From: TruthMonger <tm@dev.null>
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 10:24:13 +0800
To: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Subject: Re: "Lynch mob mentality" at Senate violent music hearing
In-Reply-To: <v03007807b08e992878f7@[168.161.105.216]>
Message-ID: <3468FF84.32D4@dev.null>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Declan McCullagh wrote:
> [Forwarded with permission. --Declan]
 
> Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 11:53:02 -0500
> From: Nina Crowley <crowleyn@ultranet.com>
> Subject: Senate hearing summary
> 
>                 Senate Subcommittee Hearing
> 
> Senator Sam Brownback's subcommittee hearing on the possible effect of
> music violence on society was a major disaster for music and freedom of
> expression.
> 
> The hearing, held on Nov.6, for 2 hours, had a very restricted list of
> speakers.  For the two weeks previous to the hearing I and many others
> applied to testify and were denied.  Brownback's staff member in charge of
> overseeing the panels was Cherie Harder.  (Ms. Harder appeared in the Oct.
> 19 MTV special "Fight for the Right" representing  Empower America.)  Ms.
> Harder was doggedly dedicated to preserving the short and biased list of
> speakers, refusing to consider additional speakers or an extended hearing
> time allotment.

  This illustrates *exactly* why maintaining freedom from censorship
on the InterNet is vitally important to help preserve what is left of
democracy in America.
  No matter what stance you take on this or that issue, one of the chief
underlying issues of democracy is the opportunity to have your voice
heard, or be heard via a balanced mix of representative voices.

  The citizen's right to _participate_ in democracy is denied even when
those who oppose them have their voices stifled.
  The strong shout out and/or silence the weak in the Halls of Power 
in America, and what is reported to the citizens by the mainstream
media is a dilution of this already aldulterated product of our
power-mongering politicians.

  None of us is likely to hear a desciption or report on this meeting
that is as accurate or comprehensive as that provided by Nina Crowley,
via Declan McCullagh, in the media's thirty second sound-bytes.
  Even more in-depth portrayals of the proceedings by the media still
inevitably reflect what those in power have put in the public media 
display-case. Those in power use manipulation, secrecy, and 'National
Security' to keep the citizens from learning the proverbial 'rest of
the story' long enough for them to retire with their reputations 
and their fortunes intact.
  Last week came the 'news' that Richard Nixon was an active and
knowing participant in the Watergate crimes. _News_? Give me a
break.

  The reality is that the InterNet is a media which currently allows
us to listen to the voices that were stifled by the power-mongers,
if we choose to do so. As well, we can listen to another voice in
a following post that explains why Nina Crowley is a drug-dealing,
terrorist pedophile.
  No doubt there are those ready and willing to 'save' us all from
Ms. Crowley's erronious facts/opinions, as well as those who are
equally ready and willing to 'save' us from those of her detractors.
  If we allow our 'saviours' to throw as many concrete lifesavers
to us on the InterNet as we have allowed those in government and 
society to do, to date, it won't be long until there is nothing
left to save.

  The 'Tree of Liberty' has a lot of branches, and I, for one, do
not plan to hang alone. I've got a rope, too...

TruthMonger