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Q: Speaking of censorship and freedom of 'speech'...
Megaupload founder has been arrested in New Zealand, on behalf of the US government.
Is this a legitimate use of policing and government co-operation?
(FTR, yes, for piracy, not other 'crimes')
When you break any Law, even if not politically, social or morally correct, you do commit a crime and your arrest is warranted, even if you or me may dislike it.
I also must say another thing. Invoquing "Freedom of Speech" as a way to justify "entering" where you are not welcome, publish documentation who may have what it is considered "sensitive" information, say and do as you please, in my eyes is wrong. Why ?. Because your "freedom of Information" right is not infinite, it does stop where mine begin. You do have a right to know, but I also have a right to keep a few things about myself "private".
That said, I do consider unfortunate the Megaupload arrest, but I also do not approve all of his actions.
Shining_brow:
So, in your opinion, any law passed by a government is ok? At the very least, once it's enacted, we shouldn't ever cross it? As an example, in many countries, practising homosexuality was illegal. By your statement, homosexuals, therefore, should not have sex how they prefer to, and just tolerate the law while it's in place? Similarly, I presume you are against Wiki-leaks, and other similar whistle-blower type sites and organisations? (NB: these are questions - I haven't entered into arguing one way or the other ...yet :D)
HappyExPat:
You are taking my comments, which were specific enough, and making generalizations with them that are demagogic in nature. Take the case of homosexuals, heterosexuals also get arrested if having sex in public, so it is mostly done privately. What homosexuals do in private is their business, not mine. As *I respect their rights, I also want mine rights and beliefs) respected.
As for Wiki-leaks, I guess by your statements that to you is OK to publish names of persons for example in clandestine operations so they by being exposed can be detained and eliminated. I am against that, but I would not mind exposing corrupt politicians at all. AGAIN, NO RIGHT IS INFINITE.
Shining_brow:
Actually, Happy, I took your opening statement - "When you break any Law, even if not politically, social or morally correct, you do commit a crime and your arrest is warranted, even if you or me may dislike it.“ From there, I applied my generalisations - especially as you did write 'any'.. I don't see anything particularly 'specific' in the word 'any'. Getting back to my specific example (although it's off the original topic, but ...) homosexuality and homosexual acts WERE illegal (and still are in some countries around the world...). It IS illegal to download pirated movies and games (eg, from megaupload). I get the impression that you are a "I don't think it's right, but we must still obey the law" type of person.
But, for a philosophical discussion, do you think that 'rights' are merely things put into laws? Or, do we have them regardless of what the law says?
And, we stand together on Wikileaks, at least in ideal... perhaps differently when it comes to specifics :D
And the problem with that is?
Shining_brow:
Not so much a problem, just using this as an interesting counter-point to some other threads that have gone down on here... "oh, the west is so free, we have freedom of speech", all that sort of thing. Yet, here is one thing where China has us beat... complete ignorance of copyright laws in other countries. Would this guy get arrested in China? If so, how would the rest of the country respond if it found out? I also wanted to point out the use of police and FBI (or other) agencies for what is essential a civil issue.... arrest and extradition???? WTF?
If the police knew how many pirated movies I watched on megaupload they'd be coming for me too.
