. The new law bans scenes of caning, aggressive whipping, penetration with an object "associated with violence", physical or verbal abuse (regardless if it is consensual), urolagnia (ingesting during "water sports"), female ejaculation, strangulation and face sitting. This list seems more an arbitrary list of things the panel dislike rather than based on any reasoning as to dangers etc.
Over in Northern Ireland this week we have the latest stage of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill, which somehow is actually the introduction of the Nordic model on all sex workers including those that aren't trafficked or exploited. One of the amendments on Monday even raised the question, which the DUP refrained from answering were they now looking to ban lap dancing, strippergrams or kissograms with the clause of B touching themselves for the sexual gratification of A, whilst B is in physical proximity to A.
Of course with also all the moves as well to bring in a minimum price for a unit of alcohol it seems that those in power are trying to restrict people's morality to suit their perceptions.
So are our politicians becoming modern day Victorians with their attacks on the modern day equivalents of whore houses and gin joints? Are we entering the early stage of prohibition on a number of activities that the free market always seems to have provided through time immemorial.
Somehow, somewhere people will still access the sex workers that they want to, although by pushing it underground you are making it less likely that victims will come forward for support when they need to. People will still find ways to consume cheap alcohol, though if they are forced to set up illicit stills will what they produce be safe. As for porn, well as Avenue Q famously tell us, "The Internet is for...PORN!" somewhere out there in the unmanageable back streets of the interwebs there will still be British productions of all the porn that has just been made illegal. How you find it? How you determine it was made in a room in the UK (when all rooms can look alike)? How you can persecute the content creator who may well use a foreign domain? These are the questions that politicians have not and will not answer through their prudishness.
* Apologies to the all the debauched, drunkard and promiscuous Victorians that lived. Some of your generation gave your entire era a bad name as goody two shoeses.
Though if you are viewing this in the UK terms and conditions now apply so maybe the Internet isn't quite so great...
Showing posts with label censorship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label censorship. Show all posts
Thursday, 4 December 2014
Tuesday, 1 April 2014
What is Sainsbury's policy on modesty for magazines?
Apparently the picture on the right from last month's Attitude is too racy for customers of Sainsbury's customers to view as they browse their magazine stands.
Bear this in mind next time you walk in past a poster advertising Tu's swimwear collection as you walk through the door, or maybe a biography of Tom Daley being advertised right at the entrance (like the last one was). In both those occasions in recent years Sainsbury's has a bare chested man on display prominently as you entered the store not tucked away in the magazine racks. In the case of Tom Daley of course at the time he had yet to come out as being in a same-sex relationship, unlike Robbie Rogers pictured here, but he was wearing even skimpier swimwear than the footballer is wearing in this picture.
In fact there is nothing in this picture that anybody wouldn't expect to see at the beach, swimming pool or even in the park (maybe on the street) when the summer finally arrives here in the UK. Men in shorts and topless, often sunburnt, is a sure sign that the sun has actually made an appearance across this country.
The reason I am bringing this up is that I stumbled across this post from a female Twitter user in Manchester. You know the gay capital of Northern England. She took the following picture:
What Carmen Electra is wearing is not something that women would typically be seen wearing as outerwear. Yet somehow this particular store did not find it necessary to protect her modesty.
Sainsbury's did replay to the original poster with a reply spanning two tweets:
Hi, we use modesty covers for a range of publications – including Loaded, Zoo, Nuts, Bizarre, Front & Attitude. We do regularly review the titles covered and we’ll look into this. Thanks
Do Sainsbury's also cover up Men's Health or other sports magazinessee update below should they display a topless man? You know I reckon they don't.
Indeed my local Asda appears to have stopped stocking these two publications, I do wonder if this is down to over zealous DUP (maybe even defected to UKIP) councillors over the proximity of this store to a number of schools, as well as the train station. The net effect is that about £10 of business a month from my wallet leaves the town centre and is most often2 spent in Belfast instead, so well done for those who got these titles removed from Bangor's Asda and giving my trade to another part of Northern Ireland altogether.
1Yes I did choose the one with a Strictly Come Dancing winner especially for Caron Lindsay. 2On other occasions I do make the short walk to my local Sainsbury's from home, where these titles are not covered!
Friday, 20 December 2013
Talk Talk filter is not politically neutral
I was doing some late night checking of Twitter in relation to the fact that the LGBT+ Lib Dems Website was blocked under Talk Talk's porn filter and came across this converstation.
Fortunately for Talk Talk we are outside an election period at the moment or else there could be implications from the fact that they are blocking both the Lib Dems and UKIP's LGBT websites but not that of Labour or the Conservatives. It means that they are able to differentiate sites and someone should have spotted this for the other political parties assuming that the Conservative and Labour sites had to be exceptions for the use of the language especially in relation to same-sex marriage, transgender issues and the like which are the key words that would automatically have been flagged up.
Of course the issue is far wider than this, these filters by the ISP providers are not good enough to differentiate what is health, education and public awareness sites and what is pornography etc. This was the crus of the debate at Lib Dem conference in Glasgow this September when we referenced back the motion on internet safety as it failed to address these issues in a way that the majority of the internet literate members of our party were already aware. The fact that our LGBT+ website is now parked behind such a porn filter is a case in point.
Earlier today someone else Tweeted this showing the BT definitions of what is blocked:
Some of the implications of this especially in relation to sex education have implications that some of our young people may be kept in ignorance as a result of parents not lifting the filter. This is especially true of LGBT youth whose parents are opposed to their child being LGBT and don't want them to find out about help that can be provided for them.
As a Liberal Democrat I don't believe that anyone should be enslaved by ignorance. But when the filters by two of the largest internet providers in this country can block access to some of the LGBT groups of our political parties, or information on sex education, including respect for a partner, STDs and LGBT lifestyle then there clearly is an issue. Thankfully the mainstream media are catching up with something that I know many Lib Dems have been shouting about for years. Some of our LGBT bloggers have found our own websites blocked on certain connections in internet cafes or wifi hotspots.All we are doing is talking about the issues, using language that can be used in good as well as for porn.
On an issue of porn, even notice that the emails selling you sex good get around your spam filter in your email by not using the actual words in full, but use punctuation and spaces to get around this. Guess what some porn does exactly the same.
Read also Alistair MacGregor's piece on Lib Dem Voice about this.
Fortunately for Talk Talk we are outside an election period at the moment or else there could be implications from the fact that they are blocking both the Lib Dems and UKIP's LGBT websites but not that of Labour or the Conservatives. It means that they are able to differentiate sites and someone should have spotted this for the other political parties assuming that the Conservative and Labour sites had to be exceptions for the use of the language especially in relation to same-sex marriage, transgender issues and the like which are the key words that would automatically have been flagged up.
Of course the issue is far wider than this, these filters by the ISP providers are not good enough to differentiate what is health, education and public awareness sites and what is pornography etc. This was the crus of the debate at Lib Dem conference in Glasgow this September when we referenced back the motion on internet safety as it failed to address these issues in a way that the majority of the internet literate members of our party were already aware. The fact that our LGBT+ website is now parked behind such a porn filter is a case in point.
Earlier today someone else Tweeted this showing the BT definitions of what is blocked:
Some of the implications of this especially in relation to sex education have implications that some of our young people may be kept in ignorance as a result of parents not lifting the filter. This is especially true of LGBT youth whose parents are opposed to their child being LGBT and don't want them to find out about help that can be provided for them.
As a Liberal Democrat I don't believe that anyone should be enslaved by ignorance. But when the filters by two of the largest internet providers in this country can block access to some of the LGBT groups of our political parties, or information on sex education, including respect for a partner, STDs and LGBT lifestyle then there clearly is an issue. Thankfully the mainstream media are catching up with something that I know many Lib Dems have been shouting about for years. Some of our LGBT bloggers have found our own websites blocked on certain connections in internet cafes or wifi hotspots.All we are doing is talking about the issues, using language that can be used in good as well as for porn.
On an issue of porn, even notice that the emails selling you sex good get around your spam filter in your email by not using the actual words in full, but use punctuation and spaces to get around this. Guess what some porn does exactly the same.
Read also Alistair MacGregor's piece on Lib Dem Voice about this.
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Say Hello to the Belfast cultural revolution
Update Please read the update at the bottom of this piece about information received since I wrote this.
The other day I was actually thinking over the possibility of keeping a track of the number of hetero-normative signs of affection I saw out in public and compared them to homosexual ones. Being back in Northern Ireland can do that to you.
The reason why you may ask was sparked by one straight couple having a great big snog right in front of a group of school children. Then yesterday in Starbucks I watched a couple in the window seat with her almost certainly checking where the edge of her husband/partner/lover's boxer/y-fronts/briefs/nothing came down to underneath his trousers.
