Erase this smile: :-X !

[Caid Ivik]

Yes, I mean it really. It promotes suppression of thoughts, gripping souls in self-made censorship. It laughs of hard-fought battle for a free speech. Like an icon of newspeak, it blurs this site, which became a stronghold of free conversation in the world bound by tabus and irrational biases!

[Mihail]

...What?

(Sorry, I'm not an almighty politician who knows of all political correctness :D )

[Edric O]

On the contrary... (hey, you didn't really think I'd agree with Caid, did you? ;D) Freedom of speech includes the freedom to say nothing. And we can enjoy our freedom of speech on this forum precisely because nothing is banned. Banning smilies in order to "protect freedom of speech" is like banning political parties in order to "protect democracy".

Let the people express themselves however they wish! Even if it means starting completely pointless topics like this one! :)

[The_Sadukar]

so in other words Edric, we must allow facist parties in the name of democracy?

[Edric O]

Yes. Otherwise we'd be hypocrites: "Fascists are bad because they want to outlaw other parties, so we outlawed the fascist party."

Democracy means that EVERYONE has a voice.

[The_Sadukar]

by allowing the facist to speak, we have given the taint a chance to spread

[Mahdi]

Actually, there is a popular theory that by allowing Neo-Nazis and the liek speak and say whatever they want, we are actually worsening there cause,f or everytime they say the holocaust didn't happen, it presents the opportunity for everyone to re-visit the holocaust and how horrible it was.

Basically, by allowing them to say stuff like that, it gives us an excuse to tell the truth of what really happened.

[Egeides]

Also, to let fascist groups going unopposed isn't good: when is the last time you saw a fascist debating? In closed environments, it's going like sects without critique and give them the impression they are right.

Besides Caid, I agree with you. For democracy and freedom of speech, we should also banish:

- Anyone referencing to "not having freedom of speech"

- Saying that the present model is incorrect since it discredits it

- And so on

[Edric O]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should let the fascists go unopposed. On the contrary, we should oppose them and expose their lies at every turn. But not by censorship. Let them speak their minds, but also speak out against them at the same time. Use their own propaganda against them, by pointing out the millions of flaws in it.

You see, the fascists want to be banned. They know that their case is full of holes, so they want to play the martyr and accuse the government of persecuting them. Fascist propaganda appeals to irrational instincts, not to logic and reason. By putting them in an environment where logic and reason prevail, you will defeat them.

[Caid Ivik]

Fascism is a plague, it don't have to play on our souls. Only the ideology, which carries it, no matter what aligment it is. Fascism simply can't be banned, only its signs can be to prevent their enlargement. When fascism exists, it is too late.

[Sneakgab]

True Edrico, the only problem is stupid people who will fall for fake logic,evidence,e.t.c and propoganda from groups before considering such things. Even in modern and stable democratic societies there are those who do not question things, sometimes because they fall of fake logic and the like, sometime because they are simply not meticulous enough to question even things that naturally appear correct as such things are followed naturally by most of the society (It is like something hiding under you're nose, you never think to look there because their is rarely anything literallly under you're nose... or better described as somebody saying something like: ''That electric trains smoke is blowing westward'' without realizing that electric trains don't use steam... such things seem so obvious and natural and so widely followed that many simply assume such things to be correct...).

Of course, their is usually little to be done about such people and they must be given the chance to eventually use their heads because everyone can change:D, and thus I'm with Edrico here. If people want to destroy democracy and vote for an undemocratic party because they desire to be ruled by an overlord or something of that nature then so be it...

People have the right to be stupid:D

[Edric O]

People have the right to be stupid, but we also have the responsibility to do our best to prevent them from taking stupid decisions that may cause untold suffering.

Electing fascists into office is like suicide: You don't prevent it by making it illegal - you prevent it by talking people out of it and giving them other solutions to their problems.

[Caid Ivik]

Well, people can talk about it, but state must prevent realisation of their thoughts. People have right to be stupid, that's for sure. Whatever. But government doesn't have this luxury. Every error of politicians is far more dangerous.

[Edric O]

The state has no business telling people what they can or can't vote. That's an attack on democracy, and a typically fascist practice. Do you want to fight against fascism by becoming a fascist yourself?

Not only is it hypocritical to ban political parties in the name of democracy, but it also just plain doesn't work. Banning fascists only makes them stronger. As I said before, they love playing the victim. And the only way to defeat them is to engage them in arguments and prove how insane and full of holes their ideas are.

[Sardauker-Kirov]

I don't think Fascism will gain any ground, if you take a close look at Hitler, Saddam and some other countries with a cruel dictatorship.

You could find the 'truth' about Fascism and ignore the good things that they try stick on people's mouth.

Democracy might be not a true Democracy in this world, but it is certainly better than Fascism or any other Dictatorship based government.

[Caid Ivik]

Good government should not ban such aligned parties, it must even prevent creation of such party. This isn't possible trough some specifical program restrictions, but there are many other possibilities. For example, ensuring strong plurality in society, which will prevent fascist tendencies in one of them. In fact, it is more sociological than political problem.

[thomas]

AAAARRGGHHHHH PUT THE FRICKEN SMILEY BACK!!!!!!!

I need a smiley to represt the facial expresion of hold back puke now!!!!!

return it!

iiNOW!! >:(

[Anathema]

It wasn't removed, it was replaced by this one

:-X

I liked the old smilies better anyway...

[Gobalopper]

The next version of the forum lets you pick which smiley set to use.

[Andrew]

The next version of the forum lets you pick which smiley set to use.

Does that mean I see only the set I have chosen(in others posts), or also what others have chosen and typed?

:-

[Gobalopper]

It would be just like now, you see the set you've picked.

[thomas]

:-X = holding baxck speech :x represent holding back regurgitated food stuff.