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Bernard Wright

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Many seem to think freedom of speech should be a protection offered only to those with popularly-held beliefs, which I find ironic. Here is my logic. Perhaps you can tell me where it is flawed.

There is evil in the world. Most of us would rather there not be. I think that's a fair premise.

However, evil, on its face, is not objective, and what falls under "evil" cannot be relegated to any governing body, even if that body were democratically elected. Moreover, ostracizing "evil" from polite society will create resentment and an underground network where it is out of sight and out of mind, until it rears a very large head.

But, for the sake of argument, let's say banning certain modes of thought and communication from the internet is effective. I think there have been examples of popular figures whose prominence has waned after being deplatformed by Twitter, so maybe the method does work. Is this not a precedent that could (and in time, likely would) lead to unforeseen consequences that hit closer to home as cultural pendulums swing?

So, 10/10 on the bad scale gets banned today. Maybe next month we work our way down to 8/10 on the bad scale. So, in a few months, we're all content with everything on the internet being a 1 to 7. Feels good to be a 1! The powers that be really like you 1s. ...Look out 6s.

But some people reeeealy want those 7s gone, and they lobby. So the governing body that draws the line declares all 7s gone. No internet presence for you. But now concern arises among even those who are proponents of the system. It's becoming scary to see how quickly a 7 can lose their voice and be banned from the marketplace of ideas, just for going against popular opinion. But this is only a minority of people who hold this concern. Most people are fine with it. In turn, that minority gets put under the microscope, and who would have thought? They're SEVENS. Boot 'em.

In my hypothetical world, consensus is somehow reached that 7 shall remain the line. However, what is defined as a 6 or a 7 can change over time, and once someone is deemed a 7, there is no turning back because they have been ostracized. You can't come back in 7s! And the 8s, 9s, and 10s are out of sight, out of mind.

Are the 7s, 8s, 9s, and 10s, still alive? You bet they are. And that's a lot of people, and some of them are not only evil, they are intelligent and capable.

This is an oversimplification. There is much nuance and complexity in the real world, and that is the point. We cannot draw straight lines between good and evil, and who we should let participate in society. I see the only solution to keeping things from unraveling into utter chaos to be allowing some chaos and dissent to remain the in the system. Allowing any group of people, or any political faction to dominate, might actually result in short-term benefits. I'm not saying it won't work in the short term. My point is, who draws the line, and who decides what falls on either side of the line, is not something I am comfortable placing in the hands of others, even if they are elected officials. Don't be so naive as to think that the politicians are going to get it right and create utopia. And don't think you will either. The world is complex.

Road to Hell. Good intentions.
 
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The views expressed on this page by users and staff are their own, not those of NamePros.
Your train of thought is always very detailed and balanced, I sense that you are striving for a sense of justice and fairness, but I think that you are ultimately whitewashing the actions of your employer.
You forgot the 3rd component:
(3) disseminating video footage of a massacre while dismissing it as a possible hoax to promote his IPFS service

This is hard to forgive.
In this very thread, on this very page, promotion continues, it's already business as usual and contrition is in short supply. This is insensitive and out of touch.

As an executive of the company you are not only morally but also legally liable for what the company does. Even if you disagree with some decisions you still own them.

After this long discussion I fear that nothing will change. Maybe the boss/founder/owner will tone down for a while, but Epik will continue doing business as usual, that is to hurt people and help people hurt other people. Who you decide to court as clients tells a lot about your affinities and priorities.

I am convinced that Rob is not a Monster, but a decent, caring human being - but this is a moot point. What truly matters is what he does, not what he thinks.
While the unfavorable coverage of Epik may look Slanted at the moment, it is important to keep in mind that the company is not being singled out for an isolated incident but a pattern of conduct.

Finally, domainers are not the victims. So, Epik should reach out to the real victims. To this day, Epik has not done so. This would be the right think to do.
But if the company does not realign itself, it's no use coming up with more excuses. Talk is cheap.

