Free Speech Contest Support Thread

[impressive]

So I guess that means that I support Lit's infringement on the right to free expression; which means I support censorship; which means I'm against free speech.

Bollocks!

Freedom of speech is a government construct -- not a business one. We have very few "rights" to anything from a private entity unless that entity receives government funds.

Our participation here is voluntary and the conditions of that participation are that we abide by the rules. But I suppose the same could be said of citizenship, to some extent.

Anyway, doc, I thought you had THE best fodder for this essay with your recent publishing saga. That type of censorship is insidious and hard as hell to fight.

 

[dreampilot79]

I'm still waiting for my second entry to be posted. Nearly a week now.

Entry 3 is 230 words short of the minimum 750 words and I'm not sure it is worth expanding. It has a simple premise which could be stated in 100 words. 750 is laboring the point.

Og

Og.. me too.. think I need to re-submit with a new title.....

 

[dreampilot79]

--Literotica is not a free speech site. There are subjects we simply cannot write about in our stories, namely under-age sex, bestiality, scat, snuff, and gratuitous violence.

Personally, I don’t have much of a problem with these rules, although there have been times when the age prohibition made me change or self-censor what I was writing. No matter how you slice it, though, Literotica is infringing on my right of free speech with these prohibitions.

---dr.M.

Methinks you have hit upon the reason that mine isn't posted. The title was Support Your Local Pedophile....

My point is that you have free speech or you have limits. Either you support ALL forms of free speech or all adult fiction (erotica) becomes just a privledge. I find the idea of kiddie porn and pedophilia abhorant ... but either I have to stick up for them.... or..... someone gets to decide what is allowable.

 

[sophia jane]

Methinks you have hit upon the reason that mine isn't posted. The title was Support Your Local Pedophile....

My point is that you have free speech or you have limits. Either you support ALL forms of free speech or all adult fiction (erotica) becomes just a privledge. I find the idea of kiddie porn and pedophilia abhorant ... but either I have to stick up for them.... or..... someone gets to decide what is allowable.

I'm sure that is why your's hasn't posted. Lit has to protect itself from the big censors (ie the gov't) by not publishing things like pedophilia stories. The new obscenity laws in the US make it alot trickier to be a porn website these days.

SJ

 

[dr_mabeuse]

The factor that continues to purplex me: if someone doesn't wish to read a story pertaining to the afore mentioned, why don't they just view the description/title/section and choose to bypass it?

I am not bisexual or gay, so why would I not just make a point to simply avoid that particular genre instead of boycotting the entire site because that one story did not suit my personal preferances?

Wouldn't it bother you to have your stories on a site that also printed stories abvout sex with ten year-olds? It would bother me, regardless of how many warnings there were.

I just find that I prefer posting to a site that has some standards. I guess that's the same as saying I support a certain level of censorship. It was a shock for me to realize that.

Bollocks!

Freedom of speech is a government construct -- not a business one. We have very few "rights" to anything from a private entity unless that entity receives government funds.

Our participation here is voluntary and the conditions of that participation are that we abide by the rules. But I suppose the same could be said of citizenship, to some extent.

Anyway, doc, I thought you had THE best fodder for this essay with your recent publishing saga. That type of censorship is insidious and hard as hell to fight.

If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the discussion of ffree speech should be limited to government entities. My own experience with censorship was in the private sector (the launch of a new erotic book label was cancelled because they couldn't get financial backing due to the current "political climate". IOW, the banks were afraid of the public reaction to bankrolling a line of porn books.)

Of course I was disappointed, but, you know, I have a hard time viewing my fuck stories in the same light as political dissent. I think all of us would agree that freedom of speech is vital for a democracy when that speech is political. I have a harder time defending my right to splash porn across the page. One involves information, the other involve entertainment. I'm not sure we're justified in treating them as if they're equivalent.

If we're in favor of free speech though, you can't draw a line and say, "this is covered and this isn't." You have to be in favor of all of it.

 

[impressive]

If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the discussion of ffree speech should be limited to government entities.

I'm just saying that LEGALLY it's a matter of government. Ethically, well -- that's a whole 'nother ball game.

