Message to Canuck Guy

Dear dip stick. Why do you think you have the right to say whatever you want on someone else's blog? Do you not understand the concept of private versus public spheres when it comes to freedom of expression? If not, let me make it clear to you. A blog, like a newspaper, a magazine, a radio station or a for-profit television network are in the private sector. That means that the editor, publisher or owner has the right to determine what will and will not be published on its pages or its airtime. Get it?

Where the right to freedom of expression comes in, is one step removed from the private sector, namely, in the "public" sphere, which means that regulated by government. In a nutshell, it means governments must guarantee and protect the rights of individuals who own private sector media organs to publish what they want. Governments cannot force owners of private media organs to publish what they don't want to publish. This is generally called editorial prerogative and it even extends to the right of the owner/editor to edit what private citizens submit for publication or to refuse to publish submissions from private citizens. Are you not aware that editorial prerogative is a cornerstone of freedom of expression? You are not guaranteed a spot in whatever media organ you may want to publish your thoughts, but you are guaranteed the right to start your own where you may publish whatever you wish to publish, either that be your own thoughts or someone else's.

Yes, Canuck Guy, you are free to say whatever you want, but others are not obliged to listen to it, are not obliged to publish it and are not obliged to read it. If you had even a modicum of basic civility, you might get your thoughts published on my blog, but so far, you have not demonstrated to me that you have even the most fundamental grasp of civil debate. You're a loser, and my editorial prerogative is to not provide you with space on my blog to illustrate it! Remember that old saw from Mark Twain (I think it was him, although sources vary.). "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool and than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." You should be grateful that I don't allow you to make a fool of yourself on my blog.