Disclaimer: I have zero domains at Epik.

PS: I was going to try to end on a conciliatory note but some people here are desensitized and disgusting.
Maybe I should take a break from domaining.


the link at gab to the anonymized file of the message of a mass murderer
is still alive and existing at gab
24th march 2019 while I type this

upload_2019-3-24_9-55-23.png
 
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When I first saw that video on the same day it happened, it looked like those violent video games type of video. ...
But now that it's been banned all over, we'll never be able to analyze it, like we can the 9/11 videos ...

1) the difference is that the 911 videos mostly were not taken by the attacking terrorists themselves
and therefore it's not a promotion video in favor of terror attacks

2) when you will find the dead victims in New Zealand, you may not need to verify, that the video is no hoax
and republishing it is promoting a mass murderers message/ his ideas
- I am not sure that this will help to ensure peace on earth -
 
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The Bible-Thumping Tech CEO Who’s Proud Of Keeping Neo-Nazis Online

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5c17bb29e4b05d7e5d846f72

Because the writer seems to put her own (negative suggestive) slant on the meaning of 'The Swiss Bank of Domains' to help support her reasoning, and I/we were given a different understanding of it in the past...

On the sub-title 'The Swiss Bank Of Domains’ and the comment made under it - "Monster founded Epik in 2009 and described it as “the Swiss Bank of Domains,” a neutral company that would take money from anybody — even Nazis.":

According to what Rob said in the past, my understanding was The Swiss Bank of Domains is a reference to things like how secure domains, their sale, owner privacy could be considered when registered with Epik.

He also said 'The Swiss Bank of Domains' wasn't something Epik came up with, but something a customer had once mentioned, and Epik used it as a positioning statement. Whether Epik has changed what 'The Swiss Bank of Domains' claims to be since these posts of Rob's, and someone can point it out...

https://www.namepros.com/threads/epik-announces-escrow-service.895046/page-2#post-5136864

https://www.namepros.com/threads/epik-announces-escrow-service.895046/page-3#post-5834019

https://www.namepros.com/threads/attempted-domain-hijacking-at-name-com.995505/#post-5941126
 
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I hear you @GILSAN. However there are key differences:

9/11 footage is not from the perspective of the terrorists. You don't hear them speaking. You don't see what they want you to see. It is official news footage.
Exactly, this is a key difference. You have to report the news, but not from the POV of the terrorists and not using their own materials. And you don't use a tragedy to pitch a commercial service.

Imagine if Bayer or Hansamed ran a commercial with people jumping out the WTC towers to advertise their latest first aid kit.This is what Epik did.

Some people are fucking out of touch with decency. No idea of what is right and what is wrong.

And I have to say I was not expecting that immature cheap jab from the .xyz registry. Not even from them.
It's not in 2019 that outsiders will take the domain industry seriously.

Thank you for the apology!
There was no apology. Epik even blames the SPLC and continues to use every thread as a promotion channel. They regret the backlash but not the offense. If they are truly sorry then they should reach out to the real victims, not domainers.

From now on my stance will depend a lot on how they react and amend themselves. If they carry on with this attitude and way of doing business the Epik brand is going to suffer.
 
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@Rob Monster Would love to get your thoughts on this:

Rob, you claim that you are a Bible-believing Christian. So you know that the second greatest commandment is to "love your neighbor as yourself", as stated by Jesus Christ, who as we know was both a Jew and the founder of Christianity.

The Jewish scholar who asked Jesus that question about the greatest commandment followed up with "Who really is my neighbor?"

Jesus' answered with one of his most famous parables. The one about the Good Samaritan. I don't think I have to go into details because we all know it. The Samaritan who found a Jew half dead, by the robbers, and then helped him to full recovery. All the while a priest and a Levite saw him but then wondered by and ignored this poor man.

