Silenced: Progressive Sites Censored

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/15/532/

Silenced: Progressive Sites Censored
by Kriss Perras Running Waters

snip//


As of recent months, there have been many accounts of Progressive news sites and Progressive sites in general experiencing difficulty on the Web. Some sites have been completely censored off the web for a period of time such as BushFlash.com which last week was offline and in place of its home page was a Department of Homeland Security logo. The statement from the government was the site was under investigation for violations of the Patriot Act. The site was started in March 2003, after the publisher watched the corporate media completely ignore the groundswell against the coming Iraq war.

snip//

Another site owned by a prominent figure known not only to attend but organize anti-war rallies is Perceval Press, owned by Actor Viggo Mortensen. This evening Mortensen posted a note on the site stating, “Apologies to anyone who has been temporarily blocked from connecting with percevalpress.com by something called ‘(Content)Watch,’ which apparently involves state censorship dictated by moral judgments on what ‘(Content)Watch’ calls ‘Hate/Violence’ and ‘Pornography.’ I haven’t the faintest idea what could have roused the watchdogs, and, frankly, do not care to know. This is the world we live in. I certainly hope it wasn’t the recently-posted Sun-Sentinel link regarding restoration of constitutionally-guaranteed voting rights for ex-cons in Florida. We at Perceval Press will continue to provide whatever information we see fit to post on our site. Hopefully you will be allowed to view this information at your personal discretion so as to be able to draw your private conclusions with regard to ‘content.’ Happy Easter.”

snip//


In the name of National Security, numerous sites have been removed from the Web including Raisethefist.com, an alternative media site conversing on a diversity of subjects including anarchism, activism, and current events not reported by mainstream media.

The site is active again and states, ” On Jan 24, 2002 the FBI, Secret Service Los Angeles Joint-terror Task Force armed with sub-machine guns, shot guns, and bullet-proof vests raided the home of Sherman Austin (former webmaster of Raisethefist.com and founder of RTF Direct Action Network). Sherman Austin was 18 years old at the time. Federal agents came armed and ready to kill with the house completely surrounded and guns drawn before approaching the front door. They left with all computer equipment and political literature seized. A week later he attended the World Economic Forum protests in New York where he was arrested by the FBI for “distribution of information related to explosives or weapons of mass destruction”. However Sherman never distributed or authored any information about explosives. In fact the FBI referred to a completely different site authored by a completely different individual (whom they visited and questioned in person) but purposely lied, fabricated evidence, and lied in court documents to frame Sherman and paint him as a terrorist. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to a year in federal prison on Aug 4, 2003. He was released a year later with 3 years of strict probation which prohibits him from having access to a computer as well as knowingly associating with individuals who “espouse violence for political change.”

In 2001, the fan discussion forum “Rage Against The Machine” was shutdown because the FBI called the ISP stating too much anti-American rhetoric was posted on the board. In February 2003, the popular alternative news publication YellowTimes.org was shut down without explanation.

Control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet is a violation of free speech. You wouldn’t put up with censorship if you were on a street corner rally holding a sign with your own political point of view - be it a sign that states “support our troops” or one that says “Clinton Lied. Nobody died.”

[AnnInLa]

1. So, are these anarchy sites or what?

Do they advocate the violent overthrow of the US govt? yadda, yadda, yadda?

Shit, I'm afraid to go to those sites to check them out. This is a fine turn of events.

What ever happened to that citizens' radio station in CA that had to keep moving around, and then finally got shut down? But, that was a licensing thing wasn't it? My senility is getting more senile.

[sam sarrha]

5. what if the hate in the speach i true, like my hate of the presidents Psychopathic dictatorship, so

many innocent women and children, old and young..Iraqis have died.. and will contenue to die from Depleted uranium for ever, ..Bu$h to date has killed maybe 3 times more than than Saddam murdered.. his whole life

[Clark2008]

21. We had a radio station like that in Knoxville, TN

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=14047

Agents from the Federal Communications Commission raided a pirate radio station yesterday morning in Knoxville.

The three FCC officials were accompanied by three U.S. Marshals when they closed down the station called Knoxville First Amendment Radio, and confiscated all its equipment.

The station did not have a broadcasting license or any official management. KFAR operated in a secluded area of Knox Country out of a trailer that once served as a crack house. Until last February, its antenna was mounted in a tree.

The FCC had previously visited the station twice and warned KFAR's deejays to stop operation.

The deejays stopped for while but returned to air. When agents arrived again, KFAR posted a raid alert on its Web site. None of the deejays gave their names to avoid fines that could potentially bar them from ever having a broadcasting license.

The station broadcast on 90.9 FM and was reported to have had nearly 50 deejays, who all paid KFAR a $10 fee to cover the station's expenses.

There were only a few rules for a person to get on air: No racist, sexist or homophobic language, and no offending of community standards before 10 p.m.

[brg5001]

39. Sorry, but "Pirate" radio means unlicensed

Pirate radio is a huge problem. Numerous pirate stations have popped up in South Florida since recent migrants are either unaware or unconcerned with spectrum allocation and licensure laws. These stations interfere with licensed broadcasts including air traffic control and emergency services, as well as commercial and noncommercial radio stations. Pirate broadcasting is illegal and should be shut down. The post isn't about pirate stations, it's about legitimate websites and protected speech being quashed.

[meldroc]

27. Viggo Mortensen isn't really the anarchist type...

Most people know him as Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings movies, but he's also a big progressive, anti-war figure. Of course, selling t-shirts with the logo "IMPEACH INDICT JAIL" will bring the ire of the assholes with power...

[nealmhughes]

38. Also a poet, he is Christine Cervenka's ex-husband (Exene of the band X).

It seems the acting gigs pay the rent and his true love is letters, much as Christine is also mainly a poet, who gigs to pay for the kid and food while she writes. . .

They are hardly radicals, by anyone's sane estimation, rather bona fide artists and vaguely "counter cultural" and "progressive," much like say Henry Rollins.

[Brundle_Fly]

40. Well Buzzflash is

a bunch of links to news articles. That is all.

[sam sarrha]

2. how can Rush, Neil Borsch or Savage last 2 minutes without being investigated..??

[FloridaJudy]

3. Recommended

Imus wasn't a first amendment issue. This is a first amendment issue.

Thanks for posting this.

PS What's the procedure for "kicking" something? I hate to sound lame, but it's not in the FAQs.

[babylonsister]

8. Thanks, FloridaJudy, you just kicked by responding.

When you comment on a thread, it's considered 'kicked'.

[Bitwit1234]

4. What right do they have to remove these sites.

Why don't they take rush, savage, drudge and malkien off the net...And by the way I couldn't access ThinkProgress for about an hour. It took me to a site where you had ads.

[Pierzin]

7. Wow! OMFG! How far until Marshal Law?

I mean really! WTF?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

15. i thought it was martial. but marshall works, with

marshalls darth and W in charge.

[Morgana LaFey]

24. Martial.

Same origin as the word "Martian" -- which refers to the planet/god Mars, god of war. And of martial law.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

53. Thanks for making that correction.

I'm a spelling and grammar Nazi myself and it drives me NUTS.

[Morgana LaFey]

58. I don't actually do that -- but the question DID come up

I see "marshall law" a lot around here, but usually find DUers fairly well educated and not all that bad at spelling and grammar.

[AX10]

6. What about when Coulter calls for the killing of liberals?

:wtf:? To those DUers who ask why so many of us are leary of authority, this is why!

[orleans]

12. why doesn't the fbi go and raid coulter's home/office? take her

fucking computer and throw her ass in jail for a year?

oh, wait. she only promotes violence against OVER HALF OF THE POPULATION (ie liberals) but she kisses george's ass as much as she possibly can.

[UpInArms]

16. same reason that the US AGs don't go after it for voter fraud

it is one of theirs

http://www.newshounds.us/2006/06/08/did_ann_coulter_admit_to_commiting_voter_and_tax_fraud_on_hannity_colmes.php


Tuesday night (6/6/06), Ann Coulter gave an astonishing defense for the allegations that she committed voter fraud by registering at a false address in Palm Beach County, Florida: That she really lives in New York.

The surprising comment came when Alan Colmes confronted her about the allegations of voter fraud. As reported by Marie Therese, who was kind enough to sub for me that night, the middle-aged Coulter gave this “mature” response. “I think that syphilis has gone to their brains.” To quote further from Marie Therese’s post, “(Coulter) refused to answer direct questions, hiding behind claims that this would let her "stalkers" know her address. She did, however, say, directly, "I live in New York" and then denied receiving a registered letter from Mr. Anderson's office.”

