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[Prev|Next|Index] Created 2/16/96 by dwiner@well.com (Dave Winer)
Jean-Louis Gassee
Damn right, Dave! I loved your piece on your grandfather.
I'm pissed, I'm sad and I'm frightened.
I came from France because I believe in the America De
Tocqueville described, in the America of liberty and opportunity,
in the America that saved Europe. And I found it. I got to run
the engineering side of what used to be one of our country's most
luminous, inspiring companies. Then, I got to start my own. Never
did I see the color of my passport in peoples' eyes
But, I also progressively realized the hard, unforgiving side of
our country. I came to see how the tyrannical side of virtue, the
vengeful side of puritanism. I see the fear of human desires and
I see the hardened eyes of politicians exploiting the fear.
I know, untamed human desires are blamed for so many ills: the
destruction of families, AIDS, urban violence. But have we no
shame, have we no memory? Have we forgotten history, I mean,
social studies? Have we forgotten how often liberties were and
still are destroyed in the name of virtue? Have we forgotten the
Inquisition, the book burnings? They were called autodafe, acts
of faith.
We glorify violence in movies and sports, we glorify the right to
bear arms, concealed ones in some states and municipalities, but
we are afraid of free speech and images on the net. I know, I
have children and I'm not happy with the prospect of them facing
disgusting words and images. But not more disgusting, and lower
resolution than those in magazine racks. And less dangerous than
a bullet.
Why downsize our responsibility, why re-engineer our role and let
the government displace us?
And yes, I hear the stories about pedophiles on the net. Do we
really believe it's the child abuse issue? These are the usual
media games. We can control the places our children visit on the
net more easily than we can control the real abuses in homes,
streets and schools.
Voltaire said he'd die to defend my right to express ideas,
especially those of mine most abhorrent to him. Who are we to go
back and abridge freedom of speech on the net? What's next?
Books, blasphemy?
America still is a beacon, but the flame flickered last week.
JLG
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