In Jesus' day, Samaritans were hated by the Jews because although they descended from a Hebrew blood-line they became mixed with other nations. Yet he said they are to be loved as one loves himself. Today there is no Samaritan nation. So if Jesus gave this parable of the Good Samaritan today, what nation in existence would he use instead? It would more than likely be a Good Palestinian. A muslim.

So how would you answer "who really is my neighbor"?

Now why would you go and rub salt into the wound of our beloved neighbors whose tears from the loss of their loved ones have yet to dry off?

Why would you suggest that the death of 50 unarmed men, women, and children is a hoax? While real families and friends are still mourning their deaths?

Whether you actually answer these questions, or continue to remain silent, the answer will be loud and clear.

The Good Samaritan is a very good parable. I know it well and it has since become a common metaphor widely used in secular parlance. There is actually lot of subtlety in it (e.g. leaving 2 day's wages) but I will spare you expository as I suspect you are wanting to hold me to some standard. Fine.

I often say: "Love everyone. Judge nobody." Those who know me will attest this to be the case. They would probably also acknowledge that I practice what I preach, and that I do so without bias. I also am known to visit with and support panhandlers even though many say not to do so. Whatever.

As for tragic loss of life, I cherish all lives, of course cold-blooded murder included. As for making a statement about what exactly happened in NZ on March 14, I wasn't there so I don't know. The guy who is accused of doing it is still awaiting arraignment. Yes, people died. The courts now need to convict.

In the meantime, vigilant citizens who take initiative to memorialize the circumstances of an alleged crime should not be a considered as engaging in a criminal act, nor should policy makers be celebrated for making major changes to constitutional liberty when there is not even a conviction.

Just consider that for the last 2 years, many in the US were dogmatic that Trump colluded with Russia. Now we have an official report that says it never happened. Sure, Trump is no saint but due process was done. Similarly, a nation being told to surrender personal liberty should be entitled to due process.

In short, I think we can have free speech and still have empathy. I think we can have transparency without diluting personal responsibility. I think we can have vigilance as a human collective and can courageously prevent harm to others.
 
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As for making a statement about what exactly happened in NZ on March 14, I wasn't there so I don't know.

This guy is really just something else.

It’s one thing to post like a lawyer with an “innocent until proven guilty” general disclaimer, another to have done what he did with his Twitter post and then follow up with something like this.

He’s apparently not sorry about anything. He’s more like - flummoxed at why he offended anyone.
 
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Culture too has degraded, people have been desensitized by Hollywood to violence. The envelope has continually been pushed year after year further into the gutter by media companies and graphic horror movies, all the garbage TV shows on crime and gratuitous violence. Marginal kids now with irresponsible parents babysit them with violent realistic video games. “Scholars” of course don’t agree in some cases. All it takes is one nut case. Should it all be censored? Sure, maybe by smart parenting.

It’s probably a lie and ridiculous after all these tragedies going back to Columbine when Parents or friends deny knowing, or authorities were warned ( Parkland shooter multiple times) give all these excuses about not knowing anything. Vigilance of anti social behavior is a family, peer and societal responsibility.

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/25/health/video-games-and-violence/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...ysical-aggression-confirmed-study/1486188002/

And you don't use a tragedy to pitch a commercial service.

Thats what XYX registry did. Where is your post “dislike”?

https://www.namepros.com/threads/wh...k-and-rob-monster.1128748/page-9#post-7160486
 
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The Bible-Thumping Tech CEO Who’s Proud Of Keeping Neo-Nazis Online

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5c17bb29e4b05d7e5d846f72

@Rob Monster You should be very saddened by articles like this unless you truly are comfortable aligning yourself with these organizations and are willing to say goodbye to those who can't stomach it. I sincerely hope that you will find your way out of the mess you have on your hands. Otherwise, I fear you are on a track to lose respect personally and professionally, lose momentum, and possibly lose your role at Epik.

Your approach to standing up for free speech is flawed. You have aligned yourself and company with the wrong groups.

