This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

May 25, 2007 1:09 PM

"I believe in the overthrow of the government, should the situation warrant." posted by valentinepig at 11:16 AM Please don't use MetaFilter to break the law.
posted by fandango_matt to Etiquette/Policy at 1:09 PM (40 comments total)

oh good grief not this again.
posted by nowonmai at 1:15 PM on May 25, 2007

Believing in something is different than advocating it.
posted by null terminated at 1:15 PM on May 25, 2007

different from
posted by null terminated at 1:16 PM on May 25, 2007 [3 favorites]

valentinepig hasn't advocated anything, merely expressed a personal belief. I'm pretty sure that expressing opinions is still legal.
posted by lekvar at 1:17 PM on May 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness... when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Please don't use Declarations of Independence to break the law.
posted by jtron at 1:18 PM on May 25, 2007 [21 favorites]

I CAN HAS NICE THINGS?
posted by lekvar at 1:19 PM on May 25, 2007 [3 favorites]

I believe in the closing of metatalk threads, should the situation warrant.
posted by shmegegge at 1:19 PM on May 25, 2007

HUH?
posted by valentinepig at 1:22 PM on May 25, 2007

Man, without images to provide some release, you're crazy pent-up, aren't you, Matt?
posted by klangklangston at 1:23 PM on May 25, 2007

I believe I'll have another drink.
posted by Dave Faris at 1:24 PM on May 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh-so-lame callout.

So now we can't disagree with any law anywhere in the world, because that would be breaking the law, somewhere? Please...

"I believe speed limits are too low/high"... "I believe abortion should be legal/illegal"... "I believe all drugs/some drugs/ no drugs should be legal".

Under your callout, all of those would have been "inappropriate" for MeFi.

You know, if he or she had said "help me mount an insurrection" you might conceivably have a point... although as a side note I think the strict "don't help break laws" thing is unsustainable on MeFi simply because different things are legal in different parts of the world...
posted by modernnomad at 1:24 PM on May 25, 2007

Plus two more thoughts (it's bonus snark day!): The reason we can't have nice things like free discourse is this MeTa hallmonitor bullshit, and y'know, if you actually read the goddamned law you linked to, you'd see that he doesn't violate it. HI DERE.
posted by klangklangston at 1:26 PM on May 25, 2007

Is this some sort of reverse troll?
posted by roll truck roll at 1:31 PM on May 25, 2007

One step further out - I am libertarian minded in this situation. I believe in the overthrow of the government, should the situation warrant. And I believe that every blue-blooded American should, also.

I believe in this 100 fucking percent.
posted by eyeballkid at 1:33 PM on May 25, 2007

That comment looks like a legitimate exercise of freedom of speech to me.
posted by Faint of Butt at 1:35 PM on May 25, 2007

fandango_matt, unless you have a better thought out critique of this than you don't like the idea of someone even talking about the idea of overthrowing the government, this seems like a lame callout. The "please don't use MeFi to break the law" guideline is mostly related to AskMe and mostly related to something totally different than what you seem to object to about this comment.

Except for flat out "I'm going to kill the president" sorts of comments, we leave in most comments like this, and we even get shit for removing "kill the president" comments if we do that.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:37 PM on May 25, 2007

That comment looks like a legitimate exercise of freedom of speech to me.

KILL HIM!
posted by Dave Faris at 1:38 PM on May 25, 2007

It's not just a legitimate exercise of freedom of speech, but a sound example of intelligent thought.
posted by knapah at 1:39 PM on May 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with what he said.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 1:40 PM on May 25, 2007

Teacher! Teacher! They're smoking in the locker room!
posted by geoff. at 1:41 PM on May 25, 2007 [4 favorites]

ban him to gitmo
posted by fair_game at 1:41 PM on May 25, 2007

This thread is pointless without fandango_matt threatening to cut off his right hand.
posted by shmegegge at 1:42 PM on May 25, 2007

