I think it's simply stunning...in a one-two punch for faux morality, the Australian government, working with Christian groups is seeking to spend $189 million on efforts to block pornography, including filtering all traffic, and also to begin jailing people who possess more than five pornographic movies.
More details are here: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070814-australia-to-spend-189-million-on-anti-porn-initiative.html
The justification for all of this activity is that "Children Are Sacred", which is the same shitty excuse given here in the US when they want to start clamping down on free speech. "WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?????"
Yes, those of use who are rational have thought about the children, and we've realized that it's not our job to raise your kids, it's your job. Just like it's my job to raise my own children. We encourage you to stop protesting at abortion clinics and gay clubs, to stop trying to convert gay people to straight, to stop bombing people you don't agree with (or supporting the terrorists out there who bomb in your name), and go the hell home and leave us to our lives.
Also, we, the rational and informed, know that by now, filtering doesn't work. Even the DOJ has gotten around to unsticking its head from its ass and saying "FILTERING DOESN'T WORK". Hey look, here's an article from 10 years ago that talks about why filtering doesn't work.
In a world where there are real dangers, and real problems, that a government could spend money on, if it really wanted to, this expenditure of $189 million is wasteful folly writ large.
Even more troubling, it points to a continued encroachment of the government into its citizen's lives. It shows a deep willingness on the part of the Australian government to police the private lives of people who aren't hurting anyone (except maybe themselves - mind the chafing).
Yes yes, I hear your common refrain of "It can't happen here". Ah, but it is, slowly. The government is right now proclaiming under the banner of "Protecting Our Children" touts its increase in fighting obscenity.
The government is seeking to increase its fight on obscenity, whatever that might be. How long until the American Conservative Christian movement takes note of the efforts of their brethren in Australia and seek the same here?
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