Jo0ur4nal;ism Cl;ass - Mo0ndSay Octo0bVer 17

[prisoner-rover.livejournal.com]

*rover got it typed!*

*it only took him all morning.*

*he was pleased.*

*rover rolled in to Journalism class.*

*he rolled over the desk and a stack of papers appeared on the end of it.*

*and he stood at attention in front of the class.*

*looking quite natty in his homecoming suit.*

*when a student picks up a paper from the stack, they will read the following:*

Professor JeTrusAalem Jhas be4en deE4layUed. HWe asWked I waZtch th4e cl;ass.

Th4e to0pic iIs per hiIs instr4ucti0ons.

DiscuIssion foPr reaction to censo0rship. Whet4her t0o findf a waAy to ge3t th4e infoTrmation t0o th4e public despiLte th4e consequences or t0o knucLkle under4.

*rover waited quietly.*

*and thought about his box back in his office.*

*maybe he should share his lava lamps with the professor*

*rover suspected it would be a lava lamp kind of day for him.*

Comments

[positive-angel.livejournal.com]

Chihaya came in and sat down, squinting at the paper to make out the typing. Once he could actually read it, he started to make notes at the bottom of the page before he spoke.

"An informed society is what is needed right now. Too many people live with their heads in holes hoping things will be made right for them. By putting the information out there, they are forced to either acknowledge it or make the conscious choice to ignore it.

In either case, nothing can be done if the information isn't available to them. Sometimes it takes one person to stand up and pull the curtain aside to expose the Wizard or to point at the Emperor telling him, he's wearing no clothes.

I firmly believe the information should be made available despite the consequences. Those that can't handle it, shouldn't be trying to in the first place."

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it takes one person to stand up and pull the curtain aside to expose the Wizard or to point at the Emperor telling him, he's wearing no clothes.


YOu'vE beEn to ARt class TOday, haVEn't yOu?

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

John sits down and signs in.

"While I think the information should be delivered no matter what, I can sometimes see the side of censoring different things though I do not agree with them and cannot support them. Most of them, it's to protect some sort of interest. In this day and age though, censorship is being used to stop the flow of or interrupt things people just don't like. Violence on television, sex on television and other hot button issues. Interest groups are using the word censorship, spouting nonsense about protecting children when this is just an underhanded method to stop things they don't like and don't want in their society.

Censorship makes no sense whatsoever and people using it for wrong reasons isn't helping it one bit."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory signs in.

"I agree with John - censorship is often used to 'protect' people, most often children. And in the case of things like sex and violence on television, I think it's more of an issue of the parents being negligent enough to allow their children to watch something like that. But if they force a censor, then it's okay for kiddie-viewing, and the parents don't need to feel any guilt."

She smiles, and adds, "And Rover, I'm glad you like your suit. My mom had a lot of fun making it for you."

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

John nods in agreement. "Yes, exactly. Instead of some parents choosing to educate their children on what to view, what not to view and the differences between television and real life, they fight to censor these things and the child begins to learn that everything is bad, nothing should be allowed and all rules should be stringent. These parents are letting the censor babysit their kids instead of teaching and parenting their own offpsring."

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

Rory nods, her brow creasing. "For instance, there was a case in the news recently where parents were attempting to sue the manufacturers of an extremely violent video game because they didn't want their child witnessing said violence. My question is - the game is clearly rated for mature players, so why did the child have it in the first place? The parents are exercising a sort of retroactive morality."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"I agree with Rory," Veronica says. "People should be allowed to make their own decisions - right or wrong - as long as they aren't hurting anyone. Parents have the right to make decisions for their children, but why should, for example, certain books not be available in the library for an adult who may want to read because a child might pick it up. It's not the job of the library staff to approve a child's reading material, it's up to the guardians of that child."

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

*grins*

*bounces*

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

Duce looks over at Delirium, "Hey Delirium.. we don't have a group for that project due this week.. would you care to partner with us for it?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka, looking somewhat uncomfortable with the release of the news, but determined not to make an issue of it, came into the classroom and walked directly over to Duce.

"Hey. I saw you didn't have a group. I doubt you care, but if I'd have known... well, if I'd have known, you wouldn't have been without a group."

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

Duce looks up as Beka approaches, a blatant 'WTF' look plastered on her face, "Ooooookkkay? Thanks for that, but, uh.. clueless on why you think we wouldn't care about potentially failing a class, or that it wouldn't matter to us to know that you'd have asked if you'd, y'know, noticed?" She sounds confused.

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka sighed, then screwed up something of a grin. "Uh. I tend to be trouble. I generally assume people don't care what I think." She shrugged. "Glad to be wrong."

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

Duce shrugs a shoulder, quirking one side of her mouth in a grin, "Assumptions.. man, they'll bite you on the ass every time. No worries. Sounds like Del's without as well, so 'sall good. Thanks, though."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka felt the grin tugging hard at the corners of her mouth. She gave into it and let it touch her mood, too. "Gotta give them up for Lent. Hella easier than giving up sex, and more fun too. Next time."

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

Duce nods, "Yeah, no worries."

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

SuRe! uM.

*bounces*

What IS iT?

[[occ: I've got two midterms and an essay coming up, so Del wasn't going to do her homework this week. If you still want to partner with her, that's fine, but you'll end up doing all the work.]]

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

(ooc: 'sall good.. if you have time to just rp this week, that works too. Duce icly already started working on something, but Del's input would /rock/.)