I see. Overthrow this callout!
posted by fandango_matt at 1:42 PM on May 25, 2007

More Glengarry Glen Ross, less of this.
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:43 PM on May 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

I too believe in the overthrow of the government should the situation warrant. It's healthy and fun to believe that, try it today.
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:43 PM on May 25, 2007

This callout, would however make an awesome passive-aggressive note for that website.
posted by Divine_Wino at 1:44 PM on May 25, 2007

So, fandango_matt, why the callout? I'm curious.
posted by rtha at 1:53 PM on May 25, 2007

This I Believe
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 1:53 PM on May 25, 2007

I believe I can flyyyyyyy
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:53 PM on May 25, 2007

I don't believe in superstars,
Organic food and foreign cars.
I don't believe the price of gold;
The certainty of growing old.
That right is right and left is wrong,
That north and south can't get along.
That east is east and west is west.
And being first is always best.

But I believe in love.
I believe in babies.
I believe in Mom and Dad.
And I believe in you.

Well, I don't believe that heaven waits,
For only those who congregate.
I like to think of God as love:
He's down below, He's up above.
He's watching people everywhere.
He knows who does and doesn't care.
And I'm an ordinary man,
Sometimes I wonder who I am.

But I believe in love.
I believe in music.
I believe in magic.
And I believe in you.

Well, I know with all my certainty,
What's going on with you and me,
Is a good thing.
It's true, I believe in you.

I don't believe virginity,
Is as common as it used to be.
In working days and sleeping nights,
That black is black and white is white.
That Superman and Robin Hood,
Are still alive in Hollywood.
That gasoline's in short supply,
The rising cost of getting by.

But I believe in love.
I believe in old folks.
I believe in children.
I believe in you.

But I believe in love.
I believe in babies.
I believe in Mom and Dad.
And I believe in you.
posted by ND¢ at 1:59 PM on May 25, 2007 [2 favorites]

I don't believe in Peter Pan
Frankenstein or Superman
All I wanna do is...

Bicycle bicycle bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle bicycle bicycle
posted by lekvar at 2:03 PM on May 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

It is against the law to advocate the violent overthrow of the government.

It is perfectly legal to advocate a petition drive requesting the entire executive, legistative, and judicial branches to resign.
posted by Pastabagel at 2:10 PM on May 25, 2007

Damn, and I was just about to propose a D.C. meetup/putsch!
posted by Atom Eyes at 2:11 PM on May 25, 2007 [1 favorite]

-1
posted by phaedon at 2:16 PM on May 25, 2007

I believe in the closing of metatalk threads, should the situation warrant.

You know, as I am new to this sandbox, I definitely do not want to get into a sandthrowing fight. I did intentionally bring up an incendiary topic. I did not expect to be called to the principal's office. I did choose my words deliberately. I do not mean to polarize the sandbox, just help people think about things that need to be thought about.

And that's all I have to say on that.
posted by valentinepig at 2:20 PM on May 25, 2007

I believe in the overthrow of the government, should the situation warrant.

So did Thomas Jefferson and other Founding Fathers.
posted by kirkaracha at 2:22 PM on May 25, 2007

valentinepig wrote "I did not expect to be called to the principal's office."

Well, you didn't really get called in to the principal's office. More like another kid said "Sir! Sir! He's being naughty!!" and then the principal said "No, he's not".
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:24 PM on May 25, 2007

*Jingles bicycle bell*
posted by drezdn at 2:24 PM on May 25, 2007

I believed valentinepig's comment would have brought the FBI knocking on mathowie's door because they believed the comment, while expressing a belief, was a believable incitement to overthrow the government and would have resulted in an unbelievable amount of harassment from the FBI, but upon further consideration, Jessamyn and Matt's beliefs have changed my mind and I believe the comment is in a believably grey area so I believe this callout should be deleted.
posted by fandango_matt at 2:25 PM on May 25, 2007

how about just closed?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 2:26 PM on May 25, 2007