The German magazine Zeitungszeugen has backed down from its efforts to reprint portions of Adolph Hitler’s Mein Kampf in order to avoid legal proceedings by the Bavarian government, who holds the copyright. The Bavarian government has blocked all other attempts to print and sell the book in Germany since the end of World War II.
Germany has very strict laws against the display of Nazi symbols and the distribution of texts inciting anti-Semitism and racial hatred. Mein Kampf is not banned outright, copies published before 1945 can be purchased online, through second-hand bookshops, and checked out from libraries.
Zeitungszeugen has previously been accused of attempting to profit from the publication of Nazi propaganda under the pretext of historical interest. The magazine often publishes newspaper sections written from 1933-45 with commentary by modern historians. Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0126/German-magazine-caves-in-battle-to-reprint-Hitler-s-Mein-Kampf
The broader issue is when is it okay for governments to engage in censorship?
The Holocaust was one of the most horrific events in human history, but I believe the German people are capable of owning up their national past. This national past includes the publication of Mein Kampf. We can’t get in the business of not publishing material because it may upset people. Doing this would give governments a blank check to ban anything that they find objectionable.
Censorship is the way of totalitarian regimes, Freedom and Ideas belong to democrats.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Braver than Scotland
Could Scotland become independent? There’s a referendum scheduled for 2014 that may provide the answer to that question.
In the meantime, a recent survey by the Institute for Public Policy research reveals that just under half of English respondents identified themselves as more English than British.
The feeling is no less pronounced on the British side of the equation, as 45% believe that Scotland gets more than its share in public spending.
Further, 79% percent believe that Scottish members of Parliament should not vote on English matters that come before Parliament.
Yet, only 22% say Scots should vote for total independence. Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0126/As-Scottish-clamor-for-independence-English-beginning-to-say-me-too.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have experimented with devolved political and electoral systems [much to my chagrin.] The results of this survey indicate that this devolution has created a strain, but not enough of a strain to warrant full independence.
There is probably an element of British unionism here. Taking Scotland from the U.K. would be an affront to the character of the nation for some people within the U.K.
In the meantime, a recent survey by the Institute for Public Policy research reveals that just under half of English respondents identified themselves as more English than British.
The feeling is no less pronounced on the British side of the equation, as 45% believe that Scotland gets more than its share in public spending.
Further, 79% percent believe that Scottish members of Parliament should not vote on English matters that come before Parliament.
Yet, only 22% say Scots should vote for total independence. Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2012/0126/As-Scottish-clamor-for-independence-English-beginning-to-say-me-too.
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have experimented with devolved political and electoral systems [much to my chagrin.] The results of this survey indicate that this devolution has created a strain, but not enough of a strain to warrant full independence.
There is probably an element of British unionism here. Taking Scotland from the U.K. would be an affront to the character of the nation for some people within the U.K.
Asia’s Nuclear Cloud
The nuclear disaster at Japan’s Fukushima plant on March 11th 2011 has inspired a new wind to blow concerning the nuclear power industry in Asia.
Nuclear power still has a strong base of support within the region, but mixed public opinion might be indicating a moments reconsideration of nuclear energy within the region.
I believe what we are experiencing is typical post-disaster blowback. Nuclear energy has been hailed as a safe source of energy throughout much of the world.
Enter the disaster at the Fukushima plant where a massive earthquake led to a catastrophic failure at the nuclear plant. Nature will always find a way to out duel the best in human ingenuity, that’s just the way it is.
I am fully onboard with governments in Asia reassessing the role of nuclear power in their states. No one wants to wake up one morning and see thousands of people washed away and nuclear plant workers marching off to sacrifice themselves for the good of the homeland.
Before nuclear power is jettisoned though, governments need to ask themselves two questions: Are there safer alternatives that are ready to provide energy? Secondly, is there any way to make nuclear energy safer?
Fukushima was a once in a lifetime human catastrophe, does it mean the end for nuclear energy?
Nuclear power still has a strong base of support within the region, but mixed public opinion might be indicating a moments reconsideration of nuclear energy within the region.
I believe what we are experiencing is typical post-disaster blowback. Nuclear energy has been hailed as a safe source of energy throughout much of the world.
Enter the disaster at the Fukushima plant where a massive earthquake led to a catastrophic failure at the nuclear plant. Nature will always find a way to out duel the best in human ingenuity, that’s just the way it is.
I am fully onboard with governments in Asia reassessing the role of nuclear power in their states. No one wants to wake up one morning and see thousands of people washed away and nuclear plant workers marching off to sacrifice themselves for the good of the homeland.
