THE 'GATWICK CITY OF IDEAS' DISCUSSION FORUM

Welcome to Gatwick City Of Ideas (GCI) - "Analysis & Comment - Without Constraint".

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO :

This Gatwick City Forum discusses ideas - any ideas - without constraint. It is open to anyone who can think for themselves - and do not want others to do the thinking for them.

THIS FORUM - THE REASON WHY :

Our inability to discuss ideas freely - and without constraint - has reached such dangerous levels that it now threatens humanity's survival.

A war on muddled thinking must now be declared as a pre-condition of that survival.
If it is thinkable, it is winnable.

The Gatwick City Ideas and Discussion Forum has been set up so that people can discuss any idea freely and without constraint - so that we - humanity - can survive and thrive in the 21st century.[/color]

Another aim of this Forum is to be seriously enjoyable - "Serious in intention. Light in character" (Wartime Brains Trust).

As I see it, 'blogging' is simply thinking in words - a conversation with others (and/or oneself) - rather like an on-going discussion of different ideas in a pub...

Some listen and say nothing...Some don't listen and just talk...Some say a lot - some don't. Some get angry and leave - some stay. Some are wise - some are not. Some get drunk with the sound of their own voices - some stay sober....

But ALL are welcome...welcome to share their views - or just listen...to come and go as they please

No idea should be judged stupid or irrelevant - some of the best ideas have come from those sources.

No one should be judged by the quality of their grammar or spelling...let history speak : some of the 'best educated' can become monsters.

Some of the ideas discussed will get people in an apoplexy of rage sometimes. This should come as no surprise...millions of lives have been lost in the cause of some of these ideas - and that will continue.

Words can heal or harm, kill and cure - they are powerful weapons of war and peace.

So let's be careful with words...but at the same time let's have fun with them - together.

http://tartarus.org/martin/essays/burkequote.html

"ALL THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE TRIUMPH OF EVIL IS THAT GOOD MEN DO NOTHING"
(OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT)

A study of a Web quotation
Martin Porter
January 2002

"THE TEST OF DEMOCRACY IS FREEDOM OF CRITICISM" - DAVID BEN-GURION
(Hat-tip : '34&rising')

http://mindfulmimi.blogspot.com/2007/08 ... om-of.html
16 August 2007
The test of democracy is freedom of criticism - David Ben-Gurion

In 2003, while touring Europe, the Dixie Chicks announced they were 'ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas'. They had not expected the media firestorm, ban from radio stations and protests this created. Last year they were still not making nice and calling Bush a dumb f..k. And this year they were even shortlisted in a public contest to become the theme song for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign (Celine Dion's You and I finally won).

I must say I find it terrible that one cannot freely speak one's mind without any repercussions. By now and because of this post, my blog probably figures on Bush's mile-long black list - but what the heck. What I meant to say is that here in Europe, people bash politicians all the time and it does not create a hullabaloo.
Take France for example: there is a site full of anti-Sarkozy songs and postings. Now I know those exist for Bush as well (he even has his own bumper stickers, something we don't have in Europe...) but when people (famous or not) speak out openly against Sarkozy, all they get is an animated political discussion on television - if that.

So in what way are we different from Americans? And why?
Your comments are welcome!

Posted by MindFul MiMi

Labels: Politics


5 comments:
Indeterminacy said...
I think a lot of the protest against the Dixie Chicks and others like them was manufactured by the strongly biased pro-Bush media in America. Europeans are different in that they are not exposed to an overpowering media controlled by a single ideology. Hopefully it will stay that way.

17 August 2007 23:10
La delirante said...
Hi! I believe that in Europe the society is more open minded and accepts that there are in fact people who think differently and are entitled to do so. In America it seems to me it's too much talking but in reality that freedom doesn't exist as much as in Europe. It looks like if someone critizes the regime is against it while as critizing can mean that you don't agree partially or totally and that you wish to improve things. Remember that famous phrase? "if you are not with us you are against us"?

Have a nice day!

19 August 2007 09:22
Madeleine said...
I remember having to speak in hushed terms at university about Bush's 'smoke them out' speech right after 9/11. The mood was such that it put totalitarianism to shame; how you could differentiate between the two regimes was beyond me.

Nice blog.

20 August 2007 07:53
San said...
Congrats for the blog, it's great. People are in need of this kind of places, places in which one can express what one feels and thinks, and, more importantly, exchange with other people.

About the topic, I believe the reaction to the Dixie Chicks shows a different way to approach reality, a naive, socially counterproductive, less-civil one. I think there isn't a great difference between Frenchmen and Americans... the event you mentioned is just a demonstration of the demeanour a group that follows an incompetent leader that is being now abandoned by his most loyal acolytes is characterized by; take the Iraq War entry on Wikipedia in consideration, for instance: It's been proven by Wiki's staff that an IP belonging to the republican party altered the words "invasion army" for "liberation troops"... I'm generalizing, of course, which unfortunately is the only way to analyze life.

I invite you to visit my blog, it's similar to yours. I hope you like it =]

21 August 2007 02:14
rev. billy bob gisher ©2005 said...
"So in what way are we different from Americans? And why?"

our government is scared to death of it's own citizens. your governments really do not take you seriously enough to develop the same level of paranoia.

i would say you are lucky but you still have to live on the same planet with us. perhaps you should accelerate your space program.

21 August 2007 06:23
Post a Comment

"TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT TO SAY 'FUCK' AND YOU TAKE AWAY THE RIGHT TO SAY 'FUCK THE GOVERNMENT'" - LENNY BRUCE
(Hat-tip : "34&rising)

http://www.stickergiant.com/take-fuck-away_y7672.html

"THE TWO GREATEST OBSTACLES TO DEMOCRACY... ARE, FIRST, THE WIDESPREAD DELUSION AMONG MOST PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE A DEMOCRACY, AND SECOND, THE CHRONIC TERROR AMONG THE MOST POWERFUL LEST WE GET IT"

(RWS adaptation of Edward Dowling, Editor - Chicago Daily News - 1941)

Source : The Book "Escaping The Matrix" by Richard Moore - Page 81 - Cyberjournal 2005/6

"IT AIN'T LEFT OR RIGHT. IT'S UP AND DOWN.
HERE WE ALL ARE DOWN HERE STRUGGLING, WHILE THE CORPORATE ELITE ARE ALL UP THERE HAVING A NICE DAY"

(Carolyn Chute - Author of "The Beans of Egypt Maine")

Source : The Book "Escaping The Matrix" by Richard Moore - Page 102 - Cyberjournal 2005/6

"THE TEST OF DEMOCRACY IS FREEDOM OF CRITICISM" (DAVID BEN-GURION)

"If we don't believe in freedom of speech & expression for people whose views we detest & despise, then we don't believe in freedom of speech & expression. Period."

(RWS adaptation of Noam Chomsky)
http://henrynorthlondon.blogspot.com/20 ... laque.html


This is a Forum "WITHOUT CONSTRAINT" (eg WITHOUT CENSORSHIP). It's an ambitious, principled objective. It's not without its problems. But, long may it continue.

French writer & philosopher, Voltaire, said it best over 200 years ago :

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

(Voltaire 1694-1778)

May I remind readers & contributors what this Forum is all about.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

It is a Forum "without constraints" - set up over 2 years ago mainly because of the "censorship" which was regularly occurring on other local Forums.

A "NO CONSTRAINTS" Forum is challenging - but critically necessary, in any real democracy.

Please contribute if/when you can - whatever your views may be.