P. S.: Post Scriptum

I have been reading Boing Boing lately. It came with the feed reader of the mobile phone. I especially like it because the feed contains the complete article and not just an excerpt. Which, when you are reading a feed while being inside a bus, is handy. I really liked the series on the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and how it was getting reformed also thanks to blogging.

But today I found an article that I think is seriously going over the line (originally from: Tian’s blog). Where the owner of a vandalised car (Tian) offers ‘$500′ for the identification of the person(s) and castration of their testicles OR cut off their right hand(s).

I know he is joking. And I know that we must not take ourself too seriously. But I also know that blogging is powerful. That when you post something you don’t know who is going to read it. And that generally inviting people to cut each other testicles (and what if it was a woman? Are you so sure it was a man) is not what I would call a useful and positive way of using your internet power.

When I was in the military service they teached us how to use a gun. The first phrase we were told was: ‘Guns are used to kill’. The second phrase was: “You don’t aim a gun at a person as a joke. Never, ever, under no circumstances.” .

Well, believe me, blogs are more powerful than guns. You don’t aim a blog at a person. Not even as a joke. Never, ever, under no circumastances (see also the blogsphere).

“Freedom of speech is more dangerous than guns, we don’t let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have freedom of speach?”
Mao Tse Tung.

We still have freedom of speach, let’s use it properly.

Pietro

Update: Tian crossed out the request for the person castration. I think this is good. Still I will not cross this whole post, because it took me to much to write it. And will be my reminder of conscious blogging. (Beside Boing Boing hasn’t crossed out their copy of the post. Hmm, interesting situation mainly generated by the creative common copyright: who is now legally responsible for that request?)