When you are hearing people say that they don't want LGBT people forcing their lifestyle unto others you do start to notice how much the heterosexual 'norms' are welcomed as OK, but shows of same sex affection are driven largely underground for fear of the repercussions.
Thus it is with great sadness that I learn that the Royal Ulster Academy has removed a painting by Paul Walls called The Kiss* from its annual exhibition at the Ulster Museum. Colin Davidson from the RUA said that exhibitions are tailored for every age-group and as a result attract large numbers of schoolchildren across Northern Ireland.
So what is so inappropriate about a picture of a kiss. Well reading the Belfast Telegraph link it doesn't appear to have involved a nude. Though there are nudes or in a great state of undress paintings in the Ulster Museum collection. No the reason the picture is inappropriate appears to be because the two people kissing are female.
Again I am reminded that in Northern Ireland apart from one area of Belfast and a few isolated bars elsewhere. Or on one day of year in Belfast, Londonderry/Derry and Newry on Pride Parades LGBT people are fearful of showing any expression of affection because of what others may thing or say about them. Yet all around us are straight couples showing far more affection that a mere holding of hands of a quick peck.
It leads to the question would this The Kiss be acceptable in a Northern Irish art exhibition?
If not many great art museums must be out of range of Northern Irish young people as more nudes either in sculpture or paintings will be presented to them. If two fully clothed individuals kissing is not appropriate for children audiences then we certainly are doing something wrong. We are education the next generation of young people here to be wary of the unknown and potentially bigoted to it.
Then again my nine year old nephew still goes "Ewwww!" whenever anybody kisses in his presence, so maybe, just maybe it is because all children of a certain age just don't like to be exposed to kissing. Though I seriously doubt it.
Update 10 Oct 15:00
My friend Padráig Ó Tuama also was upset about the story in the Belfast Telegraph about the removal of Paul Walls The Kiss from their exhibition. He said:
He received the following statement from Colin Davidson, President of the Royal Ulster Academy
I am sure that Colin would be happy to hear from you (info@royalulsteracademy.org) - but be aware that the reasons given for not including the picture have not been represented well in coverage.
Therefore the piece I wrote yesterday was based on inaccurate and incomplete information from the Belfast Telegraph and I would like to apologise for any offense that may have been caused from my comments.
Update 20 Oct: Finally here is the picture in question
* Sadly at this time I cannot source an image of the painting in question.
The other day I was actually thinking over the possibility of keeping a track of the number of hetero-normative signs of affection I saw out in public and compared them to homosexual ones. Being back in Northern Ireland can do that to you.
The reason why you may ask was sparked by one straight couple having a great big snog right in front of a group of school children. Then yesterday in Starbucks I watched a couple in the window seat with her almost certainly checking where the edge of her husband/partner/lover's boxer/y-fronts/briefs/nothing came down to underneath his trousers.
When you are hearing people say that they don't want LGBT people forcing their lifestyle unto others you do start to notice how much the heterosexual 'norms' are welcomed as OK, but shows of same sex affection are driven largely underground for fear of the repercussions.
Thus it is with great sadness that I learn that the Royal Ulster Academy has removed a painting by Paul Walls called The Kiss* from its annual exhibition at the Ulster Museum. Colin Davidson from the RUA said that exhibitions are tailored for every age-group and as a result attract large numbers of schoolchildren across Northern Ireland.
He said: "In this context, the painting The Kiss, submitted by Paul Walls, could be regarded as inappropriate for child audiences."
So what is so inappropriate about a picture of a kiss. Well reading the Belfast Telegraph link it doesn't appear to have involved a nude. Though there are nudes or in a great state of undress paintings in the Ulster Museum collection. No the reason the picture is inappropriate appears to be because the two people kissing are female.
Again I am reminded that in Northern Ireland apart from one area of Belfast and a few isolated bars elsewhere. Or on one day of year in Belfast, Londonderry/Derry and Newry on Pride Parades LGBT people are fearful of showing any expression of affection because of what others may thing or say about them. Yet all around us are straight couples showing far more affection that a mere holding of hands of a quick peck.
It leads to the question would this The Kiss be acceptable in a Northern Irish art exhibition?
Then again my nine year old nephew still goes "Ewwww!" whenever anybody kisses in his presence, so maybe, just maybe it is because all children of a certain age just don't like to be exposed to kissing. Though I seriously doubt it.
