Guest
01-22-2012, 08:41 AM
I can't believe I actually read this.
On Facebook, I've "liked" the page for writer J. Michael Straczynski - the creator of the 1990s show "Babylon 5". He's always been articulate, intelligent and makes people think even when they might disagree with him.
Here's a post that just blew me away:
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=328321530536050&id=139652459402959
I'd rather not post the whole thing but if that link doesn't work I can probably repost the appropriate text. Suffice to say that customs is now intercepting DVDs coming into this country (forcing FedEx and UPS to take them aside) and making the recipient sign a form stating:
"I/we declare the the films/videos contain no obscene or immoral matter, nor any matter advocating or urging treason or insurrection against the United States, nor any threat to take the life of or inflict bodily harm upon any person in the United States."
JMS (as Mr. Staczynski is known) had ordered some video editing software and it had instruction DVDs in it. Now he had to sign a statement about it not having 'obscene' (for which little definition exists) or 'immoral' (for which NO definition exists) material. Apparently this is a new policy because some videos of the Occupy London protests were being shipped around actually got bounced because of this policy - they were afraid that the DVDs were being used to 'coordinate' events (like anyone with a phone or webcam didn't exist).
Now we're censoring ideas?
Quoting from him:
Under this new stipulation, if V for Vendetta had, for instance, been produced in the UK (instead of just filmed there), importing it into the US would be considered subject matter "advocating or urging treason or insurrection." And if you lied about it on the form, you could be held liable for this.
Is this the country we were raised to think we lived in?
On Facebook, I've "liked" the page for writer J. Michael Straczynski - the creator of the 1990s show "Babylon 5". He's always been articulate, intelligent and makes people think even when they might disagree with him.
Here's a post that just blew me away:
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=328321530536050&id=139652459402959
I'd rather not post the whole thing but if that link doesn't work I can probably repost the appropriate text. Suffice to say that customs is now intercepting DVDs coming into this country (forcing FedEx and UPS to take them aside) and making the recipient sign a form stating:
"I/we declare the the films/videos contain no obscene or immoral matter, nor any matter advocating or urging treason or insurrection against the United States, nor any threat to take the life of or inflict bodily harm upon any person in the United States."
JMS (as Mr. Staczynski is known) had ordered some video editing software and it had instruction DVDs in it. Now he had to sign a statement about it not having 'obscene' (for which little definition exists) or 'immoral' (for which NO definition exists) material. Apparently this is a new policy because some videos of the Occupy London protests were being shipped around actually got bounced because of this policy - they were afraid that the DVDs were being used to 'coordinate' events (like anyone with a phone or webcam didn't exist).
Now we're censoring ideas?
Quoting from him:
Under this new stipulation, if V for Vendetta had, for instance, been produced in the UK (instead of just filmed there), importing it into the US would be considered subject matter "advocating or urging treason or insurrection." And if you lied about it on the form, you could be held liable for this.
Is this the country we were raised to think we lived in?