LJ Strikeout '07: Support Freedom of Expression!

[ladybrighid3333_archive]

Ok...so sorry if you've all seen this all over your friends list, but compiling two different "action plans". I'm sorry, but i'm screening comments and logging IPs. >>; you will have to wait till your comment shows up.



roaring's compiled a listing of some of the facts,which link to more facts, etc., of what's going on, mostly in relation to the fandom people getting hit by this.
Click the banner above to see that.

this was taken from rosesatmidnight for the same program on a more personal standpoiont, though I edited it for my own words at the end. For the original go take action!
1. Change the end greeting to your username
2 You can tweak the last paragraph so it's yours.
3. Spread it to your friends list by posting it to your own journal or linking here.
4. Also feel free to comment here with the textbox at the bottom of this entry.

Change your user name, personalize your comments in the last paragraph, and email this to privacy@livejournal.com and post it to your journal or profile.

Dear LJ:

I was quite appalled to hear about your mass-deletion of communities and journals with what you deemed as 'triggering' interests. Some of us have survived Rape. Some of us have survived abuse. And some of us wish to speak up and help others. How can we do that if you're taking away what we use to help those in need?

Have you even researched this "Warriors For Innocence"? Now what about the countless others who will not benefit from this deletion? What about the countless molesters who will now be driven further underground?

What about the countless members who have survived abuse, who have survived rape, and are now, finally, proud to stand up and say that they have... only for LJ to tell them that they can't?

Now what will we do? Now what source will we have to share our stories and our knowledge with others, now that your once-valuable source has been so ruthlessly and thoughtlessly taken away?

You were once one of the voices that helped make us strong as a united front.

And now your silence in the fight deafens me. Your silence speaks volumes, as much now as it will ever speak. Your silence is like a slap in the face to those of us who have survived the rape, survived the abuse, and are now, or will soon, learn to stand again, learn to live again, learn to function again.

As the friend of several people who have survived abuse and rape, I, personally, hope that you never experience it. And if that does happen, I hope that this very same silence never crosses your path.

Respectfully,
ladybrighid3333

Edit: Or if you feel uncomfortable sending it. Fill in, Copy and paste the text in the text box below into a comment here.

<b>Name/Alias:</b> <b>Journal name:</b> <b>Location(optional):</b> <b>Comment(optional):</b>

Comments

[nymphadora17.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Loz
Journal name: Nymphadora17
Location): UK
Comment: I fail to see how this has helped anyone, no offender has been caught or even investigated, all I see is innocent people who have been hurt by this mess. Places for survivors to feel safe, and years of hardwork taken away. I in no way support pedophilia, but I believe in freedom of speech. The fiction in those communities was well labled, harmless and in no way encouraged illeagal activity.

[iluxia.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Kia-chan
Journal name: kiasidira_ixari
Location(optional): USA (TX)
Comment(optional): LiveJournal prides itself as an eloquent means of free and flowing communication. It prides itself for the range of freedom of speech it gives its members. Freedom of speech INCLUDES THIS TOO.

While these are good motives, the action taken is just... not just. It's VERY unfair to those who are innocent passersby.

What about the writers--like me? We writers reserve the right to put ANY content on our stories with proper warnings and disclaimers. We know the rule of respect and warnings, we observe disclaimers. And yet you purge us? What if that particular event in the story needed some "dark" content for the plot? What if that character needed to experience something "immoral" to further the story? Would that be illegal too--with PROPER WARNINGS?

Writers reserve literary rights. This is called oppressing that right.

[xinda.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Xinda
Journal name: xinda
Location(optional): MD
Comment(optional): I'm all for stopping things that need to be stopped, but there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Ignoring your customers is a wrong way. Deleting journals without warning - especially those that are not involved in any crime? Is a wrong way. Going over 24 hours without an explanation or some sort of statement for your choices and your behaviour? Is a wrong way.

Right now, Livejournal has hurt more people then helped them. For those journals that are in fact ones that are "guilty", deleting them is not going to stop the crime or prevent it. In fact, innocent users are now scared and worried that something they have/say/do might be taken out of context, where as the guilty ones are simply going to hide better.

I thought it was "innocent until proven guilty," but all I've seen in this period of time over this incident is "guilty, end of story." It would have been wise to better do your research before just deleting journals.

I'm also disturbed by the fact that I'm hearing of users stating that they have warned you about journals that had a high chance of being related to illegal crimes (pedophilia or molestation and the like) and their warnings went unheard. Now that you have advertisers, it seems that you're jumping the gun and failing to do your research.

I'd appreciate some word on your part, Livejournal, on what is going on and how you plan to fix the wrong that you have done.

[queenie-writes.livejournal.com]

Journal name: queenie_writes
Location(optional):Canada
Comment(optional): Understandable motivation, but the implementation does not consider all individuals rights. It is unfortunate this has to be done to "stop" people from preforming illegal actions, while others get away with abuse. This broad application of their policy needs to be thought through, and make more specific means on how to apply this policy.

