I received a link to this news article in an email:
Melbourne writer jailed for insulting Thai royals
“FOR writing three ill-conceived sentences in a novel that sold fewer than 10 copies, Melbourne man Harry Nicolaides was yesterday sentenced to three years in a Thai prison.” (click to read entire news story)
Consider what would result in the world if everyone reacted to a perceived insult in this manner.
Imagine the silencing effect.
Even more disturbing, in another article on this topic — Thailand sentences writer for insults — it seems clear that this is probably a case of a writer getting caught in the middle of political maneuvering that has nothing much to do with insulting the royal family or with three sentences in the writer’s self-published work of fiction that only sold 10 copies. It has much more to do with someone else’s power play, or their fears about what will happen when the current Thai monarch dies.
Still it’s enough to make every writer in the world think hard about what freedom is and how much freedom of expression he or she really has. And on the Internet, we’re all writers.
That is so sick, so medieval. I don’t care if it’s a real law, a real insult, or the result of political maneuvering. That a human being should be in jail for three years on such an ignorant charge is itself a crime. I hope his government intercedes for him with the Thai “government”–I use the term loosely.
I agree, Sarah. No matter whether the insult was real or imagined, such treatment isn’t justified and is tragic. I too hope that his government, or someone, represents him in this and continues to fight for his freedom.
This is why we are so fortunate to live where we live. Lots of the world would prefer censure for ideas that disagree with their own. This is very sad.
The horror.
Just tried to post to your other site, and got a 403 Error (??) F.Y.I.
(I love your Tarot project).
Our leaders are trying to do the same thing with talk radio right now. No need to worry about Asia.