One of the trademarks of the Soviet Empire was their tendency to shut down free speech. The communists like the Nazis liked to eliminate dialogue that spouted opinion that differed from the party line. After ascending to power, Hitler made joinig any party besides the Nazi party illegal.
Stalin killed people that he thought were a threat to his power. The communist Chinese are currently exploring ways to regulate and censor the internet, so no 'harmful' information could be displayed.
In the current communist regime, this blogging website would not be allowed. In fact, as part of the crackdown, the Chinese goverment is getting rid of blogs that they find to be offensive.
Once upon a time there were two more buddies on my list. One was the Redneckhunter, and the other was USA, who I personaly know.
Progressiveu saw it fit to remove them from the website in an act of wanton censorship. Is this progressive, or is this something a commie would do?
THe Redneckhunter could be a little angry at times, but many users answered back with equal ire. What blog was so evil that he was removed I will never know, however, some authors on this website resort to porn, which is easily more offensive than anything the hunter ever said.
USA once wrote a rather vulgar post concerning homosexuals, however it was removed, and rightfully so. But his dismissal occured much later than that, and for what reasons I shall never know. He would occasionaly engage in verbal wars, but politics is a dirty game, and only a fool would expect it to be free from mudslinging.
It's interesting how progressives always preach tolerance, yet they cannot tolerate views different from their own, albeit one that can be somewhat inflamatory. USA may have thought that certain users on this website are fools (and he was fight in thinking that), but what is wrogn with illuminating the truth?
Did he really say anything more offensive than we here everyday on TV? His posts were not salacious (except for the one that was removed), so I can only conclude that his views must have been offensive. After all, weren't we told when we were little, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
Oh well, the reds are everywhere. In case Ransom is removed as a result of this enlightening post, I will be back as another CS Lewis character.
Au Revoir.
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I enjoyed reading your blog. However, once you get into Progressive U, you agree to the terms of not offending anyone, one of your friends did.
Truth tends to offend those who believe in lies. This is unavoidable.
what i have to say about communism: damn the man! half my family lived under communist russia and i would never be in contact with them now if the regime didnt end.
peace
this is my music for change: http://www.purevolume.com/rosie
ProgressiveU has a right to exercise its own standards, just like FreeRepublic or anyone else has a right to exercise theirs. That may be "censorship" of a sort, but it is definitely not Communism.
Stalin and Hitler were mass murderers who required that everyone in their country profess agreement with everything they said. Therefore, privately-run websites should not require that ideas be presented respectfully and reasonably.
I'll respectfully disagree.
"USA once wrote a rather vulgar post concerning homosexuals, however it was removed, and rightfully so. But his dismissal occured much later than that, and for what reasons I shall never know. He would occasionaly engage in verbal wars, but politics is a dirty game, and only a fool would expect it to be free from mudslinging.
It's interesting how progressives always preach tolerance, yet they cannot tolerate views different from their own, albeit one that can be somewhat inflamatory. USA may have thought that certain users on this website are fools (and he was fight in thinking that), but what is wrogn with illuminating the truth?"
ProgressiveU is not intended to be a place for bullying or "verbal wars"--it's a place for reasonable discussion. I've been debating back and forth with one user on someone else's thread for three days, but we don't use ad hominem, we don't attack each other personally. He's an anarchist. I'm a green socialist. That's about as different as it gets on here, but our arguments are based on reasonable analysis heavily concerned with truth. I personally wouldn't describe anarchy as progressive, but his arguments are at least conducive to discussion.
In practice it seems perfectly acceptable here to advocate ending welfare programs, or to oppose abortion, or to support theocracy, or most anything liberal or conservative, as long as you're respectful and debate reasonably.
Flame wars are for MySpace high-school-group forums. Mudslinging and personal attacks may be the "political" norm, but they aren't progressive.
As an interesting note, the irrational comparison of a government ban on free speech in Russia and China (based not on the socialist economic system, but on the authoritarian political system) to a *private* organization requiring members to debate respectfully is a perfect example of the kind of reasoning I'm talking about.
"I personally wouldn't describe anarchy as progressive, but his arguments are at least conducive to discussion."
Now, I'm not anarchist by any means, but someone who promotes anarchy is progressive assuming the society in which they're promoting it is not an anarchy. You or I might not see anarchy as "improvement" but in the minds of anarchists they are promoting change for the better. I think the word progressive has become too closely attached with liberal or socialist causes.