Update 10 Oct 15:00
My friend Padráig Ó Tuama also was upset about the story in the Belfast Telegraph about the removal of Paul Walls The Kiss from their exhibition. He said:
"Having heard about this, I wrote immediately to RUA. Colin Davidson, the president of RUA, wrote back to me within minutes. He is aghast at how his words have been misrepresented in the media. He said that the painting in question is of an adult nature, and that the decision has nothing to do with the gender of the individuals kissing. Given that school aged children come to the exhibition, they decided, together with the artist, not to include the picture because of the adult nature of the image - not because of the fact that it is two women kissing."
He received the following statement from Colin Davidson, President of the Royal Ulster Academy
"The Royal Ulster Academy's schools programme attracts large numbers of school children from across Northern Ireland.
"In this context, the painting 'The Kiss', by Paul Walls, was regarded as inappropriate for child audiences (by the Museum, the Academy, and Child Protection lawyers, as well as most who have seen it). Paul Walls appreciates how inappropriate it is for child audiences. It would not matter if the imagery was of two women, two men, or a man and a woman. Mindful of artistic freedom of expression, the RUA and the Ulster Museum considered that the painting could remain in the exhibition subject to the placement of appropriate notices that the gallery contained artwork which could be regarded as being of an adult nature.
"As an Academy, we are concerned that this could deter schools and families with young children visiting the exhibition. As a result Paul Walls decided to withdraw the painting from the exhibition. Censorship had nothing to do with it."
I am sure that Colin would be happy to hear from you (info@royalulsteracademy.org) - but be aware that the reasons given for not including the picture have not been represented well in coverage.
Therefore the piece I wrote yesterday was based on inaccurate and incomplete information from the Belfast Telegraph and I would like to apologise for any offense that may have been caused from my comments.
Update 20 Oct: Finally here is the picture in question
* Sadly at this time I cannot source an image of the painting in question.
Tuesday, 2 October 2012
Alliance Party censors criticism
One of the stories of yesterday's debate on Equal Marriage (I know there are more but I've yet to work out how to write this up) in the Assembly at Stormont was the non-appearance of three of the eight Alliance MLAs and the vote of one against the motion.
The Alliance are often called the Liberal Democrats sister party here in Northern Ireland and it often comes as a shock to many both in Alliance and the Lib Dems in the rest of the UK that I am not and have not ever been a member. Earlier this year when the Alliance abstained on the issue in Belfast City Council I openly attacked the Alliance Party, the so-called liberal and self-tagged leading change party, for not living up to either of these monikers. I got slapped down in the public forum of Facebook by their MP Naomi Long for not allowing them time to come up with a party policy position.
Since 1 September there has been a party policy position, it actually reads incredibly close to the motion that was up for debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly yesterday, even with the measures to ensure legal protection for faith groups to make their own position on what they should do. While my own MLA voted in favour and I meet my own Alliance Councillor at the demonstration in support for the motion, the party was seen by many to have failed them.
The biggest failing being in the seat that Naomi represents and Stormont actually sits in East Belfast. It returned two Alliance MLAs in 2011 neither of whom, Chris Lyttle and Judith Cochrane, were present to vote on this issue leading change for LGBT equality. Kieran McCarthy from the neighbouring Strangford constituency was also missing. Trevor Lunn the Lagan Valley MLA voted against meaning.
According to Hansard Mrs Cochrane and Mr McCarthy were both in the chamber both before and after this vote, though Mr Lyttle may have been absent from the house on other business. Update Chris Lyttle on Saturday did release a statement saying that ill health and personal reasons kept him from the chamber for a number of key issues including this. While is personal opinion in the tradional one man one woman his elected role gives him pleasure to support the decision of party council.
There was overnight a lot of criticism on the Alliance Party's Facebook page. Today there is none!
It has all been removed, but it hasn't been answered. Those four votes could have brought the vote up to one vote, indeed knowing what was going on behind the scenes those in support of the motion thought it was that close with about half an hour to go and were looking for one or two more votes.
I'm a liberal but I don't think the actions of Alliance this morning are very liberal. It may be that someone at party HQ thought it would in some way help the party to hide all the criticism, it just makes people angry and more sceptical of their party's liberal credentials.
Last night I asked Naomi Long on Facebook:
I too have yet to get a response, but I know some within her party agree with me about this. Update she has since responded saying that her position is that as overwhelmingly endorsed by party council.
