Libertarianz Announces Freedom Of Speech Policy

In light of the debate regarding the Becks Incredible Film Festival and the movies Baise Moi, Visitor Q, and Bully, Libertarianz Spokesman on Free Speech Scott Wilson today announced the Libertarianz policy on censorship: in short, no Censorship.

Challenged to justify the policy, Wilson explained that "the core Libertarianz philosophy that runs through all of our policies is to respect the right of human individuals to own their own bodies, to own their own property, to interact by mutual agreement on a voluntary, not coercive, basis, and to pursue happiness - while respecting all these same rights in others."

"Libertarianz rejects any notion that people's lives should be owned by any notion of God, the State, or the 'majority.' Individuals have the right to live for their own sake, as long as they do not initiate force or fraud against others. This right," he said, "includes freedom of speech."

"Libertarianz strongly emphasise that along with freedom of speech, people have to take responsibility for their own lives and what they wish to view. Adults should make up their own minds, and have the same responsibility to do so for their children. Cinemas, video libraries, schools, and bookshops should all choose themselves what to own and distribute. Organisations such as the Society for Promotion of Community Standards (SPCS) are welcome to discourage people from seeing or distributing any films they deem inappropriate, but they should have no right directly, or through the law, to force their views on others. Free speech is the right to use persuasion, not force, to win arguments regarding ideas or taste" Wilson emphasised.

Regarding the issue of pirated films, Wilson confirmed that "Libertarianz does not endorse the production and sale of pirated copies of any films, books, videos, or music recordings. This is theft from the owners of the intellectual property rights to the film, and is in itself another initiation of force."

The policy itself says that Libertarianz would repeal all laws that prohibit or restrict access to films that were not produced as an accessory to a crime of actual violence, sexual or otherwise, against any individuals. If no sex crime or crime of violence has been committed in the making of a film, it will be freely available to all. If the person producing or distributing the film is an accessory to the crime, the film will be considered part of the actual criminal offence and property in the film will reside with the victim."

Libertarianz would abolish the Office of Film, Video, and Literature Classification, the Broadcasting Standards Authority and the Censorship Compliance Unit of the Department of Internal Affairs - in fact, the Department of Internal Affairs in its entirety. There would be no mandatory ratings restrictions on any material not otherwise prohibited as described previously. Cinemas and video outlets would be free to establish their own standards to guide consumers, and consumers could operate their own ratings system for their information. "

In a statement about Libertarianz belief in the limits of criminal law, Wilson finished by restating that " no matter how offensive they may seem to many people, adults should be free to act out whatever behaviours they wish, as long as all involved parties are consenting. Adults own their own bodies and minds, and Libertarianz is the only party to assert that right."

"Libertarianz challenges SPCS and all political parties to explain exactly who they think owns the bodies and minds of adults." he concluded.

It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!

ENDS

For more information contact:
Scott Wilson
LIBERTARIANZ SPOKESMAN ON FREE SPEECH
(04) 934 3854, e-mail: swbrb@paradise.net.nz
www.libertarianz.org.nz
www.libz.org

© Scoop Media