It is not too late to come to your senses. Tell these companies that you were wrong and that they will have to find somewhere else. Business can be tough. You can be tough. You will be forgiven for making this huge error in judgment.

IMO
 
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As for my role at Epik, I plan to continue as CEO as we work to grow Epik.com, Anonymize.com, and BitMitigate.com. We will equally serve any lawfully-engaged content producer, without bias or preference.

I think you might be interested to know that in another thread on here people have posed numerous questions to, and about, you and your company Epik. No doubt you will want to answer them there:

https://www.namepros.com/threads/whats-going-on-with-epik-and-rob-monster.1128748/
 
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I think you might be interested to know
Have you ever seen the classic Star Trek episode “City on the Edge of Forever?”

As Spock said to Dr. McCoy,

“He knows doctor. He knows.”
 
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We will equally serve any lawfully-engaged content producer, without bias or preference.

Rob, this thread was started to have a valuable discussion about the principles of free speech. We will probably all agree that freedom of speech is important, and that it has some limits. We won't all agree about what the limits of free speech are, or who should set them, or how they should be enforced, by whom, and who supervises the enforcers. Or whether one should obey the law. Not a new question, it's always been quis custodet custodes?

For some what is acceptable to them, possibly personally rather than in law, is determined by their moral values. So since you want to discuss freedom of speech and values, I would really like to hear you explain how you reconcile Christ's teachings - that one should love one's fellow man - with facilitating the broadcast of messages that are intended to make us hate our fellow man.

 
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There is waning discussion or debate here about free speech.
This is getting off topic.

The Huffington Post is birdcage lining material, like Buzz Feed. The SPLC is biased and under investigation. Using these sources is like TMZ, its gossip entertainment news sensationalized, click bait.
 
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The Bible-Thumping Tech CEO Who’s Proud Of Keeping Neo-Nazis Online

LOL... I wouldn't waste a minute of my time reading that super biased, garbage filled, POS, Fake News HuffPost...
 
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Nowadays anyone using the term "fake news" deserves contumely. Use it, and expect people to no longer take you seriously (if they ever did take you seriously to begin with).
 
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nor should policy makers be celebrated for making major changes to constitutional liberty when there is not even a conviction.

Thats how the US Citizens got slammed with the huge privacy invasion and overreach of the “Patriot Act”. Policy makers took advantage of combined fear in order to justify a worldwide private spying system and data collection system. Officials in Govt denied and lied to the public when questioned by congress about it too. A trillion dollar war was started over bad information. A $40 million dollar investigation into Trump was started by political opponents lies too. Major policy decisions are made all the time based on dubious information. What happened to Walter Cronkite news without opinion years ago?

Much of media has been degraded to garbage now, where stories are judged based on a headline and written for the short attention spans of the modern era. Many Journalists = Bloggers.
 
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You're crazy if you think Grump isn't guilty of multiple criminal offenses, starting from how his father transferred his wealth to him circumventing estate tax laws. You just sound ignorant when you post things like <<A $40 million dollar investigation into Trump was started by political opponents lies too>> implying that there is nothing to any investigation of him or his family.

The man is crafty, he uses his pen wisely, doesn't email, and leaves little paper trail, is the only reason he's not already behind bars. His fabrication of assets to Deutsche Bank alone might land the average businessman in very hot water.
 
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Culture too has degraded, people have been desensitized by Hollywood to violence. The envelope has continually been pushed year after year further into the gutter by media companies and graphic horror movies, all the garbage TV shows on crime and gratuitous violence. Marginal kids now with irresponsible parents babysit them with violent realistic video games. “Scholars” of course don’t agree in some cases. All it takes is one nut case. Should it all be censored? Sure, maybe by smart parenting.

It’s probably a lie and ridiculous after all these tragedies going back to Columbine when Parents or friends deny knowing, or authorities were warned ( Parkland shooter multiple times) give all these excuses about not knowing anything. Vigilance of anti social behavior is a family, peer and societal responsibility.

