Would it be wise to forgo criticizing Iran at the present time

[bryant69]

This poll is going to have a lot of hedges in.

1. I'm not saying people shouldn't have the right to criticize Iran if they choose to; people have the freedom to say whatever they want. This is rather a question of how they choose to use that right. Once you stipulate that people have the freedom to say what they want, you can get into issues of how best to use this freedom.

2. I'm not proposing any rules at DU - that's not my place.

I am just asking of leveling criticisms at Iran, it's president or its policies, is a smart thing to do now, or should we forgo?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Vanje]

1. Every day is a good day to tell people what they may or may not say

Not

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Vanje]

6. Pull!.

THats the upfront rudest response I've ever had on DU
Congratulations.

You posted a query.
I assumed you wanted varied sincere responses.
I didnt guess that you were sitting at your keyboard shooting gallery, waiting to shoot em down with insults as the responses fly in.

Your timing is pretty good, Your aim needs a little practise. Pull!

[bryant69]

7. That was fast

But let me say again - I am talking about what people should and shouldn't say, not what they can and cannot say. If yo don't see the distinction, than you are . . . well i'd better not say.

Bryant

[TheUniverse]

2. Yes we have the right to criticize Iran.

We still have the 1st amendment after all. And Mahmoud and Ayatollah Jr. are both shitfucks who deserve criticism.

[robcon]

5. Why do some want a vote on whether to censor themselves?

If you don't want to criticize the Iranian government... don't do it.

If you want to criticize the Iranian government... go ahead and criticize.

Why would we take a poll whether criticizing the Iranian government is a good idea or not???? That is group-think taken to an excess - trying to keep some opinions quiet.

[bryant69]

8. How so?

And at any rate, I've been critical of Iran myself the last few days; I'd be fine if the answer was "no, of course we should criticize Iran."

But there are a few posters here, more than few it feels like, who constantly post things like "helping cheney are we?"

Bryant

[robcon]

9. The idea of 'helping Cheney' by posting on DU

is getting a little carried away, isn't it?

Wtf does Cheney care, or how is he affected, by what is posted on a political website?

I read the poll as saying... "Should we all agree to stifle ourselves from what we really feel about the Iranian government?"

The answer, for me, is a resounding NO!

[NeedleCast]

10. It's the Idea that any criticism of Iran

equals tacit support for an invasion or attack on Iran. That if we call them out on human rights violtations that this somehow equals "I want to bomb Iran."

[robcon]

13. I think that's insultingly condescending, NeedleCast.

I criticize Castro, Chavez, Mugabe, Bush, and others. It doesn't mean I want to invade the countries involved.

I think you give too little credit to DUers' intelligence, and to their ability to discern the difference between criticism and invasion.

[eFriendly]

11. I don't believe this to be a 1st Amendment issue. . .

And quite frankly, the ones who do believe it is a 1st Amendment issue (to me) sound ignorant. I see it as toning down the rhetoric, on both sides, in order to possibly get Iran to listen to us more and maybe become more amenable to our demands that they not seek a nuclear bomb, etc. Our government calling the Iranian government terrorists every other week while trying to persuade the Iranians to not go nuclear is asinine, IMO. And it isn't going to get anywhere.

on edit: How is the problem ever going to be fixed if both sides are only interested in calling each other names?

[gatorboy]

12. "Criticize" is putting it lightly.

[Lilith Velkor]

14. Considering how we're BFF with Saudi Arabia, it is pretty fucking stupid