"History has shown that once governments begin to police speech, they find ever more of it to combat. Not only does this trend threaten free speech, freedom of association and a free press, it undermines free exercise of religion." - Jonathon Turley
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Free Speech at the Writers' Festival
One place you would expect free speech to be respected is at a writers' festival. Apparently this is expecting too much of the Sydney Writers' Festival, where censorship reigns supreme.
An interesting attack on a Festival that I'm sure you have nothing but kind thoughts for. But it did arise from a covert agreement between UTS and the Festival didn't it. A BUSINESS AGREEMENT.
What then, can we say about 'business agreements'?
A business agreement is a means of giving effect to the wishes of the parties. It is conduct, not an entity. Here I was commenting on the conduct of people.
The effect of their business agreement seems to have been that in taking the Devil's silver Festival organisers feel constrained to censor the Devil's critics.
The particular poignancy of the Sydney Writer's Festival case is that, as writers are often targets of censors, they would be less inclined to impose censorship on others.
Also, while denial of free speech is generally less offensive in private institutions than when coerced by government, the public nature of this event engenders an expectation that censorship will not rear its ugly head.
One must never ever question the practices of *ahem* respected institutions of ozarts, those middle manager purveyors of taste will do anything to hold onto their precious fiefdoms. They will be the first to impose and censor if anything threatens the status quo. The Melbourne Fringe Festival has had similar stoushes. www.casionova.org/melbournefringe_1.html
An interesting attack on a Festival that I'm sure you have nothing but kind thoughts for. But it did arise from a covert agreement between UTS and the Festival didn't it. A BUSINESS AGREEMENT.
ReplyDeleteWhat then, can we say about 'business agreements'?
See what I did there.
A business agreement is a means of giving effect to the wishes of the parties. It is conduct, not an entity. Here I was commenting on the conduct of people.
ReplyDeleteThe effect of their business agreement seems to have been that in taking the Devil's silver Festival organisers feel constrained to censor the Devil's critics.
The particular poignancy of the Sydney Writer's Festival case is that, as writers are often targets of censors, they would be less inclined to impose censorship on others.
Also, while denial of free speech is generally less offensive in private institutions than when coerced by government, the public nature of this event engenders an expectation that censorship will not rear its ugly head.
I agree, I was just hypothesizing that perhaps you enjoyed attacking writers.
ReplyDeleteNot just writers. Polarisation is the best way to start a discussion. The light and shade can come later.
ReplyDeleteOne must never ever question the practices of *ahem* respected institutions of ozarts, those middle manager purveyors of taste will do anything to hold onto their precious fiefdoms.
ReplyDeleteThey will be the first to impose and censor if anything threatens the status quo.
The Melbourne Fringe Festival has had similar stoushes. www.casionova.org/melbournefringe_1.html