In the 80s, Sinn-Fien leader Jerry Adams voice was not allowed to be broadcast on tv, so when he was on the news he had to be impersonated by an actor. Now here's my idea - When Osama Bin-Laden is on tv his voice should be impersonated by Margaret Hamilton, the actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. No one would join Al-Quadea if their recruitment tapes consisted of:
Surrender George W. I'm gonna get you, and your little dog (Tony Blair) too. Oh no, napalm... I'm melting. I'm mmeeeeelllllttting... oh what a world.

I laughed so loudly I woke up my roomie.

I hope you're happy.

:D :D :D

A funny but poignant point. Why do we allow ANY network, especially Al-Jihad, to air the statements of Osama? Why don't we just make it illegal and shut down any network airing his work -- with bombs if need be? I'd be all for that.

Because everyone has the right to have his voice heard. Even the lowest criminal.

Edit: and on Al Jazeera they are just another independent news agency like CNN except that they show more of the other side's point of view.

[ 09-13-2004, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: dplax ]

Sorry, I don't see it that way. If you give a radical muslim air time on the weekend to do a show where he calls for fatwa, you deserve a few radar-guided mavericks up your ass.

I shall try not to make this into a religious debate about which religion should or should not be given air time, but here are some points to consider.

Although I don't agree with a lot of people's views that doesn't mean I'll want to ban them from appearing on television. If for example you are anti-Bush that wouldn't mean you would want to ban his propaganda from appearing on tv, would you? (if you want substitute anti-Bush with anti-Kerry and ask yourself the same question)

Bin Laden appearing on television and saying that he wants western interests bombed is actually no new information. It would be as sensational as BBC broadcasting that the IRA want to unite the two Irelands.

Now let us suppose Bin Laden did not get any time on the air. The world would have found out much later who was behind 9/11. Him appearing on tv does not also serve as a means of communication for him, but may also give information of his actions to western intelligence services. And besides if he did not have television as a method of communicating his views with those who would follow him, I am sure that he would be able to find another way.

EDIT: before anyone makes the point that I support Bin Laden, or terrorism I'll state that I don't, I can just see the other side's point of view more than others.

[ 09-13-2004, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: dplax ]

You have to draw the line somewhere.

Do we really need to give voice to the KKK's point of view? Is Al-Queta any different in it's message of hate, and it's reliance on the deaths of the innocent?

The site of a black man hanging from a tree or of a Westerner having his head cut off. Are these the messages of groups that deserve a voice?

I agree with you on those two occasions Ronn.

My point was that you have the right to have your voice heard. If you say things either graphically or visually which do not agree with the basic human rights (or even the non-basic ones) you should be pursued to the furthest extent of the law. Which is happening right now. What I'm just saying is that people have the right to say the wrong things, but then have to answer for their words or actions. Al-Jazeera choses to show Bin-Laden because that is what interests people. If people weren't interested in him he could make a hundred videos and none of them would be aired.

I hope that the point I am trying to make is understandable.

It's not just Bin Laden. There is, from what I hear (admittedly, going on 2nd-hand knowledge here) a regular program on al-Jazeera hosted by a religious leader who calls for fatwa -- every week. Even with our considerably-broad First Amendment, insighting the public to violence is illegal.

Airing Bin Laden's latest rants is arguably news -- but running this other show on the air is too much. Seriously, I really think we should see to it they are not able to air their programming.