Re: AW: Italy orders ISPs to block sites

[Iljitsch van Beijnum <iljitsch () muada com>]

On 7-mrt-2006, at 9:13, tom wrote:

> Hi Folks across the ocean..

> I understand, that from an American point of view this kind of  
> restriction
> looks strange and is against your act of freedom, however here in  
> Europe
> gambling is a state controlled business

It looks strange from the right side of the ocean too, at least to me.

What I don't get is why they think it's ok to limit our freedom of  
information. If they want to make sure we don't gamble in undesired  
ways, they should cut off the stuff that matters: the money. There is  
much more precedent for that.

> Imagine, if kids in the US would be able to order Cannabis from  
> Online-shops
> in the Netherlands (as it is leaglized there)through mail order?  
> Would you
> or your legislation agree to that?

Actually, buying this stuff for personal use isn't really "legal" but  
there is a policy of not doing anything against it, which obviously  
boils down to the same thing. Dealing in larger quantities and  
sending it across the border is a different matter, though. (One of  
the arguments in favor of this policy is that in countries like  
France or the US even more people smoke cannabis. I find it hard to  
believe that this would be physically possible, it seems like half  
the population uses the stuff over here.)