It never ceases to amaze the depths that politicians will plunge to in order to try and censor things they don't like.
Here, we have the case of a US senator trying to ban supposedly "vulgar" photoshopping after a blogger pasted a picture of his head onto that of a male porn star's body in order to mock him. The senator in question is none other than the fine upstandign Republican Earnest G Smith who wants to make such creative edits and forms of expression a crime pubnishable by a $1,000 fine. However, while the proposed legislation may well step on First Amendment rights, he's not worried about that, telling Fox News, "Everyone has a right to privacy. No one has a right to make fun of anyone. It’s not a First Amendment right". That's a somewhat unique interpretation of the first amendment and I assume you're actually being earnest there, Earnest?
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Oddly, Smith refused to give details of the proposed legislation when Fox News contacted him about it and wasn't especially polite or nice with his reply, either, "At this juncture, I am not at liberty to share anything with you. I don’t have to. If and when this bill passes we can revisit the issue and if I choose to give you details at that time I will, but until then I don’t have to tell you anything".
Charming. Looks like that humour bypass operation worked a real treat on you bro.
Smiith initially proposed the legislation a year ago, which according to the summary for the bill would "make it a misdemeanor offense to alter a photograph that 'causes an unknowing person wrongfully to be identified as the person in an obscene depiction.' Smith introduced the legislation last year after a teenage girl was subjected to 'online attacks'", explains Fox News.
Smith also said that he doesn't care if his bill would target online parodies, saying "They (parody creators) live for something like this. They are vulgar. This is about being vulgar. We’re becoming a nation of vulgar people".
So they're vulgar and what of it? And politicians are so fine and upstanding, not getting into any scandals, that they deserve to be treated in a completely dignified manner at all times. Sure.
Thankfully, not everyone has had the same unfortunate humour bypass surgery that Smith has however, as one anonymous lawmaker told Fox News, "He’s the conductor of his own crazy train". Well, that's one way to put it Mr Anonymous.
So, who was the naughty blogger that put Smiths head on a naked porn star's body? It's none other than Georgia Politics Unfiltered blogger Andre Walker, who 'fessed up to it as Fox News explains once again,
Now, as ridiculous as this attempt to stifle free speech is, we must never forget how important it is to never let something like this get onto the statute books, since it will spread like a cancer to all sorts of other things that people in power want to hush, because it offends or embarrasses them in some way. We must never let our guard down. Ever.
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Clik here to view.![Posted Image]()
Can you imagine if a law like this had been in place in the UK when the superb biting political satire Spitting Image was in its heydey in the 80s and 90s? It would have been lame and watered down or not existed at all. Damn, has it been that long?
Source: Fox News
Here, we have the case of a US senator trying to ban supposedly "vulgar" photoshopping after a blogger pasted a picture of his head onto that of a male porn star's body in order to mock him. The senator in question is none other than the fine upstandign Republican Earnest G Smith who wants to make such creative edits and forms of expression a crime pubnishable by a $1,000 fine. However, while the proposed legislation may well step on First Amendment rights, he's not worried about that, telling Fox News, "Everyone has a right to privacy. No one has a right to make fun of anyone. It’s not a First Amendment right". That's a somewhat unique interpretation of the first amendment and I assume you're actually being earnest there, Earnest?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Oddly, Smith refused to give details of the proposed legislation when Fox News contacted him about it and wasn't especially polite or nice with his reply, either, "At this juncture, I am not at liberty to share anything with you. I don’t have to. If and when this bill passes we can revisit the issue and if I choose to give you details at that time I will, but until then I don’t have to tell you anything".
Charming. Looks like that humour bypass operation worked a real treat on you bro.
Smiith initially proposed the legislation a year ago, which according to the summary for the bill would "make it a misdemeanor offense to alter a photograph that 'causes an unknowing person wrongfully to be identified as the person in an obscene depiction.' Smith introduced the legislation last year after a teenage girl was subjected to 'online attacks'", explains Fox News.
Smith also said that he doesn't care if his bill would target online parodies, saying "They (parody creators) live for something like this. They are vulgar. This is about being vulgar. We’re becoming a nation of vulgar people".
So they're vulgar and what of it? And politicians are so fine and upstanding, not getting into any scandals, that they deserve to be treated in a completely dignified manner at all times. Sure.
Thankfully, not everyone has had the same unfortunate humour bypass surgery that Smith has however, as one anonymous lawmaker told Fox News, "He’s the conductor of his own crazy train". Well, that's one way to put it Mr Anonymous.
So, who was the naughty blogger that put Smiths head on a naked porn star's body? It's none other than Georgia Politics Unfiltered blogger Andre Walker, who 'fessed up to it as Fox News explains once again,
"I did exactly what Rep. Smith wants to make illegal," Walker, who has referred to Smith's bill as "asinine," wrote on his blog. "I pasted a picture of Smith's head onto the body of a male porn star."
"The first Amendment to the Constitution of the United States protects all forms of speech, not just spoken word,"Walker said. "It attempts to regulate speech and I doubt it would stand up in a court of law."
The blogger added, "I cannot believe Rep. Earnest Smith thinks I’m insulting him by putting his head on the body of a well-built porn star".
Now, as ridiculous as this attempt to stifle free speech is, we must never forget how important it is to never let something like this get onto the statute books, since it will spread like a cancer to all sorts of other things that people in power want to hush, because it offends or embarrasses them in some way. We must never let our guard down. Ever.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Can you imagine if a law like this had been in place in the UK when the superb biting political satire Spitting Image was in its heydey in the 80s and 90s? It would have been lame and watered down or not existed at all. Damn, has it been that long?
Source: Fox News