@Blackandy

Yes, censoring and censuring are two entirely different animals, but I'm still concerned that motions like that on the part of Congress -- besides being a waste of time -- soften understanding of political free speech and leave the impression, especially among those who *don't* understand the difference between being censored and censured the impression that criticizing the military is wrong.

When individuals are turned away from public gatherings for wearing "I love the people of Iraq" buttons, or refused entry into public campaign rallies for wearing "Troops home now" tee-shirts, when dissent is herded from presidential speeches into "free speech zones" out of the public eye, dissent is marginalized.

Again, to press the point, while I am opposed to censoring speech, I am more concerned with protecting dissent -- which is the reason the First Amendment exists. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I honestly believe when we focus on the reading of naughty words in "Howl" while glossing over the Congressional censure of MoveOn or the creation of political "free speech zones" we are playing right into the hands of those who want to silence public criticism of government and eliminate dissent.

What most worries me about recent discussions of free speech is the emphasis on obscenity and not on the right to express dissent publicly. Yes, it is alarming that WBAI cannot broadcast "Howl" after 10 p.m., but television's "South Park" is addressing the obscenity issue brilliantly -- and with a good bit of humor as well.

But it is terrifying that an antiwar organization cannot question the veracity of a politically appointed military leader without being censured by Congress. Such a curtailment is a true test of the basis for the First Amendment, yet it hardly drew a whimper from those who want the right to say "fuck" on television.

Knocke's comment, "you are late to the discussion by two decades" sounded to me like, "Hey, if we've been violating your right to privacy for 20 years and you haven't called us on it, you can't whine about it now."

If being an obnoxious, self-aggrandizing, loudmouthed jerk was just cause for tasering, then a good portion of the nation and all talk radio hosts would be writhing on the ground in agony.

Oh, and check the Constitution. The right to freedom of speech doesn't come with any caveats. Not even politeness or sensibility.