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I could not help but brush this up a little:
Make no bones about it: I am a conservative who believes that the press in themselves are not evil.
Are you shocked? You shouldn’t be. Some liberals like to present the cliché counterargument that “The pen is mightier than the sword” in debates about free speech. However, the question still remains: Exactly what argument do they think they are countering?
It is not the “conservative stance” that the presses in themselves have the ability to assassinate character and are evil. In fact, anyone who believes this nonsense, liberal or conservative, is just plain dumb.
In fact, I – and most intelligent people of any political leaning – am of the opinion that the printing press cannot really have ethical qualities, one way or another. Thus, the press cannot be evil, but they cannot be good either.
What is evil is a government that allows people to buy printing presses – offset and automatic electronic ones at that - who should not even be allowed to touch one.
Is the government limiting the first amendment right to freedom of speech if it says to someone: “No, you cannot own a printing press”?
No.
People who should not be allowed to own printing presses:
• anybody who has committed a felony, ever. Exceptions could be made for people who have clearly “recovered” and wanted a printing press to protect their character.
• anybody who has ever been in prison (not jail) for an extended period of time, especially for slander, defamation or hate speech crimes.
• anybody whose medical records show a history of mental illness.
• anybody on any wanted list or terrorist watch list or any list of that nature. No formal indictment and conviction is necessary. As long as you are on any list; no publishing rights for you.
Do I think it is acceptable for a “normal” citizen to own a printing press for the purposes of self-aggrandizement and self-promotion? Yes. In all likelihood, even if the government illegalized ALL publishing means, criminals would probably still be able to get their hands on them (although it might be a bit more difficult). Thus, if a criminal can get a publishing suite, legally or illegally, I should be able to own one in case he or she breaks into my house with the intent to libel and slander me or my family.
This right, however, should not extend into the realm of automatic electronic media. The electronic media must have a child safety feature, and it should be made illegal for that person to re-sell his or her electronic media tools to whomever he or she chooses because you never know what kind of psychotic individual might then be the owner of the electronic media tools.
Also, when the founding fathers wrote that all American citizens should have the right to free press and speech, there was no such thing as an automatic electronic media tool. Presses that printed more than one block of text per pull of the handle were not around. Now, there are electronic media tools that spray Megabits easier than you can pick your nose.
Should these automatic electronic media tools be legal?
NO. No, no, no.
If anybody can make a good argument as to why such media tools should be legal, or what positive purpose they serve in our society (or what purpose at all), please e-mail me or write an editorial about it.
An electronic media tool that shoots images and words at a ridiculously rapid rate serves no real purpose in our society, other than killing people’s character. If somebody wants to own a webcam for the purpose of ridiculing an intruder in his or her home who may be threatening his or her character, I am not opposed to that. Should a person be able to own an automatic High-Definition studio for the same purposes? Absolutely not. It is unnecessary, and you are more likely to kill the intruder’s character rather than just ridicule him or her, which is also unnecessary.
So, in conclusion, the media are not evil. The acts they commit – via a person pulling the print lever – can be evil, but they are not always. I think it is always wrong to kill another person’s character, regardless of what they have done. But it is not wrong to ridicule one who is trying to ridicule you or your family. Automatic electronic media tools are just ridiculous and should be completely outlawed.
Unfortunately, in these modern times, the musket is no longer the most powerful weapon; the automatic electronic media has taken its place.