Re your post which included; "... I can't beleive how anybody could stand up and proudly support their rights being eroded, allowing some one else to dictate to them and their children what they can and cannot read. ..." ... "... Media Reporters since time began have always looked for the sensational story, to sell an extra newpaper, some have acted in an unlawful way to snare that story, that is no reason to gag us all. Give us a break!"
IMO we are fortunate to have forums such as HC where we can exchange robust views. My posts may be censored from the likes of Bolt's Blog but they are published herein.
IMO we do not have the right to invade privacy, nor should we. Nor do we have the right to defame, to maliciously misrepresent, to inflame & demonise, to racially villify, to opportunistically exploit or to harrass.
IMO such behaviours are in fact the abuse of our rights & to the extent that the media does so, that represents an abuse of the power of the media in our society.
IMO media dictation of what we can & cannot read is in fact the real problem & threat to our society. Our highly concentrated media ownership provides us with highly selective information coloured by the views of its journalists & editors. The outrageous early reports ascribing Jihad origins to the slaughter in Oslo is one such case in point - irresponsible & disgusting abuse of power by the media!
Exactly the distortion of democracy & threat to society that people including me are screaming about!
As to gagging us all [I gather you meant by that reporters] & allowing you to act unlawfully, IMO if you run the gauntlet of criminal behaviour expect society to hold you to account. No-one has the right to be above our laws. Although some in the media appear to be pumped up by a sense of their own self-importance they are not Gods who sit above our laws, not even Rupert Murdoch.
IMO participating in a democracy is about exercising your rights while accepting your responsibilities & being accountable for your actions. Exercising your rights irresponsibly is abusing your right to free speech, for which you should be held to account!