To briefly comment on your post as a whole, this site isn't for mudslinging for sure, but there have certainly been cases of them censoring folks who follow their terms of use, but let things that violate the very same terms of use slide by. I don't know Ransom's friends or what they posted so I will not vouch for them in any way, but I've personally felt the sting of the site administration's hypocrisy.
-Tim
"It costs nothing to be honest, loyal, and true." -Avett Bros.
I'll agree that site admin has its biases as everyone does, but this article explicitly stated that mudslinging was acceptable because it was common. However, I don't think they so much nail conservatives who follow the rules as ignore most liberals who break them. It's still bad, of course. Few things annoy me more than people who agree with me but can't explain why without involving an insult or a sad poem.
"someone who promotes anarchy is progressive assuming the society in which they're promoting it is not an anarchy."
"Different than now" isn't the same as "progress." Anarchy is the state that society started with and the creation of government was a step forward. Transforming an ordered society into anarchy is a striking-down of all progress made in the area of law and order made since the dawn of civilization. Progress toward backwardness is regression. "Backward progress" is kind of like "being good at losing at chess"--it's called something else because it is something else. However, there's clearly debate on that. Obviously an anarchist considers anarchy progress for one reason or another. I don't think that left-style large government is the only progressive path--some conservative plans, like school vouchers (which I support) and other programs that give citizens individual options are progressive and yet reduce the government's power. They're progressive because they (are at least intended to) produce a more helpful government than has existed in the past, instead of just retreating to a previous point in history with all of its proven shortcomings.
"Transforming an ordered society into anarchy is a striking-down of all progress made in the area of law and order made since the dawn of civilization. Progress toward backwardness is regression"
Ah, but that's assuming that government was progression in the first place. I would argue that it is, but that wouldn't be the viewpoint of an anarchist.
I also doubt that at the dawn of civilization anyone really lived in an anarchy. Even at the most basic of tribal systems there are those who dominate over others. In a true anarchy, it would be on the honor of each person to respect everyone else's right, and to come together as volunteers when any group action was needed. It's far too idealistic to work (ala communism) but it could still be considered progressive. Especially since the only way for it to truly be effective would be for humans to reach a "higher level" of which they can respect the rights of all others.
Just for reference purposes I'm a libertarian, so I'm more for small government. But I'm what I like to refer to as a "realistic libertarian." I realize that ideals of the party could not merely be implemented and work tomorrow. We need to work with the way society is now and make gradual changes.
-Tim
"It costs nothing to be honest, loyal, and true." -Avett Bros.
Don't forget the statement that started this conversation--"I personally wouldn't describe anarchy as progressive." I said that based on the idea that government is an advanced institution. Genetically, all government as essentially an extension of primitive power struggles and that an ideal state of peace would be the elimination of these struggles. Theoretical communism and theoretical anarchism both share that ideal. If either could be enacted (a peaceful, responsible communist or anarchist system in which people worked hard without mistreating one another), then and only then would they be progressive, rather than animalistic theaters of power.
However, the human species is never going to evolve beyond a desire for individual success and power, because it isn't conducive to individual survival unless everyone does it at once. Therefore, to support either system at any time in the real world, no matter how far out, is to support a situation in which man's hunger for power is inevitably abstracted, either in the form of government or in the form of private business.
He does not deny that people's greed would cause problems, but rather discusses cycles of small-scale violence and greed-induced economic collapse as acceptable and reliable equalizers. That is precisely the base state at which humanity started.
Progressive or not, it is my belief that you can say and do whatever you want, but there are consequences that follow. You can offend someone, but then you also have to realize the implications of your words and actions. The responsibility of saying what you want and doing what you please can come at a high price in regards to people. You have to understand the outcomes related to your actions and words to be a true progressive.
- Challenge yourself everyday, if you don't then it is a wasted day.
www.scoutbanana.org
I understand the general idea you're trying to get across, but by those standards no government has ever limited free speech.
You can say whatever you want, but we'll kill you. Just a consequence of your action, sorry.
"You have to understand the outcomes related to your actions and words to be a true progressive."
To be a true progressive you must simply want and promote change for improvement.
-Tim
"It costs nothing to be honest, loyal, and true." -Avett Bros.
