AT&T Censors Pearl Jam's Anti-Bush Comments (Lollapaloza Webcast)

[Pickle-El]

More importantly:How awesome was Pearl Jam?:heart:

100,000 'Rockin in the free world' to end the show......that was frickin amazing. Never seen a crowd like that with such a beautiful backdrop...Chicago might be my new favorite city.

 

[Spider-Fan]

This whole country is going to hell when s*** like this happens

 

[EdRyder]

100,000 'Rockin in the free world' to end the show......that was frickin amazing. Never seen a crowd like that with such a beautiful backdrop...Chicago might be my new favorite city.

Born and raised there my friend On a side note Chicago is well known for its lukewarm treatment to pop stars,(people might as well be asleep at a Madonna show)but it loves its rock n roll

 

[Pickle-El]

Apparently this is a little bigger than censoring one little line in a song...where does it end? AT &T is clearly backtracking, as they know this could blow up in their faces when people start asking, 'why?' it was done.

You don't censor that remark, nobody pays too much attention, you censor the Bush comments and we all would like to be reminded where the lines are in regard to what exactly the term 'free speech' means nowadays...I think that's the most important thing about this whole fiasco.

 

[Spider-Bite]

I blame Bush.

 

[terry78]

I blame Bush.

You terrorist.

 

[jaguarr]

Apparently this is a little bigger than censoring one little line in a song...where does it end? AT &T is clearly backtracking, as they know this could blow up in their faces when people start asking, 'why?' it was done.

You don't censor that remark, nobody pays too much attention, you censor the Bush comments and we all would like to be reminded where the lines are in regard to what exactly the term 'free speech' means nowadays...I think that's the most important thing about this whole fiasco.

Here's the irony of their censoring it, though; if they'd just let it pass uncensored it wouldn't have probably gotten noticed, really. By censoring it the issue of their censorship gets raised up in the media by Pearl Jam and many others and suddenly the comment Veder sung at the show about Bush gets ten times the attention that it would have gotten otherwise, reaching a much bigger audience in the end and spreading visibility to his message exponentially. It also makes AT&T look like a bunch of a-holes in the process. Heh!

jag

 

[keith_v]

Music has a very rich history of political activism. Pearl Jam has been decrying the current administration for years upon years, so this is nothing new for them. They genuinely dislike Bush and have every right to speak their mind. So don't sit there and type things like "I completely believe in freedom of speech" when you just said that you think it's good that they got censored in your previous post. When you start putting conditions on it like "they have to say things I agree with or do it for reasons I agree with" then you're no longer advocating free speech, but censorship instead. Either you support free speech or you don't. It's really pretty simple.

jag

I was being sarcastic with the support of censorship (I know it was dry and I did come off as serious about. That's my fault.) But I am in support of free speech. Just not when it's being used for publicity. There is a thin line beteween using a right, and abusing a right, and while I think this is a far cry from abusing the right to free speech, I'm just not convinced they believe the things they say.

You said it yourself, music has a history of political activism. But you have to ask yourself how many musicians are doing it because they really believe their cause, and how many are doing it just to uphold tradition?

 

[keith_v]

Here's the irony of their censoring it, though; if they'd just let it pass uncensored it wouldn't have probably gotten noticed, really. By censoring it the issue of their censorship gets raised up in the media by Pearl Jam and many others and suddenly the comment Veder sung at the show about Bush gets ten times the attention that it would have gotten otherwise, reaching a much bigger audience in the end and spreading visibility to his message exponentially. It also makes AT&T look like a bunch of a-holes in the process. Heh!

jag

And this I believe in 100%. By blocking out what they said, it's ironically going to reach a much wider audience.

 

[04nbod]

I'm sure free speech is a basic right. Get the lawyers on them! make an example.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

Well, if AT&T sponsered the webcast, they have every right to portray it the way they want to. If they want to maintain neutral on the topic, they have every right to do so.

 

[DarthRekal]

Does anyone else think it's convenient that just a year or two ago the government was caught listening to phone conversations?

is it also convenient that AT&T ( which was formerly SBC, which in turn was based out of San Antonio Texas) has recently become the BIGGEST telecommunications provider in the country... nearing Monopoly status.. and acquiring little companies like finger foods????

 

[jaguarr]

I was being sarcastic with the support of censorship (I know it was dry and I did come off as serious about. That's my fault.) But I am in support of free speech. Just not when it's being used for publicity. There is a thin line beteween using a right, and abusing a right, and while I think this is a far cry from abusing the right to free speech, I'm just not convinced they believe the things they say.

You said it yourself, music has a history of political activism. But you have to ask yourself how many musicians are doing it because they really believe their cause, and how many are doing it just to uphold tradition?

Yeah, that was pretty dry. I thought you were being serious. My previous comment still applies, though; it doesn't matter if you agree with why they may utilize their right to free speech because they have every right to use it. When we start saying things like "Oh, they're just doing it for publicity so they should be censored", that signals a problem to me. While you may not view their reasons for using it as genuine (and really, you're just making guesses based on your own perceptions and don't really know the full story about their beliefs), they still have the right to use that free speech. Besides, their reasons are probably completely valid as far as they are concerned.

jag

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I'd've censored it because it's such a clunky, cheezy way to sneak your Anti-Bushness in.
I think Bush should be executed for War Crimes.....but those modified lines were lame-O.

 

[keith_v]

Well, if AT&T sponsered the webcast, they have every right to portray it the way they want to. If they want to maintain neutral on the topic, they have every right to do so.

This is very true, it's just that this is the kind of thing that can really backfire and make AT&T look really bad. Even if their intentions were stay nuetral politically, which they very well could have been, they may now look as if they're taking sides.

 

[jaguarr]

If AT&T wanted to stay politically neutral they should have never sponsored an event with Pearl Jam in it. Duh.

jag

 

[keith_v]

If AT&T wanted to stay politically neutral they should have never sponsored an event with Pearl Jam in it. Duh.

jag

True, but I guess the egg on the face is a small price to pay for all the money they stand to make.

 

[zanos]

Even if it happens one time during the song it's hard to say it's an accident but twice? Cmon AT&T. I don't see what's so wrong for them to come out and say they strongly believe in net neutrality if that is their policy.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

Nothing should be censored.

 

[The Chairman]

I hate Pearl Jam and I hate Bush. The less I hear of other them, the better.

 

[blind_fury]

Most people won't care about censorship until the government tries to remove the porn from the internet.

 

[Ghostvirus]

I think it's good they got censored. They should all get censored for blasting Bush. This way, washed up bands will have to find other ways to make headlines instead jumping on the bandwagon and trying to be controversial. A little originality, along with good music, never hurts.

I'm not against people speaking their minds, I'm just sick of these rockers all blasting Bush because the next person is doing it. I really don't believe any of these people actually even care about the politics or the world, they just want to look hip, and talking about Bush is their way of doing it.

It's like all these celebrities telling everyone to "go green", while they're still driving around in gas-guzzling SUVs.

Anyone that has followed Pearl Jam knows they have been into politics from the beginning.

 

[Kritish]

I think Bush should be executed for War Crimes.....but those modified lines were lame-O.

Someone censor the dissident!

I hate Pearl Jam and I hate Bush. The less I hear of other them, the better.

True, but I hate Bush more than Pearl Jam.

 

[Pickle-El]

Most people won't care about censorship until the government tries to remove the porn from the internet.

OMG....that happens, you just watch the havoc. It'll be Armageddon.

 

[Kritish]

OMG....that happens, you just watch the havoc. It'll be Armageddon.

Millions of men will be strapping on suicide vests and buying assault rifles.