Firstly, let me state clearly that I do not support websites like Encyclopedia Dramatica (content wise). Much of the content found in that website is highly offensive to many different groups of people. Stay far away if you are easily offended.

The reason I have posted this story is because it is an example of political correctness gone absolutely mad. A US citizen living in the USA is being charged by Australian Human Rights groups with posting offensive material about Aboriginal Australians.

Is this a move closer to a World Political Authority? If one nation is allowed to ban and arrest a citizen based in another country, living there according to their own laws, what comes next? Also keep in mind that this story relates to the whole Internet Filter debacle. Websites with negative themes like ED will be used as justification for banning websites with positive themes.

Any thoughts?

[edit on 16/3/2010 by Dark Ghost]

I assume that in Australia they do not have freedom of speech?

My friend was listed on the Dramatica site, while it was a bit peeving for him, and actually funny to all who knew him, he got over it.

People need to lighten up and realize its a satire site. This is like taking a tabloid seriously.

edited..

[edit on 16-3-2010 by December_Rain]

I like a lot of articles on Dramatica and uncyclopedia - but there are a few which take satire tight to the edge (sometimes over it in my opinion).

I think it's a case of the community governing themselves and those who are easily offended not visiting.

Don't really think the Aboriginal people have a leg to stand on because they are not alone in their being victimised - everyone is.

-m0r

edited..

[edit on 16-3-2010 by December_Rain]

Originally posted by Dark Ghost
Firstly, let me state clearly that I do not support websites like Encyclopedia Dramatica (content wise). Much of the content found in that website is highly offensive to many different groups of people.

Isn't that the point of the site though? Also, whilst it's got bigger and more popular over the years, it's still pretty much a niche site. Despite the site's name, it's unlikely that anyone would confuse it for a real encyclopaedia and therefore shouldn't confuse it's contents for reality or truth. The only truth in the site are the segments which document the origin of particular memes and even those aren't necessarily true either.

It's fairly obvious that the site is satirical and should be to anyone that reads the content, including aborigines.

Is anyone here really surprised? It's merely typical backwards Australian government. I got to get out of here ASAP.

[edit on 16/3/2010 by C0bzz]

edited all my posts, as I was pretty upset at that time over all this interference with internet by govt.

[edit on 16-3-2010 by December_Rain]

"The articles in this parody of an encyclopedia explain things in a funny and not necessarily correct way."

Taken right from the Google search result. So anyone who visits the site should be prepared for anything. Don't like it..don't look, simple as that.

People that go screaming to their mommy every time they get their feelings hurt really should get a life. Its a cold hard world out there, get used to it.

Originally posted by Merriman Weir
Isn't that the point of the site though? Also, whilst it's got bigger and more popular over the years, it's still pretty much a niche site. Despite the site's name, it's unlikely that anyone would confuse it for a real encyclopaedia and therefore shouldn't confuse it's contents for reality or truth. The only truth in the site are the segments which document the origin of particular memes and even those aren't necessarily true either.

It's fairly obvious that the site is satirical and should be to anyone that reads the content, including aborigines.

I made that statement so that ATS members and staff would know it was NOT my intention to glamorise or advertise the content of the website as the focus. My Focus is on the fact that an Australian Human Rights groups - along with the Aboriginal Australians who publicised this complaint - thinks it has the authority to censor and arrest people living under a different Government, Culture and set of legislation on the basis of laws that don't exist in that country.

The funny thing about that website is that it pretty much pokes fun at EVERY minority, infamous, famous or cult group. As you rightly said the whole point of the website appears to be poking fun at everyone and not caring about political correctness or holding back.

It would really be nice to see some more members replying to this thread, especially other Australians. Do you think calls for the arrest of this man and his website are valid? What if the situations were reversed and it was an Australian being arrested and shut down by an American Human Rights group?

Originally posted by Dark Ghost

The funny thing about that website is that it pretty much pokes fun at EVERY minority, infamous, famous or cult group. As you rightly said the whole point of the website appears to be poking fun at everyone and not caring about political correctness or holding back.

Hey Dark Ghost,

Perhaps the Aussies will treat this site as an employment opportunity.

Since it goes after so many groups, imagine the bureaucracy that could be grown to support it.

If this doesn't get thrown out, I imagine a government funded, government-run cottage industry will spring up whereby Aussies go after anyone anywhere who states things online which hurt their group's feelings and the government does everything in their power to spend as much money employing as many people as possible to bring the 'perps' to some form of Australian 'justice'.

This is bazarro world afterall.

Originally posted by Dark Ghost
I made that statement so that ATS members and staff would know it was NOT my intention to glamorise or advertise the content of the website as the focus. My Focus is on the fact that an Australian Human Rights groups - along with the Aboriginal Australians who publicised this complaint - thinks it has the authority to censor and arrest people living under a different Government, Culture and set of legislation on the basis of laws that don't exist in that country.

The funny thing about that website is that it pretty much pokes fun at EVERY minority, infamous, famous or cult group. As you rightly said the whole point of the website appears to be poking fun at everyone and not caring about political correctness or holding back.

It would really be nice to see some more members replying to this thread, especially other Australians. Do you think calls for the arrest of this man and his website are valid? What if the situations were reversed and it was an Australian being arrested and shut down by an American Human Rights group?

Please don't get me wrong, my post wasn't a dig at you, more a retort to the actually story, but in order to make my own point, I needed to reply to that 'statement'.

Originally posted by Dark Ghost
Do you think calls for the arrest of this man and his website are valid?

No

What if the situations were reversed and it was an Australian being arrested and shut down by an American Human Rights group?

Still wont support it.

Could this be meant as a bit of a poke in the eye to Anonymous?

Obviously they're not officially associated with anything but ED certainly seems to have some connection to them.. If nothing else, the article on Anon is about the least insulting one on there, it's written very much how they write about themselves IMO.

Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

There are some worrying freedom of speach restrictions coming out of Australia recently!

Originally posted by March of the Fire Ants
There are some worrying freedom of speach restrictions coming out of Australia recently!

No kidding. One of the most disturbing aspects of this whole effort to restrain freedom of speech and limit personal freedoms is that the average Australian citizen does not even notice it is happening! Most people are so pre-occupied over the most sensationalised garbage...one just wants to *facepalm* when they switch on the TV, read the newspaper or listen to the radio.

[edit on 16/3/2010 by Dark Ghost]

You've got two choices:

a) Accept that everywhere you go, there will be people who say things and do things that are offensive, ignorant, and just generally not very nice; and that you, as an individual have the right to turn away from or confront said behavior, or

b) allow an agency comprised of interest groups and lobbyists to coerce your local government into passing legislation criminalizing not only the act of posting things that may offend, but criminalizing the act of being exposed to something that may offend (see: Australia, net filtering).