Free Publishing Without Free Speech

Shem's Blog has always alerted me to major political happenings, and he does it in a way that I can understand. Check out what I read just now off his blog.

In a stunning move by the fledging search engine firm known for its open access to information, the Google AdWords program has suspended the campaign of an advertiser selling playing cards intended to poke fun at President Bush. The firm halted the campaign for its use of keywords "George Bush," "George W. Bush," "President Bush," "Bush Cards," and "Bush Decks."

It also specifically [manually] blocked the ad for the search term "war profiteers."

"At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain language that advocates against an individual, group, or organization," a Google email remarked.

Advertisements promoting pro-Bush playing cards continue to run on Google and its affiliate sites, including George Bush Playing Cards, "52 Reasons to Re-elect G.W. Bush," and "Political Playing Cards." Another ad appears for a tamer site selling caricature cards of the President's associates, saying, "George Bush may not have a full deck."

At the time of this writing, Google also continues to run an ad for Showtime's "American Candidate" under the search term "Bush," headlined, "Beat Bush, save America." It also runs an ad critical of Sen. John Kerry, titled the "Kerry is Scary Shoppe," with the text, "Political gifts, clothing, stickers with the Scream head of John Kerry!"

The blocked advertisement, for "Deck of Bush," contained the phrase "54 reasons NOT to re-elect the President."

"Now I know how Howard Stern feels," said co-creator Jerry Vasilatos. "What's ironic is that Google Adwords allows ad campaigns for products and items supportive of President Bush as can be attested by other sponsored links which appear when you search out the same keywords they deem unacceptable for our use."

Vasilatos also noted that Google seems to have no problem with running ads for pornography websites, including those which appear to advocate criminal behavior. Four advertisements come up for the search term "underage boys."

For full story, click here

Yup, that's right. The company that owns Blogger blocks some ads, but lets other through.

Just like the FCC, it would appear the Google is now a card-carrying member of the Hypocrisy Club. For a while, I've been aware that they are promoting Blogger as a free publishing too, thereby promoting free speech. With this new development, the free speech angle is starting to look like a romantic version of some American fable told to the immigrants of WWII. "Come to America! We won't oppress you like the Nazi!" Bullshit. At the rate we are going, we are better off under Communist rule. At least then I could accept that I will always stay in the class and social circle I'm in, no matter how hard I try to get out of it or how strong my drive is to better my social status. I mean, at least then I'd be guaranteed a job of some kind.

In any event, since I bet you anything my blog, and probably Shem's as well, are blocked now due to this addition of the article, I think I will say something really stupid. The last sentence that I will type for this blog will be totally racist, totally one-sided, totally stereotyped, and so totally ridiculous that one would have to be a fool with the education level of a toddler to accept it as real.

In a perfect America, Asians would produce technologies and cartoons (Nothing beats anime... except for maybe PIXAR films), Mexicans would be mechanics and construction workers (at least around here they are, and they do a hell of a good job too.), African-Americans would be cooks (and, DAMN, can some of them cook!), women and gay males would do women thinks in the job market (clothing, art, advertisement, stripping), children wouldn't have to work (I honestly don't think they should no matter how mature they think they are), and White people would pay for everything and everyone (because, hey, that's where all the money is in this country).