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/25/health/video-games-and-violence/index.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech...ysical-aggression-confirmed-study/1486188002/
Exactly right... When Youtube, Hollywood and TV remove all the violent graphic violence from their platforms, then I will be fine to see the NZ video and his manifesto banned forever. Until then, leftist hypocrisy reigns supreme!

BTW, I don't seem to recall in all these anti Rob Monster posts in the various threads, anyone condemning Facebook for allowing this to happen. In fact Facebook has previously allowed live streaming of beatings, bullyings, rapes and suicides to name a few...

Even the Paris terrorist attack that killed 3 times as many people as in NZ, didn't get 1/1000th the amount of condemnation here at Namepros as Rob is getting. I wonder why...

So y'all.... Nothing bad to say about Facebook or is it so much easier to keep on bashing Rob?
LOL... well caught, but she's already Disliked my first post on this thread for having the audacity to post a different view to hers and the rest of the lefties!
 
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His fabrication of assets to Deutsche Bank alone might land the average businessman in very hot water.

Do you have proof? This sounds like CNN and the hate Trump Free Speech, you are entitled to that. You can call me “Crazy” too, its free speech! :xf.smile:
What does that have to do with a Russian Collusion investigation? Same with 34 people charged?
 
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Are you from Missouri?

A Mar-a-Lago Weekend and an Act of God: Trump’s History With Deutsche Bank

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/18/business/trump-deutsche-bank.html

DONALD TRUMP MAY HAVE COMMITTED BANK FRAUD AND CONGRESS WILL INVESTIGATE, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN SAYS

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-deutsche-bank-fraud-investigation-1370805


Maybe you've never obtained a large commercial real estate development loan, I have, my family has, I know exactly what goes into it. It's pretty black and white when the borrower claims something like 3X more assets one year, while at the same time claiming much lower assets to the federal or state government in order to get subsidies or pay lower taxes, and then the very next year claims an entirely different value for assets. You have to understand what it takes to get loans, or tax breaks in order to understand Grump's fraud here.

It'll all come out eventually. As far as Deutsche Bank it just comes down to inflating assets in order to get a bank loan, that's a simple bank fraud offense.

I'm sure that if Grump realized so many of his hacks and cronies would get indicted and convicted (which, incidentally is proof that the investigation was a valid one), and his business and "charity" dealings would be put under such scrutiny, he would never have run for President.
 
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So you have bias against People from Missouri?
They don’t have free speech rights?

You should move this to the political thread which is where it should be, you will be in good company as we all argue all the time, and this is off topic on Free speech rights. Being a forum moderator yourself you know this.
 
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You're crazy if you think Grump isn't guilty of multiple criminal offenses, starting from how his father transferred his wealth to him circumventing estate tax laws. You just sound ignorant when you post things like <<A $40 million dollar investigation into Trump was started by political opponents lies too>> implying that there is nothing to any investigation of him or his family.

The man is crafty, he uses his pen wisely, doesn't email, and leaves little paper trail, is the only reason he's not already behind bars. His fabrication of assets to Deutsche Bank alone might land the average businessman in very hot water.

I suspect you are right -- hands far from clean. The problem is that there is no authority because there is erosion of confidence in the governing institutions.

In a time of universal deceit — telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
- Penned by "George Orwell"

So at least we can agree that free speech allows us to ask questions and answer questions. I will settle for that if you will.
 
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To quote your NYT “News” article. Their reporter isn’t reporting the news when using this opinion. Can you find “Opinion” at the news headline? Or Editorial?


a real estate mogul made toxic by polarizing rhetoric“
 
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This is just a gross generalization, grouping all American Muslims together like that.
As if the entire group supports that.

Let's not act like there isn't violence being carried out in the name of all religions, including Christianity, and by all ethnic groups. I am not going to group all religions or groups together because of a handful of extremists.

Here is an actual hate crime -

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/thre...n-plotting-bomb-somali-immigrants-garden-city

Brad
 
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