I have not been on this site long enough to have seen this occur here, but I have seen similar behavior in other places. The people banned for supposed violations are ALWAYS the conservatives and Christians, while the most vicious liberals are allowed free reign. I was personally banned from one forum, when I quoted a very insulting passage by another member, and complained to the moderators that it was insulting and inflammatory, and a very personal attack against several members. I had said nothing at all out of line, and even asked them to produce one offensive comment of mine (they ignored these requests). In the end, I actually threatened a discrimination lawsuit to get back into the site. I knew several other people, whose posts I read regularly, that had the same thing happen to them. None of us used any profanity, nor did we attack anyone personally, nor did we in any way violate the stated guidelines of that forum. The simple fact was that it was a liberal-run forum, and they censored those that disagreed.
Thus far, I have not seen this here, and hope that it does not occur. I have noticed some rather vulgar comments that have been allowed to remain, and wonder why they are still available.
perhaps only the ones you know of. be careful not to use the word ALWAYS.
Tolerance, For one, has nothing to do with opinions.
Why?
becasue opinions, if they are to be even accpeted, need to be based upon reason and truth. They have to have a valid grounding. But often, when someone disagress, it is becasue they disagree with the founding truth at hand. It would be contradictory to have a "tolerance" for what one thought was lie.
I do NOT have a tolerance for opinions like yours. or attitudes liek yours. i think your an idiot who knows no more reason than di the cro-magnons. However, i being a supporter of free-speech, allow you to babbel on with nonsense becasue i do not believe in force. Maybe this is a kind of tolerance. But NOT WHERE should it be thought that Tolerance means "respecting opinions". That phrase itself is rather misused and filled with holes.
I am not even going to get into why your wrong about "the reds" as your lovely rhetoric calls them.
"Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies."
---Nietzche
R. Sam Chaney
Socialism a halfway house to Communism..
yes..well i've thought for a long time that the U.s. was creeping closer and closer to Communism..in lots of ways...
and i agree with you.. but now its gotten to the point where homosexuals get special treatment..if a homosexual is attacked..its a hate crime..regardless..THATS CRAZY..and you can't even say anything offensive..you'll be fined or arrested or something..so yeah..i see why that person might be deleted... they had different views..
just wondering..im a christian..and we get just as much crap as gays...so if someone attacks me..is it a Hate crime..or if they insult me..will they be punished..will i get prefriential treatment in the workplace..HECK NO...yep this place is leaning closer and closer to communism..the gov. is getting closer and closer to absolute control..and the more we rely on the government..the closer we get...
This is NOT communism. Homosexuals etc. are in the minority, thus different treatment given to them is considered prejudice and hate crime. as a christian in america, you are in no way a minority-quite the opposite. no one lynches someone for being christian, and ive never heard a homosexual get preferential treatment in the workplace. just because your life sucks dont take it out on minorities.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
ditto to what violinkeri said. you have to remember that communism is equal treatment of everyone no matter how much you put in. so actually, "special treatment" as you so put it(which i dont know where you got that from) would be the opposite of communism.
Don't worry Ransom, posts like this won't get you banned from the site (you didn't think you'd get us out of your life that easily, did you?). In fact, we are very open to criticism.
And Redneckhunter is still an active member. He requested that his old account be deleted, and created a new one to protect his identity.
...which is somethimg he vocally broadcast himself numerous times if you actually bothered to read anything he actually wrote. He spent weeks telling everybody who'd listen that he was going to do this, then he did and came back as ChevyBoy or some such handle.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
In America we do not need you liberal communists ruining our country. I am a Catholic, and we are persecuted. When was the last time a gay was lynched? Our beliefs our constantly persecuted by liberals who do not believe in God, and who want to take him out of our country. How can you say that christians are not persecuted by people who don't want to have any morals in their life.
You seriously think christians are persecuted???? there IS a distinct difference between criticism and persecution. ive never seen an anti-christianity rally or heard of a student being beat up or killed for believing in Christ. Just because someone isnt christian doesnt mean they dont have values, and you saying that makes you very closeminded.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
"When was the last time a gay was lynched?"
Here's a murder of a 72-year-old gay man and an assault on a 21-year-old lesbian that happened last month.
And an assault on a gay singer last June for which a sentence was just issued.
A gay Norwegian doctor found dismembered three days ago.
