Page 43«..1020..42434445..5060..»

Category Archives: Censorship

Vir Das Opens Up On The ‘Two Indias’ Monologue, Censorship, And His Emmy Nomination – Outlook India

Posted: November 28, 2021 at 9:54 pm

Stand-up comedian, Vir Das' show, 'Vir Das: For India', has been nominated for an International Emmy in 2021, and he is ecstatic.

In an interview with India Today, the comedian talked about his kind of comedy, censorship, and more; only days after making waves for his 'Two Indias' monologue, which many criticised for "insulting" India while others praised for being "brave."

"I amhere to do my job and will continue. I wont stop. My job is to make people laugh and if you dont find it funny, dont laugh, says Das.

Speaking about his 'Two India' monologue, he says, "I was just doing a show. We were full, and it was my audience and I wrote a piece...I don't think you ever hope to start a conversation. I think you just hope to make people laugh in the room. Any Indian with a sense of humour, who enjoys satire, and watches my entire video will know that's what happened in my video and will feel love and feel amazing."

Coming to the challenges faced by comedians, he comments that "Comedians face challenges anywhere right now. For me the challenge is everything changes so fast, how do you write the new joke. Attention span changes so fast, news changes so fast. How do keep writing jokes to keep up with it? It doesn't matter if I am at Madison Square Garden, Wankhede Stadium, or at your dining table, the expectation is the same from a comedian, make me laugh, make me feel good. It doesn't matter if he's a big or small comedian."

Coming to censorship, Das says "I hope no one ever has to think so much about cracking jokes. They are just jokes. I have tremendous respect for everyone and all kinds of feedback. If you find my jokes funny, I appreciate you, if you don't find my jokes funny, I appreciate you. If you don't find my jokes funny, I hope you find something (else) so funny that you fall off your chair laughing. And I hope that you post about the things you love, so we all can watch it.I have been fortunate enough to not experience it [censorship]. I have done three comedy specials with Netflix and the only conversation we had is 'go make people laugh' and I am like 'okay'."

On the Emmy front, Das says "I don't expect to be served dinner on most nights. So I am very excited to be nominated for Indian comedy. We did one Netflix show with one guy sitting in front of a blue door and then to get an Emmy nomination along with these other shows that have a $2-3 million budget! Apna darwaza toh Rs 10,000 ka that."

The 49th International Emmy Awards were held on Monday, November 22 in New York City.

Original post:
Vir Das Opens Up On The 'Two Indias' Monologue, Censorship, And His Emmy Nomination - Outlook India

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on Vir Das Opens Up On The ‘Two Indias’ Monologue, Censorship, And His Emmy Nomination – Outlook India

Congo’s government has banned songs that annoy it – The Economist

Posted: at 9:54 pm

I CONSIDER MYSELF to be like a mosquito, says Bob Elvis, a musician, from his studio in downtown Kinshasa, the sprawling capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. I may be small but I can annoy you all night long, by singing, biting and not leaving you alone.

Your browser does not support the

Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android.

Mr Elviss latest rap song, Letter to Ya Tshitshi, has rankled the president of Congo, Flix Tshisekedi, so much that it was banned days after being released. The song addresses tienne Tshisekedi, the presidents dead father, a firebrand opposition leader, by his nickname. It laments his sons incompetence.

In the video, Mr Elvis raps to a photo of Mr Tshisekedi senior, surrounded by flickering candles. He repeats the refrain since you left and describes the countrys woes, from the scarcity of clean water to the abundance of corruption, electoral fraud and conflict. Since you left, war in the east goes on, he raps. We are fighting for the rule of law.

The Censorship Commission banned another six of Mr Elviss songs as well as a track called What we have not done by MPR, a hip-hop group. This song is about the failings of every Congolese president since independence. The ban on MPRs track was rescinded a day later when fans kicked up a fuss.

