Re: personal invective

[anthonyr]

Damn it, sonic5!

I just spent the better part of the evening trying to say EXACTLY the
same thing you just did, but you did it so much better, and quicker! I
COMPLETELY agree with all you said (and with what jEdD said). One would
think that people who like Patti Smith, who herself has been very
offensive in interviews and on stage, could cut Ed some slack here. I've
heard Patti call people schmucks, but that's apparently okay. Your
explanation of free speech as it relates to what's been happening here
should be read over and over until it sinks in.

And..yet... on the other hand, Alison makes an excellent point that Mary
was trying to make about the *responsibilities* that people should have
toward this right of free speech. Isn't it equally important for people
to be civil and courteous to one another when communicating their views?
How does one reconcile a strong belief in free speech with an equally
strong urge to unsub people who refuse to be nice to others? How does
once teach civility to people who don't understand the concept? Okay, so
maybe the true "Punk" response to this is: "Fuck Civility!", in which
case, everybody duck! The shit's going to be flying here for a long
time. JBolt, TonyR, and Ed are all true Punks with this definition in
mind.

You mention the ACLU's support of the KKK. Good example, but BAD
example, too. See, I would LOVE to see them all HUNG from the same trees
they used to hang blacks from! En masse. All at once, kill them all! No
trial, no defense, no mercy. How can I free myself from this urge???? Or
should I free myself of this urge? Can I have this urge and still
believe in free speech? My emotional response to this is that if the KKK
have the right to free speech, then free speech isn't what it's cracked
up to be. How will we ever live in a better world (and that would not be
a "Punk" world--see last paragraph; I'd much rather see a "Hippie"
world) when sick people like them (and the Religious Right, et.al.)
continue to spew their evil hate. What's a mother to do? Help!
(Personally, I would like to give Free Speech only to those who prove
they can handle it. Prove to me, that is.)

Confused in NYC,
anthonyr