I am a First Amendment absolutist and I would like to read, amid the discussion of how the Delete key should be wielded, some more nuanced discusssion than I have seen on just where anyone believes the line should be drawn in censoring the Web, blogs or any other speech.
Certainly the words and images directed at Kathy are hateful and abhorrent. If a law has been broken, the accused should be prosecuted. Let's do keep in mind, however, that that person is the one who created and posted the words and images.
Beyond that, I don't see what can or should be done publicly. In case anyone hasn't noticed, anonymous abusers are not the sort of people who "own their words." There are bad people in the world. They do bad things. Bad things happen to good people.
And it multiplies the violation when good people respond in kind.
A Monash Survey!
As a Monash Uni Alumni I was sent a National Statistics survey covering Aussie expat "talents" and the "brain-drain issue" in Aust. They wanted to know what would lure me back to Australia instead of working overseas. The options were:
A) Money
B) Lifestyle
C) Social support
D) Multiculturalism
E) Other..Please specify
I got all my friend to pick (E) and specified:
GET rid of John Howard and its right wing conservative government who is only interested in reversing multiculturalism with xenophobia, I'd happily come back for FREE!
If you get this Survey, do the world a favor, ask for JH to Advance Australia by Leaving!