 

[Halo_n_horns]

I didn't enter the free speech essay contest. I thought about it, but I ran up against a couple of problems that in the end made me doubt where I actually stood on the issue. The problems I had were these:

--Literotica is not a free speech site. There are subjects we simply cannot write about in our stories, namely under-age sex, bestiality, scat, snuff, and gratuitous violence.

While I see your point of view very clearly, and respect your opinion, I also see it as only being half-thought.

You're absolutely correct in that Lit doesn't allow certain things on their site, and that, in a way, constitutes the idea that they are not truly supporters of freedom of speech. But they do allow certain other taboos to be written about that many would find just as repulsive as any that you've sighted as being absent from this site.

Beyond that, in the "current political climate" of our country, we've been seeing attack after attack after attack on even the most mundane bathroom humor being spoken or given sound effects over the airwaves. We've seen these same attacks, as well as swirling under currents, pressuring other entities who were at one time giving us erotica that was extreme to be published, but less extreme than the erotica seen on this site.

What this site does provide us is steps in the direction of complete, unabashed freedom of speech. We have here a place where we can exercise not only our creative writing processes, but also our opinions as people who enjoy the freedoms that we do have ... for now.

In short, it seems as though you're choosing to view what we do have as a glass that is half empty, rather than supporting what we do have in an effort to support a glass that is half full, and one day to be over flowing.

I hope you'll reconsider your current point of view. And if not, Bravo! for standing up for it despite any protest.

 

[sincerely_helene]

Wouldn't it bother you to have your stories on a site that also printed stories abvout sex with ten year-olds? It would bother me, regardless of how many warnings there were.

I just find that I prefer posting to a site that has some standards. I guess that's the same as saying I support a certain level of censorship. It was a shock for me to realize that.

No, but let me explain why.

If we limit the type of material allowed on a website based on our own personal standards, where does it end? And who can honestly make that decision without any sort of preconcived prejudice and hidden agenda? Wouldn't we be leaving ourselves open to perhaps being silenced also if someone didn't approve of what we wrote?

My point is, Doc, you have submitted work in the categories of both BDSM, and erotic couplings. How would you feel to have someone now pull those stories simply because they have moral objection towards them-- because they felt infidelity went against the bible, and BDSM promoted violence?

What if what you wrote discusted and appalled someone? And that someone is the same someone who has the power to silence not only the type of writers that bother you, but YOUR work also.

You can say you only support a certain level of censorship, but keep in mind that someone higher up might not agree with that level of which you support.

 

[oggbashan]

Still waiting

I suppose it is a commentary on free speech that my essay which has a title starting 'paedophilia' has to wait over a week to be posted.

Og

PS. Tomorrow is scheduled for essay #3

 

[dreampilot79]

I suppose it is a commentary on free speech that my essay which has a title starting 'paedophilia' has to wait over a week to be posted.

Og

PS. Tomorrow is scheduled for essay #3

OG..

and mine as well. Still waiting.. hmmm 9 days now!

 

[cloudy]

I just got a couple of comments calling me a racist.

 

[bearlee]

I just got a couple of comments calling me a racist.

Are you

 

[cloudy]

Are you

Considering I'm a member of a rather small ethnic group, I would say probably not.

 

[angelicminx]

I got my first negative pc today. I'd almost convinced myself that I wasn't going to get one, lol.

 

[sophia jane]

I haven't had my votes swept in a few days. Anyone else??

Who still needs votes to get to 25?

Dp and Og- are you going to change the titles of your essays or just wait to see if they get accepted as is?

SJ

 

[Halo_n_horns]

I was just on the verge of forgetting about this when someone from here asked me if her vote got through. I don't think it did. My vote count has been at 21 for some time now...

 

[dreampilot79]

I got my first negative pc today. I'd almost convinced myself that I wasn't going to get one, lol.

good for you.. mine is still pending... sigh... 11 days waiting for rejection.... abuse and low votes....

 

[impressive]

I haven't had my votes swept in a few days. Anyone else??

Nope -- and they need swept. Unfortunately, it'll probably drop below 25 when they are. *sigh*

 

[angelicminx]

good for you.. mine is still pending... sigh... 11 days waiting for rejection.... abuse and low votes....

