when if ever is this appropriate? was voltaire right, or is protecting yourself from offensive ideas more important than discussing them/being exposed to them?
should people be allowed to speak freely or is it more important to shield ourselves from taboos etc.?
obviously i do not support censorship at all at any time in any form. i should say however that this stance applies only to any and all forms of public discussion, as i could see the merits in, for instance, the edmonton journal refusing to allow me to run a full page picture of my balls in their centerfold.
for those of you who do support it, i'd like to ask a couple of questions: it is my belief that censorship limits growth within a community and creates ignorance. it is my belief that it is better to be familiar with offensive ideas because it allows for further understanding of them, and moreover, an increased ability to debunk them. furthermore, history has shown us that ideas that at one time may be considered offensive (the world is round!) may one day be considered brilliant.
how then, do you justify it's use?