winter i realize that the other side is indeed pushing it's values on the public.  but these are not values that insist you view one thing or another.  there's a huge difference between pushing laws that allow people freedom to choose what they view, and laws that tell them they can't view specific things.  one side empowers people and society the right, but does not mandate it, to engage in discussion.  the other side throws people in jail for discussion.  that's why defending liberal values is so hard really, there are a zillion little wars going on against specific things with people saying, "come on...it's _____ what responsible person can defend that?"  and the ball moves in their favor further and further.

o yeah and i distinctly remember butters getting it in his bum quite graphically in the episode where he thinks cartman is a ghost (hilarious episode, and i love the friendship they develop in it.)  under these kinds of laws, south park is next.

and sean i must assert that every little squiggle IS art.  art is the eye of the beholder.  anything my kid makes is beautiful.  not just beautiful, but actually technically interesting in where his ideas and techniques come from and how they develop.

but the art idea is in my opinion just a distraction from the central issue, a way to denigrate and ridicule the publication in question, so as to win emotional support for their side.  the founders did not mention freedom of speech as long as it is artistic.  they just said freedom of speech, publication, etc, period.  they published anonymously their treasonous pamphlets before the republic was born, which the crown surely saw as propaganda.  they had to hide to defend their lives.

(of course the part that gets me is, these guys pass this bill of rights, and then john adams has thomas jefferson thrown in jail for disagreeing with him when jefferson was his vice president.  right from the absolute start, we in this country have been subverting our own contract with our government.  the kicker of it is, they were best friends!  isn't that crazy?  and he sat in jail for some peroid of time.)

the whole "fire in a crowded theater" decision is the one of the worst court rulings in history.  after all, how can you go to war if you don't yell fire?  remember the runup to iraq.  fire fire. but that is why the court decided that way.  quiet the rabble.  the populace must obey.  the leaders can do what they want.

go that way really fast.
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