A Forum for Vigorous Debate, Cornerstone of Democracy

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A FORUM FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND VIGOROUS DEBATE, CORNERSTONES OF DEMOCRACY
[For the journal--guidelines, focus, etc.--go to www.theamericandissident.org. If you have questions, please contact me at todslone@hotmail.com. Comments are NOT moderated (i.e., CENSORED)!]
Encouraged censorship and self-censorship seem to have become popular in America today. Those who censor others, not just self, tend to favor the term "moderate," as opposed to "censor" and "moderation" to "censorship." But that doesn't change what they do. They still act as Little Caesars or Big Brother protectors of the thin-skinned. Democracy, however, demands a tough populace, not so easily offended. On this blog, and to buck the trend of censorship, banning, and ostracizing, comments are NEVER "moderated." Rarely (almost NEVER) do the targets of these blog entries respond in an effort to defend themselves with cogent counter-argumentation. This blog is testimony to how little academics, poets, critics, newspaper editors, cartoonists, political hacks, cultural council apparatchiks, librarians et al appreciate VIGOROUS DEBATE, cornerstone of democracy. Clearly, far too many of them could likely prosper just fine in places like communist China and Cuba or Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Russia, not to mention Sweden, England, and Austria.
ISSUE #47 PUBLISHED MAY 2024. NOW SEEKING SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE #48.

More P. Maudit cartoons (and essays) at Global Free Press: http://www.globalfreepress.org

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Ted Lowry, Enemy of the First Amendment

BILL OF RIGHTS DAY

My neighborhood library, Sturgis Library, disdains the Bill of Rights; in particular, the First Amendment, which accords citizens the right to exercise Freedom of Expression with impunity. As mentioned in a previous post, I was permanently trespassed (June 2012)without due process or warning  because of my written criticism of library policy and egregious hypocrisy.  Below is Sturgis Library's response to my attempt to interest it in the Bill of Rights day.  The photo depicts library trustee Ted Lowry. 

 

From: todslone@hotmail.com
To: sturgislibrary@comcast.net
Subject: Bill of Rights Day
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 12:10:30 -0400


To the Director, Trustees, and Staff, Sturgis Library:
It has been over a year now since your decree to punish my exercise of Freedom of Speech by permanently banning me from visiting your library (i.e., my neighborhood library).  I am requesting a two-hour reprieve so that I may host a Freedom of Speech Day event on September 25th at Sturgis Library.  Surely, you must have some notion, deep within, of the intellectual importance of Freedom of Speech for Western Civilization and America in particular. 
For your information, September 25, 2013, marks 224 years after the passage of the Bill of Rights.  Patriots across America will host events, on that day, and educate the public about how Freedom of Speech is under attack—and what we all can do to protect it.   
You will note that since your decree (and prior to it!), not one of your patrons or staff has been threatened by me.  Recall that public safety was the reason you presented to the trustees regarding your permanent trespass decision. 
Finally, for the sake of basic human honesty, why not adopt a new written policy stipulating that patrons who criticize the library will be permanently trespassed without due process.  At the same time, you should strike out certain policy statements, especially “Libraries should challenge censorship […]” and “should provide materials and information presenting all points of view,” since evidently Sturgis does not. 
You’d asked my neighbor (sarcastically?) how I was doing a couple of months ago.  Well, I am doing quite well, ever decrying injustice, hypocrisy, and left-wing political correctness.  Thank you for your attention and your hopeful approval of my request! 
G. Tod Slone, Ed.
The American Dissident
 
 
 

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