Update here is Stephen Farry speaking about this on The Nolan Show this morning.
Update 2 It may well be that the Alliance Party had read this blog post as the wording seems to address this post directly. This afternoon on Facebook they wrote the following.
However, the first comment sums it up, the first is from former Chief Executive of the party Gerry Lynch
The Alliance are often called the Liberal Democrats sister party here in Northern Ireland and it often comes as a shock to many both in Alliance and the Lib Dems in the rest of the UK that I am not and have not ever been a member. Earlier this year when the Alliance abstained on the issue in Belfast City Council I openly attacked the Alliance Party, the so-called liberal and self-tagged leading change party, for not living up to either of these monikers. I got slapped down in the public forum of Facebook by their MP Naomi Long for not allowing them time to come up with a party policy position.
Since 1 September there has been a party policy position, it actually reads incredibly close to the motion that was up for debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly yesterday, even with the measures to ensure legal protection for faith groups to make their own position on what they should do. While my own MLA voted in favour and I meet my own Alliance Councillor at the demonstration in support for the motion, the party was seen by many to have failed them.
The biggest failing being in the seat that Naomi represents and Stormont actually sits in East Belfast. It returned two Alliance MLAs in 2011 neither of whom, Chris Lyttle and Judith Cochrane, were present to vote on this issue leading change for LGBT equality. Kieran McCarthy from the neighbouring Strangford constituency was also missing. Trevor Lunn the Lagan Valley MLA voted against meaning.
According to Hansard Mrs Cochrane and Mr McCarthy were both in the chamber both before and after this vote, though Mr Lyttle may have been absent from the house on other business. Update Chris Lyttle on Saturday did release a statement saying that ill health and personal reasons kept him from the chamber for a number of key issues including this. While is personal opinion in the tradional one man one woman his elected role gives him pleasure to support the decision of party council.
There was overnight a lot of criticism on the Alliance Party's Facebook page. Today there is none!
It has all been removed, but it hasn't been answered. Those four votes could have brought the vote up to one vote, indeed knowing what was going on behind the scenes those in support of the motion thought it was that close with about half an hour to go and were looking for one or two more votes.
I'm a liberal but I don't think the actions of Alliance this morning are very liberal. It may be that someone at party HQ thought it would in some way help the party to hide all the criticism, it just makes people angry and more sceptical of their party's liberal credentials.
Last night I asked Naomi Long on Facebook:
A few months ago you told me off for saying the Alliance Party had failed on Equal Marriage in Belfast City Council vote. You said you needed time to form policy.
Well today one of your colleagues and three of your MLAs were missing in action (including both from your constituency). Can I now say that some of the Alliance Party have failed on this without having my head chopped off?
I too have yet to get a response, but I know some within her party agree with me about this. Update she has since responded saying that her position is that as overwhelmingly endorsed by party council.
Update here is Stephen Farry speaking about this on The Nolan Show this morning.
Update 2 It may well be that the Alliance Party had read this blog post as the wording seems to address this post directly. This afternoon on Facebook they wrote the following.
Earlier today the Alliance Party removed a number of posts containing grossly offensive and obscene language. However due to a miscommunication in the attempt to remove these posts, a number of others were mistakenly taken down and the Party would like to apologise for that oversight. The Alliance Party does not believe in censorship and welcomes constructive debate on our Facebook site.
However, the first comment sums it up, the first is from former Chief Executive of the party Gerry Lynch
I didn't see any offensive language. If there was, it was buried deep in one of two very lengthy comments threads. Is there a problem with admitting you screwed this one up, and can we have an explanation for yesterday's debacle?
Friday, 15 June 2012
Never, say Never to second looks - Argyll and Bute Update
Earlier today Argyll and Bute Council issued this statement in relation to their decision banning Martha Payne's taking pictures for her Never Seconds blog from yesterday.
You somehow think that if the latter statement had been the way the council decided to proceed on this matter intially, listening to Martha and other children about the state of school meals under their influence that maybe people would never have heard of Argyll and Bute. Some would still think it is spelt Argyle or something to do with Plymouth, and Martha would not have soured to her target by over 400% of fundraising for Mary's Meals most of that in the last 24 hours.
But seeing as the council leader says there "There is no place for censorship in this Council and never will be whilst [he is] leader" before totally replacing the previous disingenuous statement with his own, I'm sure he won't mind me copying them both here in full. I only do that so that we can see how someone in the press departments knee jerk reaction was so poorly letting down the children and end users of school meals provision earlier today.