[firmament.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: The Hanged Man
Journal name: firmament
Location(optional): San Diego
Comment(optional): Isn't censoring LJ in order to toady to corporate sponsorship exactly the kind of think you promised not to do when 6 apart bought you, and when you decided to allow ads? Very dissapointed with LJ right now.

[galfridian.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Jessica
Journal name: deludedvision
Location(optional): Illinois, United States

[eleventh-end.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Iris
Journal name: eleventh_end
Location(optional): Michigan
Comment(optional): I am appalled at the way both LJ and WFI have gone about this entire business. Needless to say, if I hadn't received this paid account as a gift, I would already be gone. Even then, I'm still considering it. This is such a disappointment. And here I actually thought that you'd look out for your users, rather than just care about watching your own backs.

[x-unfinished-x.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Remy.
Journal name: x_unfinished_x
Location(optional): Wisconsin.
Comment(optional): The people who are being hurt by this are not the pedophiles and rapists; they are the survivors who were brave enough to share their stories with others. This is wrong. This is not the LiveJournal I knew and loved. This is something else entirely.

I think I'll be taking my journal elsewhere soon, and I know others who already have. Why should we stay with LiveJournal when sites like GreatestJournal are available? There is no reason for survivors to be persecuted for sharing their stories. There is no reason for fandom to suffer. There is no reason to stay, and that is becoming more and more apparent.

(To ladybrighid3333 -- thank you for standing up and helping others to stand up, as well. You are full of win.)

[mika0021.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Mika
Journal name:

[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<lj-user "mika0021">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]

<b>Name/Alias:</b> Mika
<b>Journal name:</b> <lj-user "mika0021">
<b>Location(optional):</b> California
<b>Comment(optional):</b> You not only made yourselves look stupid now, but all prospective users are now scared away from this site. Shame on you, LiveJournal. We didn't come here to promote rape and abuse. We came here to express ourselves through creative <b>fiction</b>, which we are obviously not allowed to do any more. And before this, only a few months ago, you claimed to not have anything to do with talk of illegal acts. So all we've been doing all along has been perfectly legal, and now you have crushed hundreds of accounts just because someone whined that it was "wrong". Now thousands do not want to <b>touch</b> this site with a ninety-foot pole because they're afraid of getting kicked off.

Is it wrong to have freedom of creativity? Is it wrong to express yourself in a non-violent manner? Is it so terrible to write something out and post it to your livejournal, no matter how private or public it may be? You obviously don't care, so just go ban-happy. Of course! That'll solve all the problems of the world! That should teach the perverts and pedophiles! Let me spell it for you. <b>F-I-C-T-I-O-N.</b>

I used to use livejournal to freely and openly post creative works - but now I can't, because you're a totalitarian state. None of us can. I hope you're happy with yourselves.

[darkelf.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Amanda/Hyascinthe
Journal name: darkelf
Location(optional): Michigan
Comment(optional): The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Why should responsible, good people have to suffer for someone else's idiocy? The problem is, the stupid ones expect to have things handed out to them - they refuse to accept the consequences of their actions. That's why us smart ones need to slap the idiots in the face (figuratively speaking) and say "guess what, moron, I'm not going to suffer because you're too lazy". Start punishing the people who are actually doing wrong.

Being a survivor of sexual abuse myself, I know how important - how gravely important - it is to be heard and to stand up for what is right and true and good.

It is a FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT to SPEAK FREELY. Not one person would sit idly by if that freedom, that God given freedom, was threatened.

[4492.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Kat
Journal name: 4492
Location(optional): Dunstable, England
Comment(optional): Since when has it EVER been a good idea to try and repress freedom of speech or expression? Censorship is NEVER the right way to go. All censorship does is throw a cover over something. The only way anyone can learn anything is by understanding it, not by ignoring it. No one should condone rape or incest - they are terrible things. But to persecute FICTIONAL works over this issue, it's just insane. It is the cyber equivilent of burning books. Not on. Just not on.

[codysgirlkyla.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Kyla Ryan House/CodysGirlKyla
Journal name: Kyla's Stories
Location(optional): Plainsboro, NJ, USA
Comment(optional): By deleting these journals and communities, Livejournal is INFRINGING on the freedoms of the owners of those journals and the members of the communites deleted AND those yet to be deleted. When will livejournal draw the line if we do not object now? "Warriors for Innonce" are destroying the very heart of Livejournal, the freedom of expressing one's thoughts and feelings, of community.
KRH

[pwnster.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Sam
Journal name: pwnster
Location(optional): Illinois
Comment(optional): Awhile ago, I reported a community filled with pedophiles, where entries encouraged sexual relations with minors. LJ got back with me, saying that they couldn't do anything about it. Now, they're deciding to remove innocents of people off of Livejournal merely because of their interests? I think it's hypocritical. Turning a blind eye to the real problem just because they have admitted to crimes committed in the past won't solve the problem, and that only encourages it. If you're going to do your job, at least remove the people that should get removed off of this website -- or better, people that should have been taken care of a long time ago.

