Replying to a message of Bob Klahn to Tom Walker:

 TW>> There vare TWO assults i nthe Works right now. One is the
 TW>> So Called and Laughable "Fairness Doctrine", Being pushed
 TW>> by the way by another name but hte result wil be hte same.
 TW>> CENSORSHIP of the opposition.

 BK>  The fairness doctrine was the rule for a very long time, and it
 BK>  did not result in censorship. Reagan repealed the fairness
 BK>  doctrine, and the result has been the censorship of broadcast
 BK>  speech that disagrees with your point of view.

Broadcasters were a lot more civil in those days, too.

 BK>  Give me a list of the liberal broadcasters you can think of. The 
 BK> ones who actually give an opinion on the air. Limbaugh alone 
 BK> probably has more coverage than they do. The public airwaves  belong
 BK> to the public, and the public has the right to hear all  points of
 BK> view, not just the corporate approved point of view.

 TW>> The Second assult is the soon
 TW>> to be created Inbterent Csar. WHO wil have the power in an
 TW>> Emergency, the definition of which is NOT outlined, to
 TW>> Censor(Block) Internet traffic or in some cases TOTALY SHUT
 TW>> DOWN the internet in the United States.

 BK>  I have looked up the "Internet Czar", and find very little on
 BK>  what he will actually do. My kind are the ones who will oppose
 BK>  him if it turns out to be a dictatorial office. And the
 BK>  government already has the power to do everything you say it
 BK>  might. The government runs the internet, whether you realize it
 BK>  or not.

Most folks are blissfully unaware of that last factoid.

Interesting story in the recent Omaha fishwrapper (Tuesday's edition, 6/9).
Seems mainland China will require that *all* computers sold in that country
have security software pre-installed.  Security software that allows the 
government to (a) control what that computer may access and (b) monitor
what that computer - and its user - is doing.  Coming soon to the USA.

Note that the USA is now considered one of the worst nations on the planet WRT
electronic freedom, following only mainland China, North Korea and one or two
other such governments..

--- FleetStreet 1.19+