Before nuclear power is jettisoned though, governments need to ask themselves two questions: Are there safer alternatives that are ready to provide energy? Secondly, is there any way to make nuclear energy safer?
Fukushima was a once in a lifetime human catastrophe, does it mean the end for nuclear energy?
Why all the U.N. Hate?
Fair question, given that the United Nations emergence on the global stage opened new doors for diplomacy. Talking about things has probably averted a conflict or seven over the years, and United Nations reports are typically plentiful sources of information that provide guidance to the issues of the world.
For all the criticism lobbed at the United Nations, it beats the alternative of tanks rumbling through the streets of Berlin, rioting in the streets and burning buildings in downtown Paris.
I think the hatred for the United Nations comes from its’ performance in the big moments. It's sort of like if your a really nice person, but tend to shoot your mouth off when people are listening. You'll get a reputation as a jerk and a blowhard whether its deserved or not.
The United Nations has frozen in some pretty big spots. I'm thinking particularly about the Rwandan genocide. The U.N. failed to listen to their people on the ground and now the death toll in Rwanda is over a million.
The U.N. has done great works throughout the world, but they've also had occasion to falter when it mattered most. Rightly or wrongly, their failures have been broadcast to the entire world and stand out more than their successes.
For all the criticism lobbed at the United Nations, it beats the alternative of tanks rumbling through the streets of Berlin, rioting in the streets and burning buildings in downtown Paris.
I think the hatred for the United Nations comes from its’ performance in the big moments. It's sort of like if your a really nice person, but tend to shoot your mouth off when people are listening. You'll get a reputation as a jerk and a blowhard whether its deserved or not.
The United Nations has frozen in some pretty big spots. I'm thinking particularly about the Rwandan genocide. The U.N. failed to listen to their people on the ground and now the death toll in Rwanda is over a million.
The U.N. has done great works throughout the world, but they've also had occasion to falter when it mattered most. Rightly or wrongly, their failures have been broadcast to the entire world and stand out more than their successes.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Cocaine Diplomacy
Imagine my shock when I discovered that a sizeable amount of cocaine showed up at U.N. headquarters.
Was this done by some drug cartel to prove a point? Find it difficult to believe that any drug cartel would bother themselves with what the U.N. thinks when there's money to be made hand over fist in any number of global locales.
An alternative view is that someone within the U.N. is trying to send a message that the organizations efforts in this area are lacking.
The Oliver Stone conspiracy theorist in me, suggests that someone at the U.N. is engaging in large-scale drug trafficking. But that scenario feels like the next Stephen King novel rather than a likelihood.
I’ll be keeping tabs on this very bizarre story as events warrant.
Was this done by some drug cartel to prove a point? Find it difficult to believe that any drug cartel would bother themselves with what the U.N. thinks when there's money to be made hand over fist in any number of global locales.
An alternative view is that someone within the U.N. is trying to send a message that the organizations efforts in this area are lacking.
The Oliver Stone conspiracy theorist in me, suggests that someone at the U.N. is engaging in large-scale drug trafficking. But that scenario feels like the next Stephen King novel rather than a likelihood.
I’ll be keeping tabs on this very bizarre story as events warrant.
Happy 25th Birthday Hannah Teter
I’d like to wish a Happy 25th Birthday to my favorite snowboarder and not so secret Olympic crush Hannah Teter. Hopefully, she’ll continue to commit herself to good deeds throughout this world.
I Want To Be Your God
I want to be your God. That revelation came to me yesterday as I was making my way to the car. In thinking about research paper topics for this term, I zoned in on two topics: human trafficking or ethnic conflict.
I want both of those human cruelties ended, but a paper doesn’t seem nearly good enough. I’ll write this paper as thousands of people are enslaved or killed. Doesn’t seem anywhere near good enough L
I keep thinking that maybe I’ll develop the magic bullet that will stop all conflict in the world. Sadly, it hasn’t come to me, yet.
I would gladly lay down my life, if I knew that genocides, ethnic cleansings, and human slavery became relics of the past from some nightmarish world long gone.
That’s when I realized that I want to be your God because only divine intervention can put an end to this crap.
I want both of those human cruelties ended, but a paper doesn’t seem nearly good enough. I’ll write this paper as thousands of people are enslaved or killed. Doesn’t seem anywhere near good enough L
I keep thinking that maybe I’ll develop the magic bullet that will stop all conflict in the world. Sadly, it hasn’t come to me, yet.
I would gladly lay down my life, if I knew that genocides, ethnic cleansings, and human slavery became relics of the past from some nightmarish world long gone.
That’s when I realized that I want to be your God because only divine intervention can put an end to this crap.
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