Also, I'm nineteen years old. I am mature enough to handle sketchy content and I know the difference between right and wrong. I know what crosses the line. I don't need to be targeted because of the shows I watch, the communities I'm part of, or the fan fiction I write. Please don't label me.

[annarien.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Nina
Journal name:annarien
Location(optional): Croatia, Europe
Comment(optional):Outrageous!!!

[nixwilliams.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: nixwilliams
Journal name: nixwilliams
Location(optional): australia
Comment(optional): it's called fiction for a reason

[ketsi-aiita-n.livejournal.com]

Names/Aliases: Helen/Ketsi and Kii (we were at the same house)
Journal names: ketsi_aiita_n dbzhobbit
Location(optional): UK
Comment(optional): Not every single fandom or user that gets deleted actually is going to contain content that is deemed as pedophilia. I know fic writers who write stories based on pure love/fluff/romance and all things cute and fluffy bunnies, the only difference being that there's two guys/girls involved. Should something that shows homosexuality in a good light and something other than lust really be deleted?

[sulla.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Sulla
Journal name: sulla_
Location(optional): Toronto, Canada
Comment(optional): I do believe that the people down LJ-way have been smoking a leeetle too much crack, resulting in psychosis and paranoid delusions. That's gotta be the explanation. Anything else is just simply doesn't make any sense.

[racheylish.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Rachey
Journal name: racheylish
Location(optional): Canada
Comment(optional): Yes, attacking fandoms is the way to world peace. I can see how obvious arts of fiction can be so very offensive. That's sarcasm by the way.

[pwnmastersaurus.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias:Molly
Journal name:pwnmastersaurus
Location(optional):Baltimore, Maryland
Comment(optional): I think it's absolutely ridiculous to delete someone's journal merely because they mentioned a delicate subject such as pedophilia. Some people are victims of such events and they need to be able to reach out for support. Deleting their journal and cutting off their plea for help is a terrible thing to do for someone who is suffering from sexual abuse such as pedophilia.

Additionally, it's ridiculous to delete someone's journal because they referenced pedophilia or sexual abuse in a work of fiction. Discussing or featuring such subjects as parts of fictional works is NOT the same as condoning or promoting them. Deletions of such journals are an attack on the freedom of expression.

[poipu.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Awapuhi
Journal name: Poipu
Location(optional): Maryland
Comment(optional):No Comment. Too irritated.

[yoritomo-reiko.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Amanda
Journal name: yoritomo_reiko
Location(optional): Wales
Comment(optional):
Was this trip really necessary?

I applaud the work that LJ has done to make this a safer place by deleting the journals of actual pedophiles and their support groups. Unfortunately, this was done with such a broad brush that perfectly innocent people on either side were smacked with it.

Support groups for rape and incest survivors, lost because of what was in their interests. Survivors of rape and incest who have lost their personal journals; places where they felt safe being able to talk about their experiences and what they have gone through in their lives. Book discussion groups deleted because of the subject matter of the book they have chosen RPG characters--FICTIONAL CHARACTERS--lost with no way to retrieve the information. All because of one or two interests.

I realize that there are a lot of journals and communities to sort through. But would it really have taken all that much time to actually LOOK at the user infos of these journals marked for deletion?

I applaud LJ for deleting the journals of sexual predators. But when upwards of a quarter of deleted journals (at least) have been deleted when their CONTENT was perfectly legal, something is wrong.

Please, LiveJournal. It's time to take a closer look at what has happened.

[bobatealuvr.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Amanda/Ayu
Journal name: atsuros_tiger
Location(optional): Ewing, NJ
Comment(optional): Thanks for taking away our freedom of speech, what rights do we really have if we can't abide by our amendments? I thought this one place where we meet friends and get help from other people with the same problems we have. Thanks for asking before went and started deleting journals and communities. I mean.. Really.. It is at times like this I'm REALLY ashamed to call myself a Christian.. I'm to the point were I just feel like giving up relgion.. what good is it anyway?

[I'm terrible with speaches and comments so I hope that is okay >>]

[worn-words.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Emily
Journal name: squiggle_bunny
Location(optional): Connecticut, USA
Comment(optional): I just can't believe all of this is happening. what ever happened to freedom of speech?

[ex-xue.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: Jackie
Journal name: vivaldi
Location(optional): California
Comment(optional): Deleting journals. NOT HELPING THE CHILDREN. :T

[vmnoneko.livejournal.com]

Name/Alias: VanillaMint
Journal name: vmnoneko
Location(optional): UK
Comment(optional): I don't condone paedophilia. But as writers, sometimes we touch on offensive issues such as paedo, rape, incest, death, etc.. If such journals get deleted, I must say I'm really disappointed in how LJ has decided to deal with this issue. It shows how irresponsible and lazy they are in tackling difficult issues, choosing the easiest way-by disregarding people's work on the LJs and simply deleting suspicious accounts without a thorough look through.
This Warrior of Innocence people...I understand their cause but do they seriously think shutting down LJs of these criminals is going to change anything? These journals might provide important clues in investigations and now they've all just been deleted. Good job. Smart.