Published Date:What a difference two and half hours more careful consideration brought to the situation they have since changed that statement on the same page to this from the council leader
15 Jun 2012 - 10:53
Argyll and Bute Council wholly refutes the unwarranted attacks on its schools catering service which culminated in national press headlines which have led catering staff to fear for their jobs. The Council has directly avoided any criticism of anyone involved in the ‘never seconds’ blog for obvious reasons despite a strongly held view that the information presented in it misrepresented the options and choices available to pupils however this escalation means we had to act to protect staff from the distress and harm it was causing. In particular, the photographic images uploaded appear to only represent a fraction of the choices available to pupils, so a decision has been made by the council to stop photos being taken in the school canteen.
There have been discussions between senior council staff and Martha’s father however, despite an acknowledgement that the media coverage has produced these unwarranted attacks, he intimated that he would continue with the blog.
The council has had no complaints for the last two years about the quality of school meals other than one from the Payne family received on 6 June and there have been no changes to the service on offer since the introduction of the blog.
Pupils have a daily choice of two meals from a menu which is designed with pupils, parents and teachers. Our summer menu is about to be launched and includes main course choices like meat or vegetarian lasagne served with carrots and garlic bread or chicken pie with puff pastry, mashed potato and mixed vegetables.
Pupils can choose from at least two meals every day. They pay £2 for two courses and this could be a starter and a main or a main and a desert. Each meal comes with milk or water. Pupils can have as much salad and bread as they want. Salad, vegetables, fruit, yoghurt and cheese options are available every day. These are standing options and are not a result of any changes in response to the blog site.
As part of the curriculum for excellence, pupils in all our schools are regularly taught about healthy eating and at lunch breaks staff encourage pupils to make good choices from what is on offer. We use a system called ‘Nutmeg’ to make sure everything is nutritionally balanced. Our staff also get nutrition awareness training so they know how to provide a good healthy meal. There is portion sized guidance which we adhere to and it is matched to the age of the child so they get the right amount of food. Second portions would mean too many calories for pupils.
In Lochgilphead Primary School we are piloting a new pre-ordering scheme which is designed to encourage class discussion around meal choices and also improves the accuracy of meal choices. The pupils use a touch screen to select their lunch option and the data is downloaded in the kitchen so they know how many portions of each meal are required. As they place their order, the pupils are given a coloured band which relates to their meal choice that day. They wear it during the morning, and at lunchtime they hand it to the catering assistant, who will give them the corresponding meal.
The council’s focus is now on supporting the school in the education of young people in Argyll and Bute.
Updated: 14:19 - 15 June 2012Published Date:15 Jun 2012 - 10:53
Statement from Cllr Roddy McCuish, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council
"There is no place for censorship in this Council and never will be whilst I am leader. I have advised senior officers that this Administration intends to clarify the Council's policy position in regard to taking photos in schools. I have therefore requested senior officials to consider immediately withdrawing the ban on pictures from the school dining hall until a report can be considered by Elected Members. This will allow the continuation of the "Neverseconds" blog written by an enterprising and imaginative pupil, Martha Payne which has also raised lots of money for charity.
But we all must also accept that there is absolutely no place for the type of inaccurate and abusive attack on our catering and dining hall staff, such as we saw in one newspaper yesterday which considerably inflamed the situation. That, of course, was not the fault of the blog, but of the paper.
We need to find a united way forward so I am going to bring together our catering staff, the pupils, councillors and council officials - to ensure that the council continues to provide healthy, nutrious and attractive school meals. That "School Meals Summit" will take place later this summer.
I will also meet Martha and her father as soon as I can, along with our lead councillor on Education, Michael Breslin to seek her continued engagement, along with lots of other pupils, in helping the council to get this issue right. By so doing Martha Payne and her friends will have had a strong and lasting influence not just on school meals, but on the whole of Argyll & Bute."
This statement supersedes all other council statements on the matter already issued.
But seeing as the council leader says there "There is no place for censorship in this Council and never will be whilst [he is] leader" before totally replacing the previous disingenuous statement with his own, I'm sure he won't mind me copying them both here in full. I only do that so that we can see how someone in the press departments knee jerk reaction was so poorly letting down the children and end users of school meals provision earlier today.
