All this stuff

[dreamflower]

Well, everyone else just about, seems to have weighed in with their opinions on LJ's actions over the weekend. My two cents, behind a cut, in case you are sick of the whole topic...

I never was worried about my own LJ. My interests are just about as bland and gen as you can get. But I have a lot of people friended who are more daring than I am, and I was worried about suddenly finding a lot of them suddenly gone--I mean, I hardly ever trim my *own* flist, I'd be furious to find someone else had done it *for* me!

And there is the principal of the thing. Of course I don't want to see child molesters out there trolling for kids or encouraging one another in their crimes, but the manner in which dealing with the complaint was gone about was ridiculous overkill--kind of like killing a cockroach by blowing up the entire house. True, what LJ did was not technically censorship--they aren't the government, after all--but it still had a chilling effect on free speech.

Also, I hated seeing how many of my friends were/are panicking over this, seeing them frightened and stressed ticks me off.

I love LJ, and as long as it's here, and my friends are still here, I'll still be doing my thing the same way I always have. But I'll have my eyes open a little more.

I do like the idea of backing up my LJ, just as a matter of insurance, but I can't seem to get that archive thingy to work for me. 8-(

Comments

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

I think what hit those who are worrying the most is the prospect of: what is next? I have slash writers on my friendslist - some of them very pro gay rights (I am pro gay rights as well) - who felt threathened by this whole thing. I know things are different across the sea and with the new copyright act looming over our heads - hence the referral to thought crime. The thing is, the fandom as a whole is in the spotlight for a while now, so yes I can understand the unrest of another group following the example of warriors for innocence and perverted justice. This combined that our own dear professor adresses incest in the Silmarillion with two pairings, makes every Tolkien fan fic writer (including myself) going like... w00t? Fiction people, fiction. I saw two cases of people being banned from Myspace at the presumption of child molesters and both proofed to be innocent. That is what it has become: even activists need to take a step back and see what they are causing. That is why I think right now we should give Berkowitz and his crew a break, especially now that they realise and understand they made a huge mistake. Shouting at them ain't going to improve things or re-assure those who are frightened over this. Remaining calm, giving hugs and remain rational does. *hugs*