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When Does Politically Correct Become Censorship?

By R. B. "Bob" Mitchell - Loan Officer Raleigh/Durham

Mortgage and Lending with Bank of England (NMLS#418481) NMLS# 1046286

April 10, 2007 06:31 AM

Too Risque For Activerain?

I posted a blog yesterday http://activerain.com/blogsview/72632/St-Louis-Realtor-Confused on how to get comments on my posts. The post featured a somewhat disturbing photo of an extremely large woman laying on top of an apparently skinny man (you can only see the bottom of his legs under the woman). The woman is clothed in her underwear and the photo, while admittedly disconcerting, is in no way obscene.

The post actually generated a few comments, none of which were critical of my use of that photo. I then got an email from a person who I assume is connected with Activerain, asking me to remove the offending photograph.

I responded that I would if AR insisted, but that I felt that the use of that photograph was appropriate because I was making a political/editorial comment with it. That is, people utilize sex and sexiness in blogging and in business in general. The above picture came out of a very entertaining blog: http://activerain.com/blogsview/60647/Real-Estate-or-Bust

My point in using the offending photo and the one above is that sex does indeed sell. I nor the author of the blog that the picture above came from are not the first to utilize this fact. As I emailed the person from AR, I will take it off, but I don't think that I should have to. If you're offended by something that you read or see on here, move on. No where in the constitution are you guaranteed the right not to be offended.

I recognize that there are "norms" in social behavior that in an civilized society that must be adhered to. That said, I also think that it's a very slippery slope when you start labeling things as being deviant. The Supreme Court has been wrestling with this question for years and I do realize that even though this site has a huge base of people that participate in it, that it still "belongs" to the people who own and maintain it. Therefore, if they wish, I will remove the offending photo, but before I do I would like the powers that be to ask themselves, when does being politically correct turn into censorship?

R.B. "Bob" Mitchell

ValueList Real Estate Services, Inc.

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Bill Williams

Coldwell Banker Tomlinson Group - Boise, ID

Bob, this discussion/argument has been going on for more than 20 years... I remember bumping into it in the 80's over comments posted on BBSs. It goes on today on many of the political blogs, and it goes on here.

It fascinates me to hear the "censorship" argument. Most of the time, the one who raises that point has completely ignored the argument that trumps it every time. That is, "OWNERSHIP". We are all here on AR at no cost, and at the invitation of the owners. They can make up any rules for behavior and content they want. Censorship has absolutely nothing to do with it. The only place any of us have the absolute "right" to say whatever we want however we want to say it is in our own place, be that a BBS, a newspaper, or a blog.

Oh my, what an appropriate passfruit I got for this comment... passion! ;-)

Apr 10, 2007 07:38 AM

R. B. "Bob" Mitchell - Loan Officer Raleigh/Durham

Bank of England (NMLS#418481) - Raleigh, NC

Bob Mitchell (NMLS#1046286)

Bill: I agree wholeheartedly with you that the owner's of activerain have the right to make up their own rules. I mentioned that in the post. That said, a blog by it's very nature and one of the stated purposes of the Activerain real estate network is to facilitate discussion. Whenever that discussion is censored, be it rightly so or wrongly so, the person or entity doing the censoring runs the risk of quashing discussion, not facilitating it.

I think that this is a wonderful site. I just thought that the folks who moderate it should be made aware of the fact that while they had the right to tell me that I should remove that picture, that it wasn't necessarily the "right" thing to do. I'll keep everybody updated on if they make me or not.

Apr 10, 2007 10:06 AM

When Does Politically Correct Become Censorship?

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R. B. "Bob" Mitchell - Loan Officer Raleigh/Durham

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