Argyll and Bute Council censoring 9-year-old creativity
Argyll and Bute council yesterday made a very supportive head teacher in a primary school take one of their nine year old pupils out of class to inform her that she could no longer take photographs of her school dinners and rate them in a fun way with fun facts and blog them. As the blog grew to over 2 million hits since it started in April to feature international school dinners as well.
My friend Andrew (aka Scottish Liberal) wrote this excellent post about it, which explains he take on what she has done from a professional photographer and .
Another Scottish twitter Wings Over Scotland talking to Andrew came up with the idea that every Scottish blogger should blog one of her pictures today.
So while Argyll and Bute council can censor a 9-year-old they can't silence all of the MacBlogosphere
All the best Veg and don't let the heavy handed bureaucrats stop you being creative.
My friend Andrew (aka Scottish Liberal) wrote this excellent post about it, which explains he take on what she has done from a professional photographer and .
Another Scottish twitter Wings Over Scotland talking to Andrew came up with the idea that every Scottish blogger should blog one of her pictures today.
So while Argyll and Bute council can censor a 9-year-old they can't silence all of the MacBlogosphere
Monday, 12 March 2012
1st Amendment Censorship, Texas Abortion Law and Doonesbury Day 1
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
I've watched this weekend anxiously my own political party have a heated debate on a key issue of health reform. Each side was allowed to put its case.
Listening as I often do, through the wonders of the internet, to American radio and TV, or reading their press I know that sometimes that debate is stiffled. Pro-Choice and Pro-Gay messaging is often knocked down, without any balance of the argument from the other side. This from a country that loves to talk up the freedoms granted to their citizens by their bill of rights, which includes the 4th Amendment above.
You see there is a freedom of speech and the press. Yet this week certain parts of the press are using their freedom to stifle one of their syndicated cartoon writers freedom of speech via their publications. Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury strip holds the mirror up to the bi-polar nature of American political thought. Where, you are either for or against something it seems, you cannot see good points of something while objecting to it overall.
This week, the target of the cartoon in the Texas State Abortion Law which now requires women seeking an abortion to visit the abortion clinic twice! The first is 24 hours before the abortion can be carried out is so that a sonogram can be taken of the fetus. The mother can opt out of seeing the images and hearing the heaertbeat, but must listen to the description of the sonogram. There is also at this first visit be advise as to the risks, alternatives etc. before the mother is sent home to sleep on the matter.
It forces the mother who probably already has taken sometime thinking about the decision to even attend for an abortion, to spend another night having been introduced to the fetus and given all the information that she wants. Both the added time penalty and this wait between the actions on day one and the termination are seen as adding emotional strain to women who are already going through all sorts of turmoil.
However, the cartoon which tries to point out the turmoil from the women's perspective has been pulled from it's syndication slot in some papers, or moved from the family to editorial section of others. The reason supporters of this Law give for it is that it serves educational and awareness purposes. I would argue that pulling the Doonesbury cartoon removes the education and awareness from the women's perspective to a lot of America.
If you are reading this and can't find this week's Doonesbury in your paper you will probably be able to find it online at their website. But as a counter to those who want to censor freedom of speech I'll be displaying this week's strips.
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| © 2012 Garry Trudeau , Universal Press Syndicate |
Friday, 27 January 2012
I shall not Tweet 28th January 2012 #TwitterBlackout
Tomorrow I shall not be Tweeting. I believe that will be the first day since I first joined Twitter that I shall be doing this on any of my 5 Twitter accounts.
The reason is that Twitter are talking about allowing countries to reactively censor certain tweets while keeping it available elsewhere in the world.
Remember that Twitter was a powerful tool for the Arab Spring. Remember when people all around the world changed their location to Tehran to help protect the Tweeters from Iran who were starting to stand up to their authoritarian regime. Remember when we retweeted without naming the Iranian Tweeter that we were retweeting to spread the message in the hope that someone, somewhere in Iran would get the actual news rather than what was being broadcast through the state controlled media.
This announcement:
"Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it available in the rest of the world. We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why."
Was seen as a suicide note for the freedom of expression that the Social media application has allowed to flow in many of the recent upheavals around the world. Many see it in terms of Star Wars as Twitter going over to the dark side, not allowing people to use the force it offers for good.
When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait I was in the USSR for the first 2 weeks of that occupation. I did not know that we were at war until I was in Berlin, because at that time the only media I had was state controlled and somewhat supportive of the Iraqi regime.
