Thought that I would dive head-first into a topic that has just raised it ugly head in the past week... Censorship. Particularly in reference to Google and its agreement with China to block content that the Communist Government feels is objectional. Specifically China wants references to democracy and freedoms like Speech, Press, and Redressing grievances filtered out when its citizens are searching within Google.
This has sparked an outcry in this country that Google has committed the most heinous of crimes by aiding Communist China in suppressing their own people and their people's desire to be free. Google's own motto, "Do No Evil", seems to be coming back to bite them in the ass, as I would, at first, agree with the sentiment that this just seems wrong somehow. But that's another issue and not what this post is about. What is it about you ask?????
Here's the Rant....
Where's the outcry over the EXACT SAME THING happening in this country? Why is it that when a company works with another country and "Censors" material we find people crying FOUL but nobody cries that loud when it happens in our own country or is even mentioned here.
We have far right conservatives that speak daily about what a terrible country this is becoming and it's all because of the "Stuff" they find offensive. These people name things like violence and sex as the root causes of the downfall of this great nation and feel that all references pointing to these items should be removed from our collective consciencenesses (is that a word?) whether it be in books, on television or radio, or posted online. Censorship at its best at work.
The shoe is, however, on the other foot when the censoring is being done by people we don't like (or don't care for but do business with). Is there a difference between when China sees blogs about freedom and democracy and feel threatened by the fact that they might lose their grip on the country and when United States Citizens, be they Conservative Christian broadcasters or Liberal NAACP members, feel threatened that television, Internet, and music are causing them to lose their grip on our country? Not really.
Now some will say that there's a difference between the US and China. We are a free-thinking (ahem) country and China is a totalitarian Communist regime. We only want to protect our children from harm and China, well, they want to protect their power. All of this may be true, but when you break it down, there's no difference really. Censorship is Censorship, no matter what form it takes.
And then there the issue of doing business with China. What is Google supposed to do? Does Wal-Mart get "boycotted" over their use of cheap labor in China or do we REALLY love our cheap clothes and electronics? Did anyone notice that "back in the day" Silver Dollar City used to proudly tell guests that once you got inside the part all items were Made in the USA, but have since move all but the most expensive of items to made in (insert favorite 3rd world country here)? (I know this because I worked the "back in the day") Google is a content provider and in order to do service in China, the company did what it had to do.... Just like Wal-Mart does what it has to do to offer that $15 VCR or $5 shirt. Just like SDC did when it got too expensive for their bottom line to buy all crafts Made in the USA.
I'm not offering any answers to whether or not Google was right in what they did. I'm just pointing out that I find the hypocrisy interesting since we seem to forget that we Censor, or attempt to Censor, in this country all the time.
Let the Flames begin..... Bryan
This has sparked an outcry in this country that Google has committed the most heinous of crimes by aiding Communist China in suppressing their own people and their people's desire to be free. Google's own motto, "Do No Evil", seems to be coming back to bite them in the ass, as I would, at first, agree with the sentiment that this just seems wrong somehow. But that's another issue and not what this post is about. What is it about you ask?????
Here's the Rant....
Where's the outcry over the EXACT SAME THING happening in this country? Why is it that when a company works with another country and "Censors" material we find people crying FOUL but nobody cries that loud when it happens in our own country or is even mentioned here.
We have far right conservatives that speak daily about what a terrible country this is becoming and it's all because of the "Stuff" they find offensive. These people name things like violence and sex as the root causes of the downfall of this great nation and feel that all references pointing to these items should be removed from our collective consciencenesses (is that a word?) whether it be in books, on television or radio, or posted online. Censorship at its best at work.
The shoe is, however, on the other foot when the censoring is being done by people we don't like (or don't care for but do business with). Is there a difference between when China sees blogs about freedom and democracy and feel threatened by the fact that they might lose their grip on the country and when United States Citizens, be they Conservative Christian broadcasters or Liberal NAACP members, feel threatened that television, Internet, and music are causing them to lose their grip on our country? Not really.
Now some will say that there's a difference between the US and China. We are a free-thinking (ahem) country and China is a totalitarian Communist regime. We only want to protect our children from harm and China, well, they want to protect their power. All of this may be true, but when you break it down, there's no difference really. Censorship is Censorship, no matter what form it takes.
And then there the issue of doing business with China. What is Google supposed to do? Does Wal-Mart get "boycotted" over their use of cheap labor in China or do we REALLY love our cheap clothes and electronics? Did anyone notice that "back in the day" Silver Dollar City used to proudly tell guests that once you got inside the part all items were Made in the USA, but have since move all but the most expensive of items to made in (insert favorite 3rd world country here)? (I know this because I worked the "back in the day") Google is a content provider and in order to do service in China, the company did what it had to do.... Just like Wal-Mart does what it has to do to offer that $15 VCR or $5 shirt. Just like SDC did when it got too expensive for their bottom line to buy all crafts Made in the USA.
I'm not offering any answers to whether or not Google was right in what they did. I'm just pointing out that I find the hypocrisy interesting since we seem to forget that we Censor, or attempt to Censor, in this country all the time.
Let the Flames begin..... Bryan
Comments
a very good thought provoking blog. I kept looking for the part I could take you to task on but I did not find it. I believe that there is an appropriate place for censorship- after school tv programs but over all I agree with you.