- In an op-ed for the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith, Christopher Wolf (chair of the ADL Internet Task Force) recommends
"Setting Boundaries" on freedom of speech online.
-
-
- "Debating differing ideas
is one thing, but when one side of the debate becomes so mean-spirited,
so hateful, and so hurtful that riots are the result," says Wolf,
"it's time for Internet companies to set boundaries."
-
-
- Someone should inform Wolf that
most of history's most powerful and needed ideas sparked anger and riots.
I'm sure as a liberal Jew he wouldn't want to turn back the civil rights
movement as "so hateful, and so hurtful" it should have been
illegal-but it certainly sparked plenty of riots!
-
-
- Wolf's comments followed Pakistan's
ban on You Tube because of a film critical of the Koran. Internet host
Network Solutions pulled the plug on the film's main site. Wolf defends
that decision since the film might spark "riots around the world."
-
-
- Does he genuinely believe western
freedom of speech should be decided by hot tempers in the Middle East?
No. He approves because he wants to advance a much broader agenda. Wolf
says plainly that he hopes the film Pakistan banned "will start a
discussion of what to do about hate content on the Internet."
-
-
- The ADL knows exactly what it
wants to do. Wolf and ADL are heavily invested in a broad plan to attack
internet freedom and shut down websites whose speech they hate, particularly
anti-Zionist, right-wing, and "fundamentalist Christian" sites.
-
-
- The Anti-Defamation Commission
of B'nai B'rith-Australia's version of the Anti-Defamation League-recently
applauded the Aussie government's "proposed web blackout for hate
groups." Even though this broad offensive against online liberty isn't
yet underway, it's a model of what ADL would like to see enforced by governments
worldwide.
-
- Attack of the Giant Censors
-
-
- While the internet (especially
in the US) remains a bastion of freedom, ADL has already made great headway
against civil liberties through "anti-hate" and discrimination
laws.
-
-
- In New Mexico, a family-owned
photography company was fined six grand in legal fees for refusing services
to a same-sex ceremony . Vanessa Willock, a lesbian, complained
to the state Human Rights Commission (HRC). She claimed her civil rights
were violated because the Christian photographers refused their services
because of their religious convictions. Instead of simply patronizing another
private photography business, Willock legally assaulted the Christians'
right to decide whom to serve. She succeeded because the photography company
was fined thousands of dollars-warning them and other believers not to
act on their convictions. Multiply this case by a few more, and a small
business could easily be bankrupted by activist homosexuals who demand
more than legal equality-they demand special protection and privilege in
society.
-
-
- The presidential race promises
only more threats to Christian Americans' freedom and individual rights
in the workplace. Obama and Clinton both support a federal hate law and
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act . Obama even promises to usher ENDA
through. The Christian Post explains: "ENDA seeks to make it illegal
for employers to make decisions on hiring, firing, promoting or paying
an employee based on sexual orientation. The bill, if passed, would add
"sexual orientation" to a list of federally protected classes
under a 1964 act that prohibits job discrimination on the basis of race,
color, religion, sex or national origin." Senator Ted Kennedy has
vowed to bring up ENDA before the end of the year.
-
-
- In dozens of states-California,
Colorado, Connecticut, D.C., Iowa, Illinois, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon,
Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin-it is already illegal
to discriminate in the workplace because of sexual orientation. This means
private individuals or organizations can't make decisions about whom to
hire, fire, or serve on the basis of their religious convictions.
-
-
- Schools are also sites of freedom
violations. In an article called, "What's Wrong with this Religious
Picture?" Thomas Haynes discusses various censoring and punishing
of Christian students in America. He describes a Wisconsin senior penalized
for an art project that included a cross and Bible verse. The same student
was banned from making a metal cross for an assignment that students create
a metal object of their choice!
-
-
- In New Jersey, silencing of Christians
continues. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a New Jersey school
board's right to ban a coach from merely bowing his head when members of
his football team led a pre-game prayer. Three years ago, school officials
told the coach not to lead prayers, and now he is barred from even acknowledging
students' reverence by bowing his head!
-
-
- These are just a few examples
of Christians facing outright censorship. The same activists who are so
intolerant of Christian speech in schools and private organizations want
to outlaw it on the web. They would like the US to behave like an Islamic
republic (in Pakistan, police are required to immediately arrest anyone
who is even merely accused of blasphemy). They would like the US to ban
films, websites, books, or even cartoons that are outside government-approved
speech-speech limits they will decide.
-
-
- Such activism is spearheaded by
the Jewish Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith, which has been working
for decades to defame, marginalize and ultimately criminalize Christian
and anti-Zionist speech.
-
-
- If freedom is to be saved, Christians
and their leaders must shatter the incredible fear and silence that protects
ADL and Jewish activists. We must identify their agenda to strip Christians'
freedom to speak about and act on their beliefs. The Anti-Defamation League
must be publicly intimidated before Christians, well-meaning Jews, and
all Americans. It's high time this anti-freedom organization feels the
heat!
|
