[videoblogging] An apology and replies to Islamic Censorship comments.

[Randolfe Wicker]

When I get angry, I usually try to control myself.  I succeeded in doing so for twelve hours after my vlog against Islamic justice was censored at both Blip and YouTube.   I finally vented my fury in a post here.  I obviously overdid it a bit.  I want to apologize for that and to thank all those who responded with helpful advice. I'll post short responses here to specific remarks to avoid having the endless long original post reprinted. ***************************************** Josh Kinberg suggested a couple alternative sites and chided: "So basically, I wouldn't go around saying the sky is falling."   Actually, I didn't realize there were so many alternative forums for posting.  Josh's suggestion and those made by others made me realize that.  Knowing that I will be able to put this material up somewhere has made me feel enormously better.  I'm working on it today. ********************************************************************* Edmund Yeo supplied me with a resource I'm trying to use: http://www.listible.com/list/free-online-file-sending-and-file-storage-services "   Every server has different procedures.  I got an account but haven't been able to find out how to upload my video.  Thanks, Edmund.  Having recourse after being censored is empowering. ************************************************************ Ted Tagami certainly knows you can calm down someone in near hysteria by simply slapping them in the face:"Why not get a spine and host it yourself?"   I've been working on doing just that for months.  I've had two-years of prepaid space on DreamHost since September 1st.  For technically challenged people like myself, it is difficult to evaluate and hire people to do what you need done. Thanks Ted, I think I equated being censored at Blip and YouTube as being prohibited from the Internet period.  I thought Dreamhost might censor me as well. **************************************************************** Andreas Haugstrup echoed Ted's advice by pointing out that"First off: Blip.TV and similar services are free as in beer, not speech."   The rest of Andreas' post raised questions about the responsibility any vlogger had for public reactions to a vlog:   "Perhaps this is not the time to escalate the situation. Perhaps you should take a step back and think about what consequences  posting your video will have. Perhaps it's not about you, but the world. Perhaps it's better to resolve the situation with angry mobs running  around, and not incite further rage at this point. Perhaps I should hold you personally responsible if your video makes it's  online and results in killings of Danish citizens. Freedom to publish includes the right to do really fucking dumb things. I  have a feeling your video is a really fucking dumb thing to post. Since  you seem more interested in furthering your own image as a provocateur,  than thinking about the consequences of posting said video I commend  Blip.TV and YouTube for doing the thinking for you." ******************************************************************   Contrary to Andreas' false impression that I was "more interested in furthering my image as a provocateur" than in the consequences of posting my vlog, I was genuinely upset (and still am) at all the censorship of these cartoons in the media.  I am even more upset at the outrageous violent over-reaction on the part of Muslims all over the world.   My vlog was intended to put a human face on the atrocities committed every day all around the world under the mantra of "Islamic Law" and "Islamic Justice".   Yes, I would vlog them cutting the hand off of a thief.  I would vlog the execution of a woman sentenced to death for adultery or sex outside of marriage.   I wish we had a vlog of the two teenage boys hung in Iran a couple months ago for being gay lovers.   We live in a world that "sanitizes" issues.  We aren't allowed to see the killed children, the dead and/or wounded U.S. Servicemen/women on location.  Why not?  Because to see the consequences of our actions would probably provoke a public outcry against them.   I object to putting a black hood over a person being executed so those doing/'watching the killing are spared watching the agony on their victim's face. To me, vlogging should be about showing the true reality of life. That includes gore and all.  ************************************************** Deirdre Straughan  certainly contributed to the debate with this link to an article by a moderate Muslim who felt other Muslims were giving themselves and their religion a bad name.   http://muslimwakeup.com/   ********************************************************* My thanks to all those who responded thoughtfully to the issues I raised.     Randolfe (Randy) Wicker   Videographer, Writer, Activist Advisor: The Immortality Institute http://www.blip.tv/posts/?user=Randolfe%20Wicker Hoboken, NJ http://www.randywickerreporting.blogspot.com/ 201-656-3280     SPONSORED LINKS Individual Fireant Use Explains YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS  Visit your group "videoblogging" on the web.    To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:  [EMAIL PROTECTED]    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.