censorship – Ptara

Baltimore Democrats attack Republican Newspaper, kill 2

Posted on September 27, 2012 by Chinny McGringo

Tombston of James mcCubbin Lingan an officer of the Maryland line in the war of the American Revolution, a captive on the prison ship "Jersey", "An original member of the society of the Cincinnati", Born May 15, 1751, Died July 28 1812, and his beloved wife Janet HENDERSON born September 2 1765, died July 5 1832 — Lingan’s tombstone. Photo courtesy of Monumental Thoughts

Baltimore: July 27 1812. The war of 1812 is a done deal. Most of the surrounding “Democrats” support war with Britain, over stained honor from an attack of the USS Chesapeake. They want to fight because Britain is supporting guerrilla warfare. But, one old Revolutionary war veteran, doesn’t agree with the mob. General James MacCubban Lingan wishes for peace. And he defends the home of the publisher of a pro-peace newspaper, the home of the editor of the Federalist Republican.

To the Federalist Republican, war with Britain is merely helping Napoleon. The United States has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

The mob of “Democrats” didn’t see things that way. Continue reading “Baltimore Democrats attack Republican Newspaper, kill 2”

How can social networks stop the scams? (and the abusive posts)

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

If you’re a member of LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen it. Someone offering you a great job or freelance offer that seemed to fit just what you wanted.

Perhaps you’ve even fallen for one or two scams, but don’t want to admit it. Although there were pyramid schemes and other frauds in the days before the World Wide Web was really world wide, we vaguely remember that “they”, the scam artists, used to wear shady trench coats and hang out in dark alleys.

Today, however, “they” wear trendy clothes and hang out in mainstream networking groups. Continue reading “How can social networks stop the scams? (and the abusive posts)”

Is Alexander Aan “Daniel Isaac Eaton” all over again?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

An Indonesian man is facing prison for publishing a Facebook he doesn’t believe in God. He has been threatened with prison, but he has also found a large degree of support.

If you’ve been reading this blog, you probably know that 200 years ago, A British man named Daniel Isaac Eaton was sentenced to prison and the pillory for publishing a “Deist” track by Thomas Paine.

Daniel Isaac Eaton, portrait from trial — Daniel Isaac Eaton

Continue reading “Is Alexander Aan “Daniel Isaac Eaton” all over again?”

The old man and the pillory

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

As Daniel Isaac Eaton was dragged to the pillory, he knew it would be useless to resist. Eaton saw a crowd gather, some estimates say as many 50,000 onlookers gathered round. There were too many people to determine what kinds of things they’d brought to throw at him.

Eaton knew London well, and he knew what happened to those who were stuck in the pillory. One hour would be a long spell, seemingly much longer than six months in prison. Sweat began to drip from his bald head. Strangers continued to pass by and gather round. Continue reading “The old man and the pillory”

The sentence for the pamphlet

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

Daniel Isaac Eaton waited in Newgate prison to find out what his fate would be.

Before Eaton could be convicted, a Mr. Prince Smith filed an affidavit in Eaton’s defense.

In addition to other words of common sense, Mr. Prince Smith told the court that “It was quite impossible to maintain the fear of God by force; and religion ceased to be the fear of God when it became the fear of man.” Continue reading “The sentence for the pamphlet”

Daniel Isaac Eaton’s self defense

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

Just as the prosecution’s case was brilliant if simple, so Daniel Isaac Eaton’s defense was as inept as it was informative.

First of all, Eaton was late for his trial. Continue reading “Daniel Isaac Eaton’s self defense”

Social Networking, Book Burning, and the rooster who lost his head

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

Daniel Isaac Eaton had been in trouble with the law before. (That is, before the blasphemy case.)

Cockerel and hen from woodcut — A 19th century cockerel or Chanticleer based on an image from John George Wood’s “The illustrated natural history”

Once upon a time, in a little kingdom in far away Europe, there lived a cockerel by the name of Chanticleer, King Chanticleer. This rooster was a descendent of the Chanticleer in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Nun’s Priest’s Tale, and a distant uncle of the King Chanticleer which featured in 1911 song by Nat D. Ayer.

Only this Chanticleer was a gamecock which sprung from the imagination of John Thelwall in 1793. Continue reading “Social Networking, Book Burning, and the rooster who lost his head”

Daniel Isaac Eaton, Thomas Paine’s publisher, accused of blasphemy

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Vasco de Sousa

The prosecution mounted a brilliant case against Thomