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Calling out The Hobbit — 11 Comments

  1. The antidefamation league of the shire will be in contact with you. We are waiting for our lawyer to finished his second breakfast and get a trim for the hair on his feet. He will then place quill to parchment and deliver a strongly word letter of admonishment. We do not mind the occasional troop of dwarves or elves, or the visiting errant wizard, but to call us the name of a human politician is beyond our capacity for tolerance. 

    Signed the Hobbits

    • They have to make it easier for the young to drink, so they can moan about what a major problem it is. 

  2. Be thankful that Ireland doesn't have to bend to the yoke of lèse-majesté laws like they do here in Thailand. It basically gives carte blanche (I'm getting positively Gallic here) to the political elite (which in Thailand means the royalist ruling class) to close down any political debate which they don't like.

    And transgression carries severe penalties. I'm a regular poster on a Thai based forum, and they are so paranoid about this law that any obtuse, veiled critisism of the Thai royal family is deleted immediately and a personal message sent from admin threatening suspension of membership. I know, because I've had a few of them. And the reason they are so paranoid is that the Thai authorities would close down the site immediately if they thought it was publishing any critical posts.

    I can't even access 'The Daily Mail' here, because presumably they published an article once which examined the role of the king in the political system (putatively a constitutional monarchy), and didn't give him a ringing endorsement. So the DM site is blocked. All I get is a page with Thai script saying 'Page not available'.

    'Sticks and stones' doesn't even come into it. More like 15 years in the chokey.

    • Our lot would dearly love to have a setup like that.  They brag that free speech is a right here, but as soon as they or their ilk become the target they squeal like little girls.

      How come you can read this Over There?  I'm more than a little insulted that I haven't been banned.  It means I'm not doing my job properly.

      • As a little addendum to my above comment, I just came across this, from General Prayut, who led the latest coup and is currently running the country:

        Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha stated today that martial law which has been eased for the past several months will now be strictly enforced in view of the overall political climate in the country.  

        In addition, he stated that individuals who have made public dissenting comments will be asked to report themselves.

        Gen Prayut stated the reasons for calling in Surapong Tovichak-chaikun, the former Foreign Minister along with other leading figures from the Phue Thai Party for attitude adjustment during an interview held today.

        The prime minister said he was forced to do so because of recent public dissenting comments which are inappropriate in light of the volatile political climate.

        At the same time, he said  the former minister for the Ministry of Energy, Pichai Niropthaphan, will also be asked to report himself for similar reasons. (My emphasis)

        http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/martial-law-strictly-enforced

        You haven't been banned, GD, because you haven't made any publicly derogatory remarks about the Thai royal family (read the king, one of the wealthiest men in the world).

        I actually could say a lot about him, but will refrain from doing so as I wish to be able to come and go freely. The internet is monitored here.

        • Hmmmm.  I hope you are handing in your thoughts for waterboarding attitude adjustment?

          "He explained that they will be talked to and made to understand the government’s stand."

          That sounds very cosy?  A nice fireside chat that doesn't involve any baseball bats or electricity at all?  Nothing to fear there then……

        • "In addition, he stated that individuals who have made public dissenting comments will be asked to report themselves."

          Report themselves to whom??   

          Hope your weather's better than here, we're into the rainy season at the moment, rain, high winds and thunderstorms.  You're well out of it.

    • Also a bit dodgy wearing a red shirt from what i can see! As far as blocking the Daily Mail, i'd say that particular action is a service to humanity! 😉

      • Heh! 🙂 Yes, I have to say I'm not particularly devastated about my lack of access to the DM! And you're right about the red shirt – as a 'falang' (foreigner), one has to be careful about the colour of ones attire! I have no red or yellow T-shirts in my suitcase for that very reason!

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