http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20607...5007146,00.html

Basically, that's an opinion piece about how the author thinks that banning of certain books is a blatant attack on Freedom of Speech - despite the ruling that they may encourage "terrorist" activity.

I haven't gone over news.com's archives yet to find an anti-videogame piece, but the moment I do, I'll be the first to call hypocrite.

... i haven't thought this through completely just yet, but i thought I'd throw it out as you guys seem pretty on-the-ball about broader issues.

Feel free to flame.

I think certain ratings for books would be a great idea, especially nationally. I'm rather pissed off that I haven't been able to read American Psycho because it's been banned in Queensland.

I can't belive that they think we need our hands held over any if this shit.

Censorship is a tool of the tryant, are they really trying to protect us or only themselves? Terrorism won't be beat by banning books hell it'll only make those poeple think they were right. Terrorism is an idea and can be had by anyone at anytime over anything.

It's the same with any violence, I think it's funny how some people respond to idea that make them uncomftable, I mean fuck how many times has the bible been cited in murder cases? No ones gonna ban thath book and they shouldn't it'd be wrong to do so.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. -- Thomas Jefferson

That may seem extreme but how so till goverment criticisms are the subject of censorship? I may be paranoid but I can see the world of 1984 just around the corner personally.

A few counter quotes if you will.

A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it.
Oscar Wilde

From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.
Denis Diderot

Every man thinks god is on his side.
Jean Anouilh

Violence and arms can never resolve the problems of men.
Pope John Paul II

Force is all-conquering, but its victories are short-lived.
Abraham Lincoln

Are bombs the only way of setting fire to the spirit of a people? Is the human will as inert as the past two world-wide wars would indicate?
Gregory Clark


Force always attracts men of low morality.
Albert Einstein

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
Alexis de Tocqueville

To kill a man is not to defend a doctrine, but to kill a man.
Michael Servetus

Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.
Lao Tzu

Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't.
Mark Twain

Dulce bellum inexpertis (War is delightful to the inexperienced).
Erasmus, the 16th-century scholar

Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.
Issac Asimov

I hope....that mankind will at length, as they call themselves responsible creatures, have the reason and sense enough to settle their differences without cutting throats...
Benjamin Franklin

Now this is not to say that Censorship is always a good thing, just that it better to have sometype of protection in place against that which is nothing more then tasteless and after the shock value that it would get for doing something pointless.

Now yes, the system in Australia is not the best in the world. But that is the blame of the review board, not the OFLC.

"Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't."
Mark Twain

I'll admit my call to violense was unnesescary, but up there see the bit "Each man" I have no prblem with classifacation and I know it is the review board that bans most things, I just don't think it shoud be possible to ban any book.

The only Media I can think of that should be banned is snuff films.