Mr Elvis has not been so lucky. Broadcasters that play his forbidden tracks risk having their licences revoked. Other musicians have been targeted, too. A rapper from southern Congo, Sbastien Lumbwe, known as Infrapa, fled the country two weeks ago after being harassed by officials over his songs, which poke the government. It is part of a pattern of shrinking civic space, says Jean-Mobert Senga of Amnesty International, a watchdog. It goes against President Tshisekedis commitment to respect human rights.

The legal authority to ban the songs comes from a decree issued by a crooked dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, 54 years ago. The current presidents father, were he still alive, would be appalled. He spent much of his life campaigning against Mobutus champagne-gargling tyranny. Now his son is using the kleptocrats diktat to stifle dissidents of his fathers sort, albeit funkier.

Still, the Congolese government has not yet figured out how to make censorship effective in an age of social media. Although Mr Elvis says he is incensed by the ban, he is probably quite pleased about the buzz it has created. Letter to Ya Tshitshi has received more than four times as many hits on YouTube as some of his other recent tracks. It sounds tinnier played out of mobile phones than on the radio, but at least it is not a flop. Unlike the government that banned it.

This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline "Zapping the rap"

Follow this link:
Congo's government has banned songs that annoy it - The Economist

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on Congo’s government has banned songs that annoy it – The Economist

Russian censor threatens to block iStories over joint investigation with outlawed Proekt – Meduza

Posted: at 9:54 pm

Russias censorship agency (Roskomnadzor) threatened to block the website of the investigative journalism outlet iStories over a report on Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezovs connections in the waste removal industry.

According to iStories editor-in-chief Roman Anin, Roskomnadzor attributed its actions to the fact that the investigation was prepared jointly with Proekt, an investigative outlet the Russian authorities outlawed as an undesirable organization in July 2021. The censorship agency demanded that iStories take down the report within 24 hours.

Anin added that he made the decision to delete the investigation, in order to prevent the authorities from blocking all [iStories] articles both past and present. The editor-in-chief also apologized to the outlets readers for having been forced to obey the censors demands and promised that the article would soon be restored.

The iStories investigation, titled How Sergey Chemezovs people got the garbage business for cheap, was published in September 2020. It uncovered that the largest companies that benefited from Russias garbage reform were actually sold to Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezovs trusted associates for next to nothing.

We wont give up Because youre with us

Continued here:
Russian censor threatens to block iStories over joint investigation with outlawed Proekt - Meduza

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on Russian censor threatens to block iStories over joint investigation with outlawed Proekt – Meduza

How far will LCSD1 allow censorship of materials to go? – Wyoming Tribune

Posted: November 19, 2021 at 5:36 pm

Country

United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People's Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People's Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People's Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People's Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People's Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People's Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People's Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, RevolutionaryPeople's Rep'c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People's RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People's Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People's Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom ofLiberia, Republic ofLibyan Arab JamahiriyaLiechtenstein, Principality ofLithuaniaLuxembourg, Grand Duchy ofMacao, Special Administrative Region of ChinaMacedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic ofMadagascar, Republic ofMalawi, Republic ofMalaysiaMaldives, Republic ofMali, Republic ofMalta, Republic ofMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritania, Islamic Republic ofMauritiusMayotteMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldova, Republic ofMonaco, Principality ofMongolia, Mongolian People's RepublicMontserratMorocco, Kingdom ofMozambique, People's Republic ofMyanmarNamibiaNauru, Republic ofNepal, Kingdom ofNetherlands AntillesNetherlands, Kingdom of theNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaragua, Republic ofNiger, Republic of theNigeria, Federal Republic ofNiue, Republic ofNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorway, Kingdom ofOman, Sultanate ofPakistan, Islamic Republic ofPalauPalestinian Territory, OccupiedPanama, Republic ofPapua New GuineaParaguay, Republic ofPeru, Republic ofPhilippines, Republic of thePitcairn IslandPoland, Polish People's RepublicPortugal, Portuguese RepublicPuerto RicoQatar, State ofReunionRomania, Socialist Republic ofRussian FederationRwanda, Rwandese RepublicSamoa, Independent State ofSan Marino, Republic ofSao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic ofSaudi Arabia, Kingdom ofSenegal, Republic ofSerbia and MontenegroSeychelles, Republic ofSierra Leone, Republic ofSingapore, Republic ofSlovakia (Slovak Republic)SloveniaSolomon IslandsSomalia, Somali RepublicSouth Africa, Republic ofSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSpain, Spanish StateSri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic ofSt. HelenaSt. Kitts and NevisSt. LuciaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSt. Vincent and the GrenadinesSudan, Democratic Republic of theSuriname, Republic ofSvalbard & Jan Mayen IslandsSwaziland, Kingdom ofSweden, Kingdom ofSwitzerland, Swiss ConfederationSyrian Arab RepublicTaiwan, Province of ChinaTajikistanTanzania, United Republic ofThailand, Kingdom ofTimor-Leste, Democratic Republic ofTogo, Togolese RepublicTokelau (Tokelau Islands)Tonga, Kingdom ofTrinidad and Tobago, Republic ofTunisia, Republic ofTurkey, Republic ofTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluUganda, Republic ofUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Kingdom of Great Britain & N. IrelandUruguay, Eastern Republic ofUzbekistanVanuatuVenezuela, Bolivarian Republic ofViet Nam, Socialist Republic ofWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenZambia, Republic ofZimbabwe

See the article here:
How far will LCSD1 allow censorship of materials to go? - Wyoming Tribune

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on How far will LCSD1 allow censorship of materials to go? – Wyoming Tribune

The Hate They Censor: Burying Lessons of History – History News Network (HNN)

Posted: at 5:36 pm

More than 700 miles from where I sit in Mississippis capital city, oncethe power center of U.S. white-supremacist strategy, white people in Kansas dont want young adults to learn about the origins of the Ku Klux Klan. In Goddard, Kan., a 90%-plus white western suburb of Wichita, leaders just decided that the award-winning nonfiction book They Called Themselves the K.K.K.: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group must be pulled from library shelves in the Goddard School District.

Young adults reading a book that explains the origins of the Klan in Pulaski, Tenn., and how it becamea white-terrorist Invisible Empire under Nathan Bedford Forrest,is unacceptable in white suburbs in Kansas, we learn. They dont think teenagers can handle the truth about past white terrorist and vigilante groups burning schools and killing and beating teachers here in Mississippi and beyond to stop Black advancement,as I wrote about recently.

And Im quite sure they dont want students today to understand the purposeful roots of current inequities, division and (re)segregated schools in a nation where so many educational institutions are overwhelmingly one race or another, with the majority-white ones typically drawing the most resources.

Goddard is also censoring books by Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison and Mississippis very own Angie Thomas (who is onour advisory board), andeven plays by August Wilson. Like thewell-funded and -planned censorship wavesweeping the nation,the Goddard white purgeis yet another supposed anti-CRT salvo to stop Americans from learning about and from our own race history, warts and all.

Its yet another campaign to rewrite our history and censor the difficult parts out of classrooms, just asfirst Mississippi State University President Stephen D. Lee helped leadmore than a century ago. Lees censorship efforts targeted books and educators to solidify widespread mythology about the Confederacy and the lost cause into place, as well as supported Jim Crow discrimination laws to limit Black education, voting and advancement for decades.

These 21st-century book-banners seem to think minors, even those in their teens, arent old enough to handle historic truth about the systemic racism, homophobia, xenophobia and misogyny that have kept power centered largely in a small percentage of wealthy, white male hands of various political persuasions.

They ignore that young people have experienced the effects of these bigotries and adult power plays from very early ages. Think of men and women spitting on6-year-old Ruby Bridgesand calling her and her mother the n-word after she enrolled in a public elementary school61 years ago yesterday in New Orleans.

When exactly is too young to start thinking about ways to change these deplorable old habits and beliefs in our society?

Read more:
The Hate They Censor: Burying Lessons of History - History News Network (HNN)

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on The Hate They Censor: Burying Lessons of History – History News Network (HNN)

We need to protect books at our schools and libraries | Editorial – Chicago Sun-Times

Posted: at 5:36 pm

Removing books from library shelves is not what America is supposed to be about.

Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are two of our countrys core ideals. Writers are free to express themselves as they so desire. Readers are free to read a book, or not.

Yet every year, we read or hear the news that parents or citizens somewhere earlier this week, in west suburban Downers Grove are clamoring to have a book they deem offensive taken off the shelves of their childs school library or their local public library.

It happens scores of times every year, when words or stories make people uncomfortable and Americas culture wars flare up. The American Library Association publishes an annual list of the top 10 Most Challenged Books those most likely to be condemned and targeted for removal. In 2020, 273 books were targeted and among the top 10 were three acknowledged literary classics: John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men, Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird and Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye.

In case readers are not aware: Morrison and Steinbeck both won the Nobel Prize for literature. To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961.

On Monday, as the Sun-Times Nader Issa reported, the issue flared up in Downers Grove when about 200 people packed a school auditorium to demand that the book Gender Queer: A Memoir be removed from the libraries at Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South high schools. According to protesters, the book exposes children to homoerotic or pornographic content.

The book is the story of author Maia Kobabes journey of gender identity and sexuality as a teenager and young adult. A few pages include illustrations of sex acts, but the books publisher says it is appropriate for high school-aged students.

Gender Queer: A Memoir has come under fire elsewhere too. Virginias largest school district removed it from its high school libraries earlier this fall while it considers parents concerns. A Florida district banned it altogether. Schools in New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington have had the book challenged. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster told the states education department to investigate the book, which he considers sexually explicit and pornographic.

Its worth noting that Gender Queer is not mandatory reading at either Downers Grove high school. In fact, theres only one copy available for students to check out at each schools library at Downers North and Downers South high schools.

Lauren Pierret, a senior at Downers Grove North, said at the meeting that she didnt even know Gender Queer existed until last week.

This isnt being forced upon your kids, Pierret said, but it gives kids who would be interested in this story a choice to read it.

It is not the job of this editorial board to judge whether a book is too sexually explicit, profane, violent or otherwise unfit for a child, teenager or another adult to read.

Nor is it the job of conservative culture warriors or anyone else.

Some of the past attacks on Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird, it should be noted, came from people who were bothered by racial stereotypes and slurs they said would have a negative impact on students, according to the ALA.

Good literature can sometimes make us uncomfortable, for any number of reasons. Censorship is never the right response.

Besides, once it starts, where does it end?

Consider the case of Texas Rep. Matt Krause, who is running for attorney general in his state and made headlines when he compiled a list of about 850 books that might make students feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress because of their race or sex, as the Texas Tribune first reported. Most of the books on his list were written by women, people of color and LGBTQ authors.

Weve got to ask: Did Krause bother to read all 850 books? Or is his list just for political theater?

Books in our schools and libraries must be protected. Even when we dont approve of them.

Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.

Link:
We need to protect books at our schools and libraries | Editorial - Chicago Sun-Times

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on We need to protect books at our schools and libraries | Editorial – Chicago Sun-Times

COVID Misinformation Blunder: Instagram Censors Widely Respected Cochrane Collaboration – American Council on Science and Health

Posted: at 5:36 pm

A desire to stop the spread of COVID-19 misinformation has fueled increasingly intense efforts to restrict speech on social media platforms. Major news outlets, communications researchers, and even some public health experts have jumped on this bandwagon, calling for a variety of policies designed to stem the proliferation of anti-vaccine messaging and other scientifically dubious content.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of this campaign is its propensity to silence trustworthy sources of information right alongside nonsense pushers like Joe Mercola and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. The British Medical Journal has documented multiple occurrences of this friendly fire throughout the pandemic. I also highlighted a particularly ridiculousexample in this story: Social Media Censorship: Scientist Corrects Anti-GMO Silliness, Facebook Threatens To Ban Him.

But the most egregious case of social media giants silencing credible voices occurred lastweek when Instagram prohibited users from tagging the Cochrane Collaboration because the organization repeatedly posted content that goes against our community guidelines on false content about COVID-19 or vaccines, the platform wrote in a notification to users.

If you don't appreciate how absurd Instagram's decision was, consider that the Cochrane Collaboration is an international network of some 30,000 scientific experts that publishes high-quality reviews of the evidence on a variety of medical topics. To date, it has published more than 7,500 systematic reviews. The Canadian Medical Association has called Cochranethe best single resource of its kind. The World Health Organization maintains a partnership with the nonprofit because it contributes significantly to the advancement of public health. In sum, this is the equivalent of censoring the March of Dimesfor spreading misinformation about birth defectsit's preposterous.

Why censor Cochrane?

It's not clear why Instagram would punish such a reputable organization. The group speculated on Twitter that its July 2021 review of ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment could have triggered the controversy. If so, Instagram has some 'splaining to do. Here's the review's conclusion:

Based on the current very low to lowcertainty evidence, we are uncertain about the efficacy and safety of ivermectin used to treat or prevent COVID19. The completed studies are small and few are considered high quality. Several studies are underway that may produce clearer answers in review updates. Overall, the reliable evidence available does not support the use of ivermectin for treatment or prevention of COVID19 outside of welldesigned randomized trials. [my emphasis]

Cochrane also published a review in November 2020 documenting the limited efficacy of masking against respiratory viruses. Other reputable publications have reached the same conclusion, so there's nothing especially egregious about that November review. Nonetheless, it's possible that Instagram takes the simple-minded stance that universal masking is the right position and thus targeted Cochrane's article as misinformation.

In either case, we're talking about a scientific dispute based on limited evidence. Cochrane summarized the available data for experts and the general public; they didn't endorse the use of ivermectinfor COVID-19 norreject the use of masks. Neither of these examples provides a logical basis for any censorship.

The usual objection

Perhaps this was just an oversight, someonewill inevitably respond.Thedecision was probably automated; nobody at Instagram was dim enough to make this mistake in real-time. Maybe that's the case, but how is that a satisfying answer? It means that some programmer at Instagram wrote an algorithm that can't distinguish between Cochrane onthe one hand and, say, Children's Health Defense, a virulent anti-vaccine group, on the other. More importantly, the intention of a policycensor disreputable voicesis no excuse for its indefensible resultsoops, we flagged a premiermedical organization with a 30-year history.

I think the better explanation is this: social media platforms are poor judges of what constitutes good science, especially as it relates to a novel virus that we're learning more about almost constantly. Their community standards related to misinformation are influenced by current political trends and contain loopholes big enoughWe recognize that words mean different things or affect people differentlyto justify any policy the companies want to pursue.

With those considerations in mind, it's clear that no amount of algorithmic fine-tuning will solve the problem. Social media platforms needto quit moderating content they know nothing about.

See the article here:
COVID Misinformation Blunder: Instagram Censors Widely Respected Cochrane Collaboration - American Council on Science and Health

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on COVID Misinformation Blunder: Instagram Censors Widely Respected Cochrane Collaboration – American Council on Science and Health

I feel the fear of censorship: Karuna Ezara Parikh on being a writer, her new poetry collection, and more – The Indian Express

Posted: at 5:36 pm

A former TV presenter, screenwriter, model, sustainability activist, entrepreneur and recently, author, Karuna Ezara Parikhs hat ruffles with many feathers. But, it is her role as a poet that she has completely immersed herself into.

The Kolkata-based author has had a strong presence on the social media sphere, and her poetry has long commanded the digital space, some often going viral, bringing attention to social, political, environmental, and humanitarian issues from around the world. Now, the writer, whose debut novel The Heart Asks Pleasure First was received with applause, has combined some of her old works as well as new poetry into her second book and debut poetry collection Where Stories Gather.

Beautifully vulnerable and poignant, her impassioned written word is out for the world to dive into, yet again.

In a conversation, the author tells us about her writing process, immersing herself in poetry, and the fear of censorship.

Excerpts:

You second book and first-ever poetry collection, Where Stories Gather, is out. How does it feel?

A little overwhelmed, to be honest. I waited so long and then suddenly it happened so fast. I find the cover (by Rhea Gupte) impossibly beautiful and I keep touching it to make sure its real.

If you had to summarise the poetry collection for us, what would you say a reader can expect?

My messy truth spun clean. I have tried to be honest on every page. Theres a violence to that, but a tenderness, too, I think. You can expect vulnerability.

Can you take us through your journey of writing for and compiling this poetry collection?

That was quite something. Though Ive always written poetry, Ive never had the privilege of being immersed in the process for days on end. Thats a different sort of headiness and delight and pain, too. I spent hours and hours writing, rewriting, waking sometimes in the middle of the night with a sense of devotion to the words.

Your debut novel Where Heart Asks Pleasure Firstwas widely applauded. Did you feel any pressure or expectations when writing the new book?

It would be a lie to say I didnt, but I also had to rid myself of expectation in order to create from a place of purity. So much of my poetry and work has been in the online space where you write with the weight of expectation seeping into your fingertips, I needed to step away from that.

How do you feel you have evolved as an author after your debut novel, and how does it reflect in your poetry collection?

Personally, of course, its natural to feel slightly more confident after a successful project, but there are other feelings too, and I have tried to channel some, and then not too much, into the new work. I think I take myself less seriously now, but treat myself more kindly, if that makes sense?

You have been vocal about social, political, and environmental issues on your social media platforms, and your novel also navigates multiple such tropes. What inspired you when it came to Where Stories Gather?

Exactly the same things. And also the struggle of constantly having to be vocal. I wish we lived in a world where we had the option of staying silent. The poetry is more personal in some ways.

Do you ever feel your voice, creative and otherwise, suppressed or impacted in any way?

I feel the fear of censorship, which is very real. When writers see their homes set on fire, comedians see their shows cancelled, and even my Instagram posts receive a shocking amount of venom, one has to wonder.

Are you working on anything next?

I am, but Im not sure what it is exactly, yet. Ive been very interested in new forms of non fiction of late, and telling stories through satire and the absurd, as the world grows madder around us. Maybe those ideas will come together somehow.

For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and dont miss out on the latest updates!

Read this article:
I feel the fear of censorship: Karuna Ezara Parikh on being a writer, her new poetry collection, and more - The Indian Express

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on I feel the fear of censorship: Karuna Ezara Parikh on being a writer, her new poetry collection, and more – The Indian Express

Stand with Kanter: Eject Chinese censorship from the NBA – Taiwan News

Posted: at 5:36 pm

The Turkish Warrior, human rights fighter, and Boston Celtics star, Enes Kanter, has only been allowed to set foot on the court twice this season in 13 games, for a total of 10 minutes, while China has banned video streaming of Celtics games to prevent citizens from getting a glimpse of his dissident shoe collection.

Many fans are speculating that Kanter is benched because he spoke out against brutal dictator Xi Jinping and in support of Taiwanese, Tibetans, Hongkongers, and Uyghurs. On Nov. 10th, Kanter told CNN that during the first game of the season, NBA officials threatened to ban and fine him if he didnt remove his Free Tibet shoes, though they later backed off after realizing that he wasnt breaking any rules.

On Nov. 14th, Kanter apparently confirmed his fans suspicions when he posted a flipbook animation on social media showing him slam dunk a basketball into Xi Jinpings face. He wrote, Keep limiting me on the court, I will expose you off the court.

The NBA and the Celtics have remained completely silent, offering no explanation for why Kanter is sitting on the bench. All we know for sure is that his lack of playing time is disappointing to all of his new fans, which includes the president of Taiwan, who recorded a video in which she personally thanked him for his strong support.

Pro-Beijing keyboard warriors have been peppering social media with propaganda, suggesting that Kanter is not playing because he lacks skill and provides little value to the Celtics.

Such arguments are unconvincing.

Last season, the 610 big man put up respectable numbers playing for the Portland Trailblazers, a team that made the playoffs, finishing with a record of 40 wins and 32 losses. Kanter played every game and averaged a double-double: 11 rebounds (the 7th highest in the NBA) and 11.2 points.

Most impressively, he set an NBA season record by pulling down 30 rebounds in a single game. He is only the fourth player in the last two decades to accomplish this feat.

At 29 years old, Kanter has a lot of good years left in his career. However, he is courageously putting it all on the line by speaking up for victims of the most powerful authoritarian regime on the planet.

Kanter told CNN:

I believe that God gave me this platform to be the voice of all those innocent people out there who dont have a voice. So I was like, you know what, I understand that this could affect a lot, but Im just going to be the one, the first one to step up and bring all the human rights violations that China is doing [into the spotlight], and like I said in my tweet, I dont care about your endorsement deals, I dont care about your money, or I dont care about any kind of businesses that you are doing. If you are abusing peoples rights, Im going to say something. To me, human rights are way more important than your money, your endorsement deals, or everything you can give me.

Critics, such as Chinas foreign minister, have argued that Kanter is an opportunist just trying to get attention.

However, Kanter has been speaking out against human rights abuses committed by the authoritarian government of his home country, Turkey, for a decade. His persistent activism has cost him dearly. Four years ago, the Turkish government canceled his passport, accused him of being a terrorist involved in a failed military coup attempt, and has since issued 10 warrants for his arrest.

Kanter denies the terrorism allegations, saying, The only thing I terrorize is the basketball rim. He points out that I dont even have a parking ticket in the U.S. I have always been a law-abiding resident.

Because of his outspokenness, Kanter has received death threats and cannot travel overseas with his team due to fears that he could be assassinated. His family in Turkey was pressured to publicly disown him, and he has been unable to speak with them for several years out of concern that they would be immediately arrested. His father has already served time in prison, and, according to Kanter, it is just because he is my dad.

Kanter has clearly demonstrated that he cannot be intimidated into silence. The best that the Chinese government can hope for is to weaponize its financial power to destroy Kanters NBA career, de-platform him, and thus make an example out of him.

In China, this is called killing the chicken to scare the monkey (). The aim would be to frighten other potential critics into silence, a deliberate attempt to undermine free speech.

By censoring every game that Kanter appears in, the Chinese government will be able to turn Kanter into a financial liability for any team that he plays for. When his contract expires at the end of this season, any team that signs him will risk losing whatever revenue it was previously earning from Chinas market of 1.4 billion people, a sum which is likely far greater than whatever financial value that Kanter alone can bring to the table. If no team signs him next year, Kanter would be forced into retirement.

The NBA consequently faces a moral dilemma. It can quietly take Chinas money and throw Kanter under the bus (along with Taiwanese, Tibetans, Hongkongers, and Uyghurs), or it can stand in solidarity with Kanter by expressing robust support for human rights, democracy, and freedom of speech including for people who live under the shadow of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The right thing to do ought to be self-evident to every player, coach, manager, and owner.

Last year, the NBA enthusiastically supported the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement by allowing players to put social justice messages not only on their shoes but also on the backs of their jerseys. The phrase Black Lives Matter was even painted on the courts.

Messages that the NBA approved for jerseys included Say Their Names, How Many More, I Cant Breathe, Vote, Justice, Liberation, Equality, and Freedom. On shoes, some players wrote the names of victims of police violence while others wrote messages such as Ready for Change.

In the same way that the NBA embraced the BLM movement, it can and should join Kanter in standing up for the rights of people who are oppressed by the Chinese government. With the Beijing Winter Olympics approaching, now is a better time than ever. Players from all 30 teams could write slogans on their shoes such as Uyghur Lives Matter, Free Tibet, Liberate Hong Kong, Stand With Taiwan, and No Beijing 2022.

Undoubtedly, all NBA games would immediately be censored in China, and it would be costly. However, the NBA can afford to have ethics, as the average players salary is more than US$8 million (NT$222 million).

Chinas authoritarian government should not be allowed to buy the NBAs silence, and the NBA should not be complicit in a CCP-orchestrated attack on the career of one of its players a naked attempt to undermine free speech and cover up its ongoing industrial-scale human rights abuses.

Until the NBA gathers the organizational will to take a principled stand, fans should call out its hypocrisy and continue supporting the MVP of human rights advocacy, Enes Kanter.

Lindell Lucy is an American based in Tokyo, where he teaches high school economics. He has a B.A. in philosophy from Stanford University and is currently studying international relations at the Harvard Extension School.

View post:
Stand with Kanter: Eject Chinese censorship from the NBA - Taiwan News

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on Stand with Kanter: Eject Chinese censorship from the NBA – Taiwan News

Natalia Paris defied the censorship of Instagram with a picture without covering her chest and opened the networks – Persia Digest

Posted: at 5:36 pm

Image from social media

Famous DJ Natalia Paris has once again turned social networks on through a photo she posted on her Instagram account, in which she invited her followers to visit her website where they can find her new book, as well as exclusive content for the businesswoman.

In the shot, the model is shown wearing a white blouse with one of her open breasts open and without a bra, defying Instagrams privileged censorship of content deemed explicit by the social networks algorithm. It is worth noting that Paris covered part of the nipple with a label in Spanish, censorship or censorship.

In addition to the shot, the artist announced the launch of her new book, which she described herself as: A collection of Erotic Photography Made with the best photographers in the country. A piece of art to collect, and according to her, it is available on her website http://www.nataliaparis.com.co.

Look here at a picture of Natalia Paris:

The post that was shared two days ago on the official profile of Natalia Paris on Instagram already has more than 152,250 copies, exceeds 16,600 likes and garnered about 160 comments, of which the artists beauty stands out with qualifiers such as Beautiful and Beautiful. precious.

I want one like this for Christmas, Beauty should never be restricted or censored, I love you, Why are men allowed to go shirtless naturally and women are forbidden, The most beautiful thing of the day is Natalia, Always beautiful , Do not change, every day is better, Book? What is Natalia planning, The most beautiful woman in Colombia , She has always been beautiful, blessed and abundant for her , Among other things.

It is worth noting that the artist topped the news on various occasions due to her statements about the Covid-19 virus, vaccination, and the various theories that she deals with in her life. One of them was when he asserted that young men became gay due to eating chicken, stating that the hormones injected into the animals and their subsequent human consumption affected sexual development.

Regarding these statements, Natalia Paris referred to this in an interview with Diva Rebeca, a character played by Omar Vazquez, where the DJ confirmed: Suddenly it was said wrong, but it has a lot to do with hormones, the truth is I still think so.

However, the case went further, after Antioqueas statements the interviewer laughedly stated that she had a slightly far-fetched theory, alluding to the fact that the food was of a different kind, alluding to the masculine male organ. With a term used in Spain.

On frequent occasions, Natalia Paris has been called stupid for her statements and tone of voice that characterizes the 48-year-old model, by users of social networks.

However, she recently made reference to the issue and strongly demanded that prejudices be put aside, through her Instagram Stories where she highlighted her accomplishments as a businesswoman with skincare products, as well as being a model, DJ and now with his book.

I know it was hard for a lot of people to think that women who are notoriously stupid are not able to do things well, The model noted and added, These are biases that we really should let go, because if we have a sophisticated, open mind, connected to abundance, we understand that. A woman is capable of many things.

Read on:

How and where do you see Leonids in Colombia, the most anticipated meteor showers of this year

From this Tuesday, a vaccination card is required in Colombia: we tell you what you need to know

Go here to read the rest:
Natalia Paris defied the censorship of Instagram with a picture without covering her chest and opened the networks - Persia Digest

Posted in Censorship | Comments Off on Natalia Paris defied the censorship of Instagram with a picture without covering her chest and opened the networks – Persia Digest

Page 43«..1020..42434445..5060..»