And a gay man stabbed over 20 times a week and a half or so ago.
Also, here is an FBI factsheet showing that in 2005, US hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation were almost as numerous as those motivated by all religions combined, but with twice as many distinct offenders.
Catholics are not high on that list.
Wanting to keep religion out of the GOVERNMENT is not the same as wanting to take "god" out of the country. You have every right to practice your religion, but our founders were quite specific in their determination to ensure that the GOVERNMENT in this country did not establish a prefernce for one religion over another.
As often happens, I am reminded of the words of Thomas Jefferson...
"Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting "Jesus Christ," so that it would read "A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;" the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination." ~ Thomas Jefferson, Autobiography.
It is my opinion that what is ruining "our" country is ignorant attitudes of intolerance that are contrary to the most basic principles of our Constitutional Republic. While it is probably a novel concept to you, the word "our" means "yours AND mine." We would all get along better, I think, if you figured that out.
percivale
"Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil."-C.S. Lewis
When was the last time a Catholic was lynched?
If God exists, he is more than capable of dealing with the threat from us scary liberals. He doesn't need a bunch of rednecks living in the 12th Century to fight his battles. So why do you do it?
Just because a gay guy was murdered does not mean that he was killed because he was gay. People are murdered all the time, and you could only name three gays killed. There are always crazy people out there that go around killing people, but that doesn't mean that gays are persecuted by everyone.
Catholics have been persecuted since the founding of America. The KKK was originally founded as an anti-catholic organization.
And Miss violinkeri, I never said that you didn't have morals, unless you are feeling guilty about something. Also, I said christians are constantly persecuted by people who don't have morals, i.e liberals.
The fact remains, liberals HAte God.
..and the KKK were all Liberals were they? Funny, coz I could have sworn they were all staunch conservatives, and correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't they also Christians?
"christians are constantly persecuted by people who don't have morals, i.e liberals."
Um, no, more like other conservative Christians.
"The fact remains, liberals HAte God."
No, they generally just hate the way conservatives hijack the notion of God and use it to justify their murderous ways.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
Liberals do not hate God. I do not hate God. You saying that is a prejudiced, ignorant, bigoted blanket statement. Did you even look at that FBI factsheet?? Do you think that authority just sees Oh well he was gay that must be why he died?? Do you completely discount their investigations?
And by the way, I did a little research about your KKK reference, I will lend you that, but the KKK was founded in the 1860's against Republicans, both black and white. Hm, surprisingly not catholics. Do your research next time. Also, amongst anti-catholicism were also listed white supremacy, racism, antisemitism, and HOMOPHOBIA. So in fact, you grouped yourself with homosexuals and I will bet anything that they committed hate crimes against just as many, if not more gays than catholics.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
Liberals do in fact hate God. Liberals are communists, communists believe in a Godless country. Once again, this leads to where your research actually came from. Just because you read somthing that my baby brother could have posted does not mean that it is true
Okay, yeah, your brother could have posted it, but if it was false it would be gone by now--they have moderators too.
Let's talk not research then. I consider myself liberal--pro-choice, anti-Bush, pro-gay-rights. I also belive very much in the democratic society we as Americans hold so dear. AND i was baptized ukrainian orthodox, raised UCC. Believe in God, by no means hate him.
Try to fit that in your blanket statement.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
Liberals are not communists. And wanting a country that is not based on God is not a bad thing. It prevents the persecution of people who don't believe in God or don't follow every one of God's commandments.
Besides, I'm willing to be a number of liberals are atheists, and they can't hate God... they don't believe He exists.
~C
Visit my blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/mvenus929
Read the news: www.progressiveu.org/news
If you hate everything God stands for....you hate God, whether or not you believe he exists.
Q.E.D.
Ten Commandments:
1. "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me..."
I'm Christian, but liberal. Score 1: ME.
2. "Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above..."
Don't worship an idol. Score 2:ME.
3. "Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
Okay, everyone misses this one sometimes, Liberal or Conservative, and DO NOT try to tell me otherwise.
4. "Remember [zachor] the Sabbath day and keep it holy" (the version in Deuteronomy reads shamor, "observe")
Okay, I don't go to church every Sunday. That doesn't mean I do not observe the fact that it is a holy day.
5. "Honor your father and your mother..."