"We're supposed to do a propaganda campaign to get people to say yes to something, or agree with a point of view. We have to convince them of something. We have a thought on what to do for it.. but, Spider says we need a group. You'd be a good group to have. You're fun."

Duce shoots Delirium a grin as Delirium bounces.

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

*looks uncertain... well, okay. Actually looks round and multicoloured, but bounces a little more slowly*

ThAt sOUnds like SoMEthinG my brOTher/sISter wOUld dO.

[medusae-x.livejournal.com]

"Maybe.. but they're not in the class. We were thinking... body art. And you're so very good at it," Duce wheedles, "You'd be a great asset."

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

*rolls in a circle*

I WOulD? BuT riGHt now I Am beinG a gREat beACh baLl insTEad.

MAyBe I cOUld bE an ASSet. WHat dOEs onE LOok liKE?

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

George shrugs. "Censorship is lame, of course -- but if the Federal Gov't itself is coming down hard on you, what can you do?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka overheard George. She sipped some coffee thoughtfully, then responded. "You could break away. That's part of what happened in my universe. But it doesn't help. Information gets even more fragmented when you're running."

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

George turns to Beka a gives her a twisted smile. "If only it were that easy. Attempting to break away in the United States of America can easily get you jailed or dead."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka nodded, smiling grimly. "Us too. But...do you really have to worry about that? The dead part? We find...other channels. Means of communication. Those who want to know, find out."

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

George tapped her pen against her front teeth thoughtfully. "I guess there are forms of underground communication, newspapers, whatever," she mused. "But is there any way to prove that you're legit in that case? I mean, how do you get the word out in such a way that people actually believe you?"

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Good question, really." Beka frowned, drumming her fingers on the desk. "Start with little things. Things that people know but aren't hearing through official channels. You probably have to use a cadre of people to spread the word, too. Cell groups, one neighborhood at a time."

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

George nods. "Not that this is a popular example, but that's how it seems to work for terrorists, too."

((Or the Browncoats. Can't stop the signal, zomg! ...Unless you fall off the charts within two weeks. *sniffle*))

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka gives her an appraising look. "Freedom-fighters, terrorists. The difference is often in who uses the word."


[ooc: Can't stop the signal! Don't worry. We have a back-up data-center. *kicks stupid people who don't know how awesome Serenity is.]

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

"True." George replies with a smile. "That's where things can get a little, I don't know, squidgy with this country's friendly Federal Gov't."

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Squidgy." Beka smiles. "Good word. It's pretty squidgy out there too."

[jayne-serenity.livejournal.com]

((dont talk about it, it will only depress us... *cries*))

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

((Eek, sorry! *hugs* At least we'll always have Serenity!))

[jayne-serenity.livejournal.com]

*mutters under breath* with alot of naapalm

[deadlikegeorge.livejournal.com]

George favors Jayne with a quizzical smile.

[jayne-serenity.livejournal.com]

*shrugs, looking lost*

[marieann-d.livejournal.com]

Rogue signs in, and watches the big white ball nervously.

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

*watches rover*

*turns into a beach ball*

[prisoner-rover.livejournal.com]

*rover watches.*

*rover is amazed.*

*the ball is...multicolored.*

*rover bounces.*

[youngest-sister.livejournal.com]

*Delerium bounces with him*

*then she lands oddly on a chair leg and goes out of control*

*she shoots off the walls and ceiling*

WeeEEE!

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

[[Omgcan'tstoplaughing]]

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander stares at the bouncing balls, and grins. In no way does he giggle, because that would be unmanly.

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

D'anna nods to Rover and takes a paper. She's still a little baffled by the idea of a sentient white ball, but he/she/it seems friendly. Anyway, at this school, there are stranger things in the lunch food, so she just shrugs and goes with the flow.

She hits the cappuccino machine before taking a seat. Xander may fear it, but no one has become ill or died from it, as far as D'anna knows. Besides, it saves her from having to get up early enough to actually brew her own before she staggers into speech or interpersonal com every morning. Sometimes she can survive those classes without coffee - Journalism? Not so much.

Thinking over her classes last week and the meeting her project group had, she takes a few minutes before answering. When she finally speaks, her brow is furrowed as though she's deep in thought and she wears a small frown. "Well, according to our classes last week, there is always a to 'spin' or manipulate your information in such away to make it palatable and still get your point across. So why not plough through?"

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander eyes her cup of coffee, with a 'Better you than me, lady' expression. He nods at her answer, though.

"Sometimes it comes down to getting the truth out or saving your neck, and... well, I'd call necks as the better part of valor, most days. But if there's a sneaky way to do it and get away with it, I can see how it could be the way to go, versus putting up a big formal protest that might not get you anywhere at all."

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

D'anna grins, quarks an eyebrow and raises her cup in greeting. She takes a drink then cocks her head to the side. "Is there really no truth, no greater good you'd put before your own safety, Xander?" She asks, hands still wrapped her nice, warm, undeadly coffee.

[soldtoarmenians]

Xander nods. "Sure there is. I'm not the bravest guy in the world, but if we're talking about truths that are gonna get people hurt if they don't hear 'em, I'm willing to, uh. Risk my neck. I'm just saying you have to pick and choose your battles - not every piece of truth is something worth dying for."

[dbiers.livejournal.com]

"He's really hung up on this whole neck thing, isn't he?" She thinks to herself while taking another sip, "Wonder if he invests in a lot of turtle-necks?" D'anna presses her lips to her mug to hold back the smirk until she can gain control of her features, then she nods at Xander's response. "No, not everything is worth sticking your neck out dying for but evading censorship rarely results in loss of life."