The Nobel Peace prize goes to Barack Obama

[I want teh kotor 3]

I challenge anyone to find a single case where the freedom of the press has been legally restricted in the US. This ranking is clearly a lie and propaganda.

 

Ever seen a 16-year-old get prevented from seeing an R-rated movies? Movie and game reatings are clear examples of censorship. Hence, Jack thompson is an idiot. That is all.

 

Um, while Wrath of Dagon's post clearly displays a lack of understanding of how the freedom of press index works, as far as examples of what he asked for go, I don't think that counts. It's censorship, sure, but not of the press.

 

 

Probably not a great example, I admit, but I hate Thompson and have a penchant for referring to him whenever possible.

[Wrath of Dagon]

I challenge anyone to find a single case where the freedom of the press has been legally restricted in the US. This ranking is clearly a lie and propaganda.

 

Ever seen a 16-year-old get prevented from seeing an R-rated movies? Movie and game reatings are clear examples of censorship. Hence, Jack thompson is an idiot. That is all.

 

Um, while Wrath of Dagon's post clearly displays a lack of understanding of how the freedom of press index works, as far as examples of what he asked for go, I don't think that counts. It's censorship, sure, but not of the press.

 

America scored reasonably high on the freedom of press index, largely because censorship is rare. But it faltered on other issues (such as indirect pressure by outside organisations, e.g. lobbyists or businesses).

What's your source for that statement?

 

Anyway, here's an example for WoD: in 2008, America censored the website Wikileaks. That was by court order, and ended after the court-case. Largely transparent but still disturbing.

I don't think that's a fair example, as it was clearly a mistake by a Federal judge, caused by Wikileaks not representing itself in court. Once other organizations sent representatives to explain the issues, the judge reversed himself. If he didn't, he would certainly have been overruled on appeal. The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

I disagree. It's largely true, but not universally true. I was reading some poll of about 50,000 people across the world and people all over the world largely want to see every power (regional or global) weaken including: China, America, Russia, Iran (Iran was included as one of the regional powers, and it had the least positive responses of any country).

 

However, there was one power that almost everyone around the world thought positively of and wanted to see become stronger: the European Union.

 

I think it's obvious that a power is only going to be rejected when it conspicuously acts in its own self-interest repeatedly, as Russia, China, Iran, and America all do. The EU on the other-hand tends to be far more multilateral, diplomatic and exert soft power. They're also the largest aid donor in the world.

 

Of course, it helps that people don't see the EU as a threat because its status as a single coherent entity is veiled by the bureaucracy of its individual parts (which is IMHO a good thing, though it could do with some democratic reforms). I wouldn't like to see the EU become a full federalist state, but I don't think it needs to do its job (counterbalance other world powers) anyway.

 

Hmm, this post was neither here nor there.

Yes, they don't see it as a threat because EU doesn't actually do anything. Having said that, I'd be perfectly happy if EU replaced us as the world's policeman, I don't see what it buys us, though I suppose some one has to do it.

Edited October 18, 2009 by Wrath of Dagon

[Deadly_Nightshade]

The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

Lulz. This is funny as I do not think that you fully understand what you are talking about.

[Wrath of Dagon]

The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

Lulz. This is funny as I do not think that you fully understand what you are talking about.

Lulz why don't you enlighten me.

[lord of flies]

The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

Lulz. This is funny as I do not think that you fully understand what you are talking about.

Lulz why don't you enlighten me.

"Lulz," good job counteracting my examples of David Ashenfelter and Al Jazeera. Hilarious.

[Lare Kikkeli]

The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

Lulz. This is funny as I do not think that you fully understand what you are talking about.

Lulz why don't you enlighten me.

"Lulz," good job counteracting my examples of David Ashenfelter and Al Jazeera. Hilarious.

 

He's good at cherry picking quotes. All the hard ones get left behind.

[Wrath of Dagon]

The thing to understand about the US law is that judges can make any sort of ridiculous ruling, and occassionaly have. It doesn't become law however unless it is upheld by the Supreme Court.

 

Lulz. This is funny as I do not think that you fully understand what you are talking about.

Lulz why don't you enlighten me.

"Lulz," good job counteracting my examples of David Ashenfelter and Al Jazeera. Hilarious.

I normally ignore you, since you live in some kind of bizarro alternate reality and aren't really worth talking to, but OK. I'm not really familiar with the cases you named, but even if your allegations are true and intentional, it still doesn't have anything to do with freedom of speech in the US, which is what that table purports to rank. They actually have a separate (much lower) ranking for extra territorial US.

 

Edit: OK, David Ashenfelter is in the US, I didn't immediately realize that. The person who's demanding he testify is not the government as you seem to imply, but the former prosecutor who was fired by the government for misconduct in a terrorism case and is now suing the government. It is his legal right to demand that the reporter testify, as there's no special law preventing reporters from testifying, as I said before. May be that's why US is ranked 39th, but I doubt it.

Edited October 19, 2009 by Wrath of Dagon