Sweetie, change the title or send a PM? I do think it deserves to be read.

 

[dreampilot79]

Sweetie, change the title or send a PM? I do think it deserves to be read.

Actually, I was thinking of pulling it.

 

[bearlee]

Actually, I was thinking of pulling it.

Nah, the advice was good-I wouldn't change the title, but send a PM. Maybe somehow it got lost in the shuffle.

 

[sophia jane]

Just got my first negative pc. Sigh.
Does Laurel sweep 2 votes or just the 1's? Anyone know?

I'm grumpy now. I don't take negative pc's very well. Especially by Anonymous.

SJ

 

[Medicine Hat]

Vote count's up to 14 to me. Getting about 1 a day. I really thought this contest would be more popular here. Guess when we're going up against stories with titles like "Allice's First Fuck*," incisive editorials lose some appeal.

Right now, I'm kinda counting on getting bombed as the end of the contest approaches to put me over the 25-hump. I'm not really losing any sleep over winning or anything. I'm just happy knowing that I've written something halfway coherent, and the fact that I've received some positive comments is just gravy. Like I said in a previous post, I really did have a lot of fun with it. I think I'd like to get to 25 just to say I did and be in the running, but again, if it happens' great; if not, that's fine too.

The anonymous posts do bother me though. I have a personal policy of always sending a short note thanking anyone who leaves a comment--good or bad--on one of my stories. Anonymous posts take away my ability to do so. One anonymous post took issue with my characterization of the Real ID program. I'd have liked to at least say thanks to that person for reading and then spend a couple sentences defending my view of things.

* Note: not a real title--at least I don't think so. My apologies if it is.

 

[bearlee]

Just got my first negative pc. Sigh.
Does Laurel sweep 2 votes or just the 1's? Anyone know?

I'm grumpy now. I don't take negative pc's very well. Especially by Anonymous.

SJ

It's always been my understanding she gets rid of everything from 1-5.

Vote count's up to 14 to me. Getting about 1 a day. I really thought this contest would be more popular here. Guess when we're going up against stories with titles like "Allice's First Fuck*," incisive editorials lose some appeal.

Right now, I'm kinda counting on getting bombed as the end of the contest approaches to put me over the 25-hump. I'm not really losing any sleep over winning or anything. I'm just happy knowing that I've written something halfway coherent, and the fact that I've received some positive comments is just gravy. Like I said in a previous post, I really did have a lot of fun with it. I think I'd like to get to 25 just to say I did and be in the running, but again, if it happens' great; if not, that's fine too.

The anonymous posts do bother me though. I have a personal policy of always sending a short note thanking anyone who leaves a comment--good or bad--on one of my stories. Anonymous posts take away my ability to do so. One anonymous post took issue with my characterization of the Real ID program. I'd have liked to at least say thanks to that person for reading and then spend a couple sentences defending my view of things.

* Note: not a real title--at least I don't think so. My apologies if it is.

You'll probably get there although it appears there has been a drop off in voting and it's a holiday weekend so who knows. The anonymous crap, I looked around at regular stories and particularly in certain categories, it's really bad. I did submit something on anonymous comments for the contest a day or two ago which may or may not get on-doesn't really matter. I still don't understand the theory of the anonymous comment though. If you have something nasty to say and you do it with a screen name of let's say, "Dogfucker," does that really give your identity away to anyone except maybe your neighbors

 

[oggbashan]

Third time lucky?

I have just submitted my third entry 'Free Speech is the Acid Test' but my second entry 'Paedophilia - The New Witch-Hunt' is still not posted more than a week after submission.

My only posted entry 'Free Speech is Offensive' has now reached the minimum number of votes and I have had some interesting variations in feedback and PCs. Thanks (I think I mean 'Thanks') to all those who have left PCs or sent feedback. Even the critical ones had obviously thought about free speech even if only in US terms. Other countries DO have free speech and some of us have more than others. The seven words that cannot be broadcast in the US are broadcast in the UK more than seven times a day.

This is a interesting departure from the normal competitions. The trolls seem to be politically motivated instead of just spiteful. How many of them really want free speech that does not agree with them?

Og