Subversion
By glazou on Sunday 8 February 2004, 15:02 - General - Permalink
I am fed up with reading some comments saying I am anti-american. If detailed critics against some things or people that happen to be american - but I don't criticize only american things or people - make me an anti-american, then don't look any more for a reason why some people are anti-americans. If you can't stand other opinions, you have a serious problem.
This takes me to the point I feel the need to tell you how I see life. For me, a civilized life in a civilized environment (please note I am not using the word "society") is based on - but is not reduced to - the three following freedoms:
- Freedom of thought is total, indivisible and inalienable
- There is no freedom of expression without freedom of thought. Freedom of expression is total and inalienable. It is indivisible unless it becomes harmful for freedom of thought or for itself.
- There is no freedom of action without freedom of expression. Freedom of action is total. It's indivisible and inalienable unless it becomes harmful for freedom of thought, for freedom of expression, or for itself.
Criticizing, without hate, what I think deserves to be criticized is my freedom. You don't like my critics? Don't read them. That's your freedom. And ultimately stop reading this blog if you still disagree. Et bon vent.
" Critiquer, c'est se mettre dans la peau de l'autre et essayer de comprendre ce qu'il a voulu faire. " - Henri Cartier-Bresson, Juillet-Août 1994
" Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. " - Winston Churchill

Comments
hi,
I agree...I am American and I think we are headed for another Vietnam, and it makes me sick. Life is crazy anymore no matter where you live, Have a good day...and smile and make the world wonder what you've been up to. Once I was a republican, never was a democrat, always was independent...I think I'll vote for homer simpson for president.
If you're not allowed to say whatever the hell you want, on YOUR OWN weblog, then I guess I have no idea what the phrase "freedom of speech" means. I guess the other side of the coin is, that if you choose to allow others to leave comments on your blog posts, then they should have the right to say whatever THEY think, in said comments.
If others feel that strongly against what you write in "off-tech" comments, then they'll eventually stop reading you. However, I feel this will likely NEVER be the case, because they'll also lose the ability to leave self-righteous comments criticising you, on your own blog. They previously felt (and now have been proven correct) that these comments they leave will be taken personally by you, and illicit a response.
Don't give them that much power over your thougts, Daniel. Just keep writing what you want. It's *your* blog, and your perogative to say what you wish.
It's freedom of speech, which us Americans invented.
We can praise or criticize as we please.
Stop being so angry and realize your opinion isn't the only one that counts.
Well, "American", I'm sorry to say that not all countries--and people--use your exact terminology. The Canadian Chater of Right and Freedoms, for example, refers to freedom of expression.
And I seriously doubt your nation invented the very concept.
Don't feed the troll please.
J'espère que ta "liberté d'action" s'arrete à celle des autres ...Ton coté "total", "indivisible" et "inaléniable" m'inquiète un tout petit peu
Sinon le sujet n'est pas simple, même pour la seule liberté d'expression : que fait-tu des appels au nettoyage ethnique, des discours révisionnistes, des publicités racistes, etc ... aucune limite à la liberté d'expression, vraiment, tu en es sur ?
+1 pour l'art de la critique...
www.lyricsdir.com/d/david...
4. Freedom of fries
Freedom of expression goes FAR beyond freedom of speech; it includes freedom of press, freedom of distribution, political freedom. French Law, as a few other european national Laws, *explicitely* have the concept of freedom of expression, above freedom of speech.
"American", you should document yourself a little bit about the world beyond the borders of Canada and Mexico.
Nicolas Moreau : ROFL
Karash: les articles 2 et 3 contiennent chacun leur limitation qui fait que chacune de ses libertés s'arrête là où celle des autres commence. Et c'est fait pour ça.
Au fait, ces trois items sont de moi.
ming.tv/flemming2.php/__s...
oups je sors
I agree 100%.
People are at the point now, where they think not re-electing George W. Bush is "unamerican". It's sickening how everything is getting so "patriotic" (quotes intentional).
Person 1: "I bought a Nissan rather than a Ford because it's a nicer car"
Person 2: " ...Unamerican..."
(real conversation I've heard.
It's getting excessive. It really is.
Daniel, as an american who considers themself a "true patriot" i couldn't agree with you more.
I agree/respect the rights/ideas this nation was founded on, not the bullshit the USA seems to stand for these days internationally. If you ask me blindly following the leader is the most "unamerican" and "unpatriotic" thing someone can do. But these days it seems it's a very "american" mentality to have.
If you ask me when it really comes down to it, these people have lost the meaning behind what our great nation stood for, and i think they give us an extremely bad rap, and very much of the rest of the world (europe especially) people assume we're all like that.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." - Theodore Roosevelt
also... when i say... we're not all like that. I can't stress how important that is... there is a huge resistance to the ignorance going on, but it's not aided at all by unfair disrespect that people seem to see coming from europe. A lot of people look at the US as uncivilized and barbaric... well be saying so it seems to only turn more people off and get less to listen to the reasoning... instead you get morons like "american" giving us all a bad name and being assholes... worse yet... the good people who don't buy into it keep getting disgusted by it all and want to leave the US instead of doing something about it, thus only further bridging the gap.
I'm not saying this is europe's fault or that all european's are like that... but it's a dominant stereotype over here (just like the barbaric idiot one over there) that i think we all need to work against, otherwise we'll be in worse... if the smart people leave... all the idiots will continue to breed and feed stupity until there is no hope.
sorry to reply again
two things
nix the "well be" it's from a sentance i started and failed to delete.
and ironies of ironies i spelled "stupidity" wrong.
Daniel, french native speaking, make an effort every day to make his blog readable by american visitors. How many american blogs with the same topics speak french ?
Daniel, I suggest to make comments biligual, french/english becoming mandatory on your blog.
very interesting info!