As Brad Blog has reported, Ann Coulter is registered to vote in Florida, albeit at an address that seems to belong to her realtor, rather than to Coulter’s own home there. So if she really lives in New York, that seems an outright admission of voter fraud. Coulter’s Florida addresses – the registered address and the “real” address – seem to be a matter of public record. They are both posted on Brad Blog. So Coulter’s stated concern about stalkers being able to find out her address seems disingenuous.

But wait, there's more. Coulter may have admitted to a violation of Florida tax law as well. According to Brad Blog, Coulter took a $25,000 homestead exemption -- according to the Palm Beach County Appraisers office -- on the $1.3 million dollar crib in Palm Beach County which she purchased in March of last year. The Florida homestead law states: Every person who has legal title to a residential property and lives there permanently qualifies for this exemption. You must be a permanent resident of Florida on January 1 of the initial application year.

...more...

[MagickMuffin]

25. I Suppose you are referring to the US Attorneys

Please people you have got to quit confusing the two.

The president appoints US Attorneys, in my state we vote for our Attorney General.

Thanks for the refresher on lil' orphan Annie. Which I still don't understand why she isn't behind bars.:shrug:

But I guess the same could be said about the whole lot of them....

[sam sarrha]

13. Savage did a hateful episodic tirade on homosexuals and a ditto heads killed a gay 17 yr old

girl very savagely.. he just went out to kill a gay person and found one.

Rowanda genocide was caused by a rush/savage type radio perosnality calling for violence and it started a genocide

[Clark2008]

22. Was it tied to Savage - did they prove that?

Have a link?

[me b zola]

9. k&r

:scared:

[Straight Shooter]

10. Bushflash wasn't taken off-line. Apparently it was an April Fool's Day joke.

I think Eric apologized for alarming everybody. I can't find the info on his site, but I remember reading something about it. There was a great deal of speculation on the matter.

[ProgressiveAmPatriot]

19. I knew it! Give me a break, Buzzflash censored and it takes 7 days for an article on it, yeah right!

[Straight Shooter]

20. bushflash, actually. And it got a lot of attention on the blogosphere.

I didn't even find out until the next day that it was a joke.

I don't think buzzflash would ever shut down for a day as a prank, no matter how well-intended. It would hurt its credibility as a reliable source of info.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[Cobalt-60]

33. Joke? i guess I haver to re-bury my old Tiger II

A little souvenir, courtesy of my veteran great uncles.
(is joke, ha ha. not having main battle tank buried behind house trailer at all!)

[NashVegas]

49. BuzzFlash Has Been Around Since Way Before 2003

I found DU through BuzzFlash back in early 2001, actually. Seems like BF has been online at least since 2000.

[Garbo 2004]

11. Bushflash.com with the DHS logo was an April Fool's joke by the owner. n/t

[FloridaJudy]

14. I just checked out Perceval Press

Very cool site. I recommend it. http://www.percevalpress.com/

Of course, a large part of the site is written in Spanish and Portuguese, and who knows what those UnAmurrican Furriners could be saying?:sarcasm:

(My Spanish is shaky, and my Portuguese is really rusty, but mostly they seem to be reasonable commentaries on politics and the arts)

[Kolesar]

17. DailyKos and Progress Ohio are censored by SmartFilter company

They label Kos as profanity and Progress Ohio as "a source of spam emails". Sounds like RW restrictions of speech to me.

Then again, those dickheads censored the local park district, too.

[Igel]

18. (Content)Watch isn't state censorship.

Private company that can be contracted with to filter out undesirable sites. They do NetNanny and some other brands, IIRC.

http://www.netnanny.com/netnanny

Conservative sites have *also* been nailed by them. You submit a URL that you find offensive, say why it's offensive, and if there are enough complaints the URL's banned. Eventually they get around to having somebody check out the claims.

[KoKo]

23. Didn't DU's "Skinner" have FBI INQUIRY some months ago..asking for our ID's?

I remember the post and a long thread about it....but, never heard what happened to the FBI Agents showing up at Skinner's Door demanding stuff.

Skinner said he would fight it. But, I don't know beyond that. :shrug:

[Trillo]

28. I remember that post of Skinner's. Did you note that since then

the (I will use this next word for lack of a better one) "feeling" of the whole board changed slightly?

[Richard Steele]

30. I do not believe so.

You may be misremembering a Secret Service investigation
of some threats against the pResident which had been made
here by a quickly-banned troll.

[Laurab]

47. I think you're right - but there was a request for info too

The Secret Service asked Skinner for info - I think for two posters, and I believe they did end up being trolls who had been banned. Skinner didn't seem to feel it was out of line, probably due to whatever they'd posted, but did say he'd fight giving out information, as he would for any of us.

