Beirut Spring

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Good Censorship, Bad Censorship ?

March 29, 2008 · Mustapha Hamoui

Are all forms of censorship wrong? Are there some that are more permissible than others?

NowLebanon points out the difference between censoring the DaVinci Code and censoring Persepolis:

Censorship is always a divisive issue, a tool that is often the hallmark of repression and authoritarianism — we saw it with Lebanon’s equally bigoted banning of the Di Vinci Code in 2006, over the film’s controversial treatment of Christianity — but this instance was all the more sinister in that it was carried out to protect the delicate sensibilities of a foreign, rather than Lebanese entity. And not just any foreign entity: one that is actively working to impose itself on Lebanon, through massive spending, military training and political interference in Lebanon’s Hezbollah-led opposition.

But before you get all carried away and righteous about all censorships being wrong on principle, I offer you a challenge: Fitna

Should it be censored or not?