OK, another one of my ethical questions for FQ

[TVB]

Unless you've been under a rock the past week, by now you've heard about the sick publicity stunt surrounding the band Hell on Earth. If not, the headline is they claim they are holding a concert tonight where a terminally ill person will commit suicide on stage. They claim they would be broadcasting it on the internet.

In an article on MSNBC.com, the web host is quoted, "Jason Trindade, the operator of a San Diego-based technology company that hosts the band’s Web site, said he would continue serving the site and carry the concert until he receives complaints from law enforcement officials to shut it down.
“They haven’t broken any law and I can’t just turn them off,” he said. “Myself, I think it’s pretty twisted.”

FQ? Not that any of my sites will be assisting in a suicide, but I'm curious how you would handle it just for discussions sake.

Oh, and I just googled and looked for their site...gone (which is good, because I don't think they should be given that platform)

Betsy

[Deb]

In response, the city council met Monday morning to unanimously approve an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.

To a certain extent FutureQuest would be on the side of the host. If nothing illegal is being done and the site does not break our own Terms of Service, then yes, we would host it, whether we agreed or not. We are not able to censor all of the sites in such a way the forces them to follow our own moral values. If we were, we would probably only host animal welfare and children sites

Officially:
As far as I know, suicide IS still illegal in the United States and therefore, we would -NOT- host the site that showed such activities.

-----

Personally

Regardless of my views on the right to commit suicide, I find the people willing to turn the situation into a money making marketing circus sick and twisted as well as abusive to their right to engage in stupidity!

A person making a decision as personal, serious, and heartbreaking as this should NOT be put under pressure to "not change his/her mind" due to the publicity and crowds [sigh] cheering them on to DO IT DO IT DO IT [/sigh].

---

Deb
- Brains by Mattel

[TVB]

Thanks Deb...I asked mostly as an exercise to stretch the muscle between my ears.

I agree it is pretty sick and twisted for the same reasons you do,. I am sure some reading might think it is a bit hypocritical of me with my past stands and arguments for the 1st amendment, but this one just gives me the willies.

Betsy

[LightGuide]

One of my frequent observations is that the law, ethics, and morality often do not coincide.

Not that they shouldn't, mind you...

etLux

[Rich]

In response, the city council met Monday morning to unanimously approve an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.

Hmmmmm...doesn't look like that would apply to that guy that was gonna chop off his feet! What ever happened to him anyway?

[Bob]

Hi Betsy,

I believe that the Founders of our Country were farsighted enough to realize that what was appropriate in their time and age may not be so in later years and wrote the 1st Amendment to be very vague and subject to interpretation of the people of the time.

If that was their intentions, they succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

When was the last time you saw a 1st Amendment subject that a court ruled on that everyone agreed on

-Bob

- I agree to respectfully disagree or agree depending... -

[Randall]

Unless you've been under a rock the past week,

Uh, guilty.

Randall

[TVB]

When was the last time you saw a 1st Amendment subject that a court ruled on that everyone agreed on

It certainly is unusual, but not unheard of. I think we all agree on the 1st amendment but differ in our interpretations.

That's not unlike our other amendments in the bill of rights. Take the 2nd, for instance: the right to bear arms. Using your example of what our founding fathers meant and what the world is like today, I am sure they couldn't envision AK-47's. However, I am a great supporter of the right for all to keep a muzzle loader nearby ( I fired a muzzle loader once...it took weeks for my butt to heal)

Rich, I'm not familiar with the story of the guy who was gonna chop off his feet---do tell more.

Betsy
---then again, everyone here agreed that a certain Epson printer was best for photos. How's that for an example?

[TVB]

Originally posted by Randall:
Uh, guilty.

Randall

Gently lifting the rock...here, kitty kitty kitty...

Betsy

[Randall]

Actually, this is one of those topics that make me want to crawl under a rock in the first place.

Moral quandaries aside, a concert is not the venue I'd choose to make my point.

Randall