[FogerRox]

26. I thought the Bush Flash thing was a joke

http://www.bushflash.com/

There is no mention of any problems..... though Erics problems are well known in some circles, he still doesnt have the forum back up


http://bushflashforum.com/phpBB2/

[RebelOne]

36. It was a joke. Eric stated that the next day.

[Maraya1969]

29. I bet their too chicken shit to mess with this site.

[nam78_two]

31. K&R

[ClayZ]

32. K and R

[Raksha]

34. Does anyone know what happened to Michael Ruppert's site,

From the Wilderness? I used to be on their e-mail list, but stopped getting the e-mails a few months ago and haven't been able to link to it either.

[WilliamPitt]

35. It was abducted by aliens.

*ducking*

[FogerRox]

37. I heard it was a gang of Greys.... they had laser guns....

[LSK]

44. I thought he left for Central America

[EnviroBat]

41. Does anyone have information about "proxy-site" software.

Some software that is supposed to mask your ISP traffic so that your provider can't trace what you're looking at. I just received a privacy statement from Time Warner, and after reading it carefully, it didn't sit well with me. They can track and retain information for 15 years. They have all of my personal info, address, SSN, stuff like that, and they can correlate all of this information directly to my IP address. I'm sorry, but I pay those fuckers $100 a month, in my opinion, that's all they need to know.

[Straight Shooter]

59. check zdnet

http://www.zdnet.com You'll have to do some searching, but I'm pretty sure that recently they sent me an e-mail about a program that allows you to surf anonymously. I think that's the search term you'll want to use, "surf anonymously"

Then there's always The Google.

:hi:

[EnviroBat]

60. Thanks Shooter...

I appreciate that. I'l let you kow what I find out...

[Straight Shooter]

61. You're welcome ...

:hi:

[truedelphi]

42. Progressive topics, statements and analysis gets silenced here on DU too!

On Apr 6th I queried someone who had commented on what a great post the previous text had been, only that text was deleted.

Thinking that the text was either something related to 9/11 or to Israel, I queried the DU member offering the praise.

Her reply: "No the post was a great description/destruction of the DLC --vs. progressives"

IT CAN HAPPEN HERE!

[Mrspeeker]

43. Sure it wasent a April fools joke?

Cause BushFlash.com is up and running

[jberryhill]

45. Perceval Press Wasn't Shut Down Or Censored

"Content Watch" is the publisher of Net Nanny software which filters a variety of content. IF you buy and install their software then, yes, it will block access to a variety of websites. But in order to have been blocked from Perceval Press, you would have had to have installed their internet filtering software on your own machine.

The bushflash thing was an April Fool's Day joke.

[Up2Late]

51. I was wondering about the "bushflash" thing too, because I thought he...

...said a few months ago that he was ending the site due to lack of funds or something.

[IWantAChange]

46. Perchance the cries of "Facism" aren't really ridiculous are they??

[Joe Chi Minh]

48. Now you know why Skinner and the other moderators have to cut them a little slack.

[ooglymoogly]

50. We are living in very dark and dangerous times.

The Eff BEE EyE is no longer protecting "We the people" and have not for a long time. They are protecting big oil, big pharma... big,big... and big war and sending us the bill for our own demise.

[autorank]

52. K&R. This shows signs of desperation, a bunker mentality.

Whoever authorizes this will have to account for this type of madness. The whole point of free speech is free speech. This is outrageous.

Getting beyond that, it's obviously desperation time. There are probably any number of nasty initiatives implemented by * and company to stay in power, silence dissent.

They'd better silence Sen. Reid and the two generals who spoke out against Iraq today in terms that would bother any totalitarian.

I'm not surprised but I am disappointed...to know that we're ruled by people who are completely out of control...paranoid is the term, I think.

Excellent Post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Blue_Tires]

54. ttt nt

[Joanne98]

55. We need Congressional hearings on this.....

[Joanne98]

56. ........

[TheWraith]

57. I call total bullshit.

There's no mention of anything like what they describe on the Percival Press website, and most of these other "incidents" are either taken from enormously biased sources or cited completely out of context.

Didn't anybody notice that BushFlash.com posted their message from Homeland Security on April Fool's Day?

Don't you think if any of these sites had really disappeared, there would be a discussion on DU about it?

Sounds to me like someone's either being paranoid or deliberately trying to provoke paranoia in others.