Well, it seems like the good guys and gals over at the Australian Christian Lobby are up to their good old fashioned tricks of censoring the debates they start themselves.
| Explain Attempt to Censor On Line Opinion Website |
At 3:52pm this afternoon, I posted a comment against this hypocritical article – (hypocritical since the ACL are a constant ally of Stephen Conroy in his push for a mandatory filter of the internet in Australia). As I write this, it is 8:19pm, and this comment is still “awaiting moderation”.
Take a look at this screen grab of the article just a few minutes ago in which you can see my comment awaiting its religious freedom – click for larger view:
As you can see, a “positive” response to this article from “Ben” was posted at 8:06pm, and cleared for publication by 8:10pm – after four long minutes – yet my “non-positive” comment is still waiting after more than four long hours. Note the time on the clock in the bottom right of my screen.
I guess I should quote the exalted Jim Wallace from the article:
“If we are to have a full debate on this issue it must be that,” said Mr Wallace, “not one closed down by abuse and deceptive tactics or corporate pressure and collusion to limit free speech, as we have seen used here by homosexual activists and their apparent allies.”
Free speech? A debate closed down by deceptive tactics? Who are you kidding ACL?
If you want to “have a full debate”, allow comments from both sides of the debate, right? Isn’t that what you’re saying?
I might add, this is not the first time you’ve closed down comments that are contrary to your position. How about this one or even this one?
If you’re going to call-out the ANZ Bank or IBM on filtering the debate on the subject, how about getting your own house in order first?
As noted anti-filter campaigner Mark Newton very succintly put in this tweet: “Matthew 7:1-5”, which reads:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
The front cover of the “Viewpoint” magazine shown on the site calls for “courage and integrity in public office”. How about a little courage and integrity of your own? Why are you afraid of the debate?
Credibility zero.