Done. For me this reads father and stepmother, because my mother abandoned me when i was very young, but thats a whole new can of worms. Score 3: ME.
6. "Do not murder"
Well, duh. Score 4: ME.
7. "Do not commit adultery."
I am not married, and therefore cannot commit adultery. I'll bet there were conservative PRESIDENTS who were unfaithful, let alone citizens, liberal or conservative. Score 5: ME.
8. "Do not steal."
There we go, against the law, I don't do it. Score 6: ME.
9. "Do not bear false witness against your neighbor"
I haven't lied since I was a child, and all children lie to a degree.
10. "Do not covet your neighbor's house"
I like my house fine, thank you very much. I dont want someone else's, I want my own. In fact though, isn't wanted what you don't have what keeps capitalism running??? score: I WIN.
So, being liberal does NOT mean hating God and everything he stands for. Wasn't it God who sent these commandments down as guidelines for life, according to the bible? So, if YOU believe in God you cannot also believe that I hate God--your ideas conflict.
I think you should leave the judging up to Him, instead.
Hug a musician, they never get to dance.
"If you hate everything God stands for....you hate God, whether or not you believe he exists."
What if you just hate a whole bunch of made-up shit that self-serving Chirstians claim God stands for without providing a shred of proof to validate their claims?
To quote Marilyn Manson, "I never said I hated the one true God, just the God of the people I hate".
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
Lighten up. You are seeing things too negatively. The people here that post comments to your blog could just ignore you and not honor you with their comments.
Everyone here is really very interesting and stimulating. Did you want some dull, boring discussion on religion? That is something you could expect to get in church on a Sunday morning or a Bible-study course.
The people here are all very intelligent and opinionated(we have a right). People aren't going to always welcome opposing views with a red(no pun intended) carpet.
You can get bitter or better from the folks here; don't write them off. Swallow that pride and keep on blogging.
"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool."
Lord Chesterfield
"The doors of wisdom are never shut."
Benjamin Franklin
I admire your courage to get in the boxing ring with the atheists, agnostics, etc., here on pu, but I think they will only tolerate listening to so much from us fundamentalist fanatics before they knock us out of the ring for good.
The devil isn't gonna roll out the red carpet for people like us, you know. Don't be shocked when it turns out he's got a lynch mob waiting for anyone who dares to talk about his or her Christian beliefs.
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal...
Saturate it in prayer first. And be prepared to pay big-time for what you're doing bc satan will launch an all-out war with you on a personal level now. Put in some major prayer-requests bf you dive into enemy territory like this. I've had a serious battle on my hands after coming here and it wasn't with the people here who didn't like me, it was with satan himself. Major spiritual oppression/depression and other attacks.
"Put your faith completely in Jesus Christ, not in any man or any movement."
~ Robert L. Sumner
Ransom has been here for 2 contests and hasn't been chased away yet. In fact, we usually have some interesting conversations with him. Maybe you should follow his example rather than giving advice of your own.
~C
Visit my blog: www.progressiveu.org/blog/mvenus929
Read the news: www.progressiveu.org/news
WTF???
"In seeking wisdom thou art wise; in imagining that thou hast attained it - thou art a fool."
Lord Chesterfield
"The doors of wisdom are never shut."
Benjamin Franklin
"Don't be shocked when it turns out he's got a lynch mob waiting for anyone who dares to talk about his or her Christian beliefs."
I think a lynch mob would be a little too Christian a gathering now don't you? Let's not forgot who was burning and hanging who now shall we?
"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal...
Saturate it in prayer first. And be prepared to pay big-time for what you're doing bc satan will launch an all-out war with you on a personal level now. Put in some major prayer-requests bf you dive into enemy territory like this. I've had a serious battle on my hands after coming here and it wasn't with the people here who didn't like me, it was with satan himself. Major spiritual oppression/depression and other attacks."
That is awesome, in the true meaning of the word, that is simply awesome. That is truly spectacular, reading that has made me grin ear to ear....Mental
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
Do not insult what you don't know. Farewell commy bastard.
The one in the tin is Shynola fella.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
Shouldnt you be in Russia or China by now?
Wrong decade fella.
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I am the people my mother warned me about.
Not for China fella
If favoring a lack of religion in government makes me a communist, great, I'm a communist. I'm not disturbed by that, however, since the redefinition empties the word "communist" of any negative meaning.