[governance] RE: Human rights and new gTLDs

[Vittorio Bertola]

Milton L Mueller ha scritto:
>> you need to get the www.info.abortion URL to speak 
>> about abortion, and that your freedom of expression 
>> would be seriously harmed if you had to resort to 
>> publishing the same speech at www.abortion.info instead.
> 
> In the latter paragraph, you are arguing that there is no difference in
> the two identifier formulations and that the issue is trivial. In the
> earlier paragraph, you are saying that the mere existence of the TLD
> "slaps people in the face" and is "highly provocative." Which argument
> are you making, my friend?

I am making the argument that it does not make any practical difference 
for the freedom and accessibility of the *content* whether it is located 
at the first or at the second identifier. You could say the same things 
without provoking irked reactions in anyone (and yes, TLD requests are 
clearly provocative, just look at the amount of reaction to .xxx); 
instead, you insist on a request that it is not offensive for you, and 
is not offensive for me, but is offensive to many; and since it does not 
bring any perceivable advance to your freedom, these people may even 
think that you are purposedly trying to offend them and their deep moral 
(religious, in some cases) convictions.

This also applies to Karl's reply - Karl, I do respect your freedom to 
live as you like, but when we move from the offline to the online world, 
and speak about something at the root level of the Internet, the entire 
planet is packed in the same room. It's not like "if you don't like this 
way of life go live somewhere else"; you have to find a compromise. The 
result won't be 100% free for people who value personal liberties, and 
won't be 100% moral for people who value communitarian philosophies or 
who are religious (of whatever religion). But you should do your best to 
find something that is acceptable to as many different cultures as possible.
-- 
vb.                   Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu   <--------
-------->  finally with a new website at http://bertola.eu/  <--------
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