If there had of been weapons of mass destruction in Iraq at that time, pre-mobile phones I may well have come out of the USSR to find that the UK no longer existed. Unaware of why.
This reaction from Twitter is what the UK Government said they wanted to do during the London riots. Yet some of the Tweets about the riots were from people trying to ensure that people stayed safe, or crying out for help amid the mayhem. So shutting down Tweets in a territory about a certain subject while on one hand may be seen as good can also work for bad when there are people trying to use the same language as agitators for the reverse effect. Who will be the arbiter of such decisions in the heat of the many thousands of Tweets that will undoubtedly be released at a key time that such action as suggested by Twitter will be called on? When did Twitter take on the Big Brother role from 1984?
Twitter are going what Google did in China, before they pulled out when there was outcry that they would bend their principles of openess to gain a foothold in China. Twitter are following the same course.
We the people of Twitter will not let our fellow Twitterati be silenced. To do that all around the world tomorrow thousands of Twitter users will fall voluntarily silent as an act of disgust. Last week to protest against SOPA many of us blacked out our websites tomorrow we will simply stop talking, on Twitter at any rate.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
The New Generation's Radio 1 Ban
Every generation of teenagers needs one. That song that just pushes the boundaries of a Radio one sensitivities just that little too far and ends in a ban. For my generation it was of course Mike Read taking exception to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax. I had one friend at school who ended up buying every single mix of it when they came. Hardly surprising then than the record, which at the time of the ban was heading down the charts went back up to the number one spot, nor that my friend ended up working for MTV for a spell.
So this generation have now got Scott Mills and the song Ass to Ass which features in the fictitious show to find a new member for the band SexxBombz in the E4 drama Skins. Well Mills actually appeared as himself on the show as one of the judges of the show and was going to to play the song on his drive time show when some of the stars guested. But Radio One producers apparently got cold feet.
No doubt the song which is available as a download will now soar up the charts as a result. Some things never change.
If you want you can hear the song and see the lyrics here.
Hat tip to adamdustagheer via Twitter
So this generation have now got Scott Mills and the song Ass to Ass which features in the fictitious show to find a new member for the band SexxBombz in the E4 drama Skins. Well Mills actually appeared as himself on the show as one of the judges of the show and was going to to play the song on his drive time show when some of the stars guested. But Radio One producers apparently got cold feet.
No doubt the song which is available as a download will now soar up the charts as a result. Some things never change.
If you want you can hear the song and see the lyrics here.
Hat tip to adamdustagheer via Twitter
Monday, 12 January 2009
Facebook Join Censorship Over Gaza
Overnight I recieved the following message on Facebook from Abbas Goya creator of the Group A note from Jerusalem -- We need to STOP Israeli assualt NOW!! It looks as if along with the MSM Facebook is trying to hide the world from the facts of what is going on in Gaza at the behest of Israel.
Warning if you follow on the link below you may find it disturbing. However I make no apology for that, this is the reality of what is going on. This is why the assault on Gaza must stop now and not be allowed to escalate further.
Warning if you follow on the link below you may find it disturbing. However I make no apology for that, this is the reality of what is going on. This is why the assault on Gaza must stop now and not be allowed to escalate further.
"Facebook has issued a warning to me relevant to our cause. You might be
interested to know.
"I uploaded and posted a news video clip on my wall, a clip produced by
Reuters - found @ http://www.rowzane.com/0000_2008/e_m12/gaza-1.wmv - displaying the hospital crew taking care of injured children in Gaza. The length of
video was 45 seconds and I appropriately called it "Gaza in 45 seconds".
Facebook considers it a " hateful, threatening, graphic, or that attack an
individual or group", has sent me the following warning asking me to approve
the warning. I request to either provide specific proof as to Facebook
accusing warning OR remove the warning and reinstate the video clip.
"If you too agree that the warning is unjust object it by
sending an email to "Facebook" warning+yf64oz=c@facebookmail.com
"Facebook warning:
"You uploaded a video that was reported for violating Facebook's Terms of
Use. After reviewing the video, we have decided to remove it. Facebook removes
reported videos that are hateful, threatening, graphic, or that attack an
individual or group. We also remove videos that are not of a personal nature,
meaning they were not created by and do not feature either you or your friends.
Continued misuse of Facebook's features could result in your account being
disabled.
"If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit our FAQ page at http://www.facebook.com/help.php?topic=wvideoI acknowledge I
have read this information."
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