In his comments, in response to a comment I made to him, Hank Williams said...

You should read everyone's comments on all of these blogs and really seriously reconsider your positions. You seem like a good guy that has somehow gotten some really wrong ideas about this in your head. Please think about this a bit. I don't think a few years from now your defense of this guy is going to be a proud moment for you.

Now, in conversation speak the above paragraph translates into roughly "conversation closed" and I can respect that.  Its his blog and when he's done with the conversation he has the right to end it. 

To be honest, he may be right that I'll regret my last post in the future.  I look forward to looking back on this and seeing what time will reveal.

(that last sentence sounded far dumber than it actually was in my defense) 

But the one thing that makes me doubt I'll feel any regret and the one point I want to make clear before I (mercifully) return to talking Tech is this: If you think this is about Loren Feldman you've missed the point.

This is and always has been (at least on my part) about free speech.  You have the freedom to speak your mind and while there are consequences to that freedom those consequences should be determined by the world and not by a vocal minority.  In other words, if Loren Feldman is offensive, people won't watch.  If people don't watch, his show goes away.  That is a perfectly acceptable consequence of him exercising his freedom of speech.

Understand this, no matter what we do there will be consequences to the using the freedoms we have.  BUT...and this is the important part (if the bold didn't tip you off)...Our responsibility as a society is to make it as easy as possible for people to make use of their freedoms.

That means not imposing penalties to those freedoms that aren't inevitable.

When people, like the protestors in the 1938Media case, take it upon themselves to impose penalties they are acting in opposition to the values of a society that has freedom of speech. Because doing so causes people to fear the use of their freedoms which in turn causes people not to use them. 

That fear, mark my words, will eventually destroy freedom of speech as we know it.  Again, an important part...if we as a society allow people to intimidate others into not using their freedoms we have effectively taken those freedoms away. 

Now there are some who will say the protestors are just making use of their freedom of speech.  That's not true.  In fact, the Supreme Court has actually said that's not true.  Final important point here...Threats are not covered under free speech.  These protestors are free to post to their own blogs, send notices out to their friends and followers, and speak against Loren Feldman in any way they can.  But the second they say to Verzion "take this man's contract away or else" they've crossed a line. 

So in the end it all comes down to the same point.  No matter how much someone else's words might bother you being in a free society means sucking it up so that, when you have something to say that might bother them, you are free to do so. 

Apparently Loren Feldman's deal with Verizon Wireless is in some trouble.  As Mathew Ingram reports...

A video that controversial video-blogger Loren Feldman of 1938media did almost a year ago has come back to haunt him, it seems. Several civil-rights groups and media watchdogs are protesting a decision by telecom giant Verizon to add 1938media’s video clips to its mobile Vcast service, saying Loren’s “TechNigga” clip is demeaning to black people.

...

The video that has Islamic Hope and other groups so upset is one called “TechNigga,” which Loren put together last August. After wondering aloud why there are no black tech bloggers, Loren reappears with a skullcap and some gawdy jewelry, and claims to be the host of a show called TechNigga.

I've been a supporter of Loren Feldman so I thought I should give my thoughts on the issue.  First let me say that I didn't really enjoy the video in dispute.  I just didn't find it funny. 

But that's the reality of this kind of entertainment.  People who push boundaries are going to miss on occasion.  They're going to offend on occasion and they're going to produce content that isn't funny on occasion.  That's the job description.  That's why its risky. 

Part of being a fan of that type of person is knowing that the bad is going to be really bad and good is going to be really good. 

That said, there are those that are sensitive to such things and those people should probably avoid boundary pushing entertainment.  I fully support those people's right to not watch something that might offend them.  The problem comes when those people try to impose their will on those who might enjoy it. 

In other words I support their right to be offended.  The problem is, they don't support my right not to be offended.

Take this paragraph from Talib Morgan...

I think Mr. Feldman has a first amendment right to say whatever he wants. What I took offense to is that Verizon Wireless went and decided to source some content from this guy. I suppose they should be commended for trying to make things interesting for their customers, but surely there have to be better avenues for getting content. I like to laugh as much as the next guy, moreso perhaps, but such content goes too far.

Basically he's saying he respects people's right to say what they want but that he'll do anything in his power to make sure no one hears it.  By that definition the Iranians trying to kill people for blogging are free speech advocates.  They simply have more power at their disposal than Mr. Morgan. 

That's the danger in someone like Mr Morgan.  He's willing to do anything he can to harm those who disagree with him.

Understand the distinction here.  I support Mr. Morgan's right not to listen to, watch or in any way support Loren Feldman and 1938Media.  I encourage him to tell all his friends to do the same and if enough people do that there will be no market from 1938Media videos.  But that's not what Mr. Morgan wants.  What he wants is to impose his will over others regardless of how they feel and silence anyone who he finds offensive. 

Say what you will about Loren Feldman he's not trying to force anyone to listen to him.  That's more than Talib Morgan can say. 

Addendum: It appears this story made my local news cast: http://video.knbc.com/player/?id=273355  The irony is that the local NBC news personality trying to describe the contents of the video while in words suitable for TV is absolutely hilarious.