Frugal Café Blog Zone

Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on July 7, 2010

'Freedom of Speech' was one of four paintings in the series 'Four Freedoms' that Norman Rockwell created during WWII

Curses on those freedom-loving, Constitution-adhering conservative bloggers. Curses on that free-market-principled, free-speech advocate Matt Drudge for his Drudge Report.

My post on the government’s TSA ban from yesterday: Welcome to Amerika… TSA-Team Obama Acting Like Orwell’s “Thought Police,” Block “Controversial Opinions” on Internet

Today, it’s a whole ‘nuther ballgame, patriots.

TSA, Team Obama, and DHS “Big Sis” Janet Napolitano are now doing a fast back-pedal on the “controversial opinions” Internet ban.

From Washington Times, TSA drops policy blocking ‘controversial’ sites:

After an uproar from conservative bloggers and free-speech activists, the Transportation Security Administration late Tuesday rescinded a new policy that would have prevented employees from accessing websites with “controversial opinions” on TSA computers at work.

The ban on “controversial opinion” sites, issued late last week, was included as part of a more general TSA Internet-usage policy blocking employee access to gambling and chat sites, as well as sites that dealt with extreme violence or criminal activity.

But the policy itself became controversial as the Drudge Report and a number of conservative bloggers highlighted the possibility that the policy could be used to censor websites critical of the agency or of the Obama administration in general. The American Civil Liberties Union also questioned the language.

TSA spokeswoman Lauren Gaches said the agency’s revised “acceptable use” policy for Internet access on the agency’s network was designed to block sites “that promote destructive behavior to one’s self or others.”

“After further review, TSA determined the ‘controversial opinion’ category may contain some sites that do not violate TSA’s policy and therefore has concluded that the category is no longer being considered for implementation,” she said in an e-mail to The Washington Times.

Before abandoning the guideline, agency officials said the policy changes were intended to address “evolving cyberthreats,” but did not explain exactly what was meant by “controversial opinions” and whether Internet sites with conservative or other politically oriented viewpoints would be targeted under the new guidelines.

The changes were first reported over the weekend by CBS News, which obtained an internal memo sent to agency staffers. The memo was the lead item on the widely read Drudge Report site.

The agency’s Office of Information Technology informed TSA staffers of the change Friday via e-mail. The notice listed five categories of sites that were “inappropriate for government access” chat/messaging; criminal activity; gaming; extreme violence; and those that feature controversial opinions.

The inclusion of the “controversial opinion” category immediately raised eyebrows.

Still no mention about pornography sites not being included on the TSA list.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh had this to say about the TSA mandate on yesterday’s EIB radio broadcast:

Big Sis Blocks “Controversial” Websites (But Not Porn) at TSA
July 6, 2010

This is Drudge’s lead item today. “The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is blocking certain websites from the federal agency’s computers, including halting access by staffers to any Internet pages that contain a ‘controversial opinion,’ according to an internal email obtained by CBS News. The email was sent to all TSA employees from the Office of Information Technology on Friday afternoon. It states that as of July 1, TSA employees will no longer be allowed to access five categories of websites that have been deemed ‘inappropriate for government access.’” Now, here are the five, and you tell me what big one is missing. “Chat and messaging.” Can’t go there. “Controversial opinion websites.” Can’t go there. “Criminal activity websites.” Can’t go there, which would mean the White House. “Extreme violence, including cartoon violence and gruesome content.” You can’t go there. And “gaming.”

TSA employees cannot visit gaming sites, sites that promote extreme violence or criminal activity, which is… (chuckles) On certain days they can’t access the WhiteHouse.gov website. Controversial opinion? None of these things are defined, by the way. What big category is not blocked? (interruption) Porn sites, exactly right! The chief broadcast engineer Mike Maimone comes up with the answer in a split second. Pornographic sites are not mentioned as being banned in the TSA memo. “The email does not specify how the TSA will determine if a website expresses a ‘controversial opinion.’”

There is also no explanation as to why controversial opinions are being blocked, although the email stated that some of the restricted websites violate the Employee Responsibilities and Conduct policy.” CBS News called ‘em, asked for comment. They didn’t get it.

[...]

Here’s Obama’s Michigan graduation commencement speech this spring. “Still, if you’re someone who only reads the editorial page of the New York Times, try glancing at the page of the Wall Street Journal once in a while. If you are a fan of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, try reading a few columns on the Huffington Post website. It may make your blood boil, your mind may not often be changed, but the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship.”

So the leader of the regime is urging college students, graduates to visit all kinds of controversial opinion sites, and yet the Transportation Security Administration is prohibiting any of its employees from visiting any sites where there are controversial opinions. Here’s Obama’s Kalamazoo high school graduation commencement speech: “And I hope that wherever you go, you won’t narrow the broad intellectual and social exposure you’ve had here at Kalamazoo Central. Instead, seek to expand the exposure you’ve had here at Kalamazoo Central. Don’t just hang out with people who look like you or go to the same church you do or share your political views. Broaden your circle to include people with different backgrounds and life experiences, because that’s how you’ll end up learning what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes.”

So Obama’s out telling young skulls full of mush at any institution of higher learning he can find “Expose yourselves to all kinds of ideas,” but his own employees at TSA are not permitted to access sites where there is controversial opinion. Now, if you are a leftist, if you’re a Democrat, if you’re a liberal, “controversial opinion” is any opinion that differs from yours. That’s why I, El Rushbo, am deemed controversial. Yet the vast majority of people who listen to this program do not disagree with me. I am not controversial to the vast majority of people that listen to me… But the left thinks I’m controversial. So I guess, given that Obama’s a Democrat, and most of the people at TSA would fall under that banner as well, any website which posts opinions that do not agree with leftists or liberal or Democrat opinions are off-limits now because they’re deemed to be controversial.

UPDATE, August 1, 2010: Troubling video at Gateway Pundit, Obama Administration Attempting To Get Your Internet Records Without a Warrant

Categories: Conservatism, Entertainment, Celebrities, Freedom of Speech, Government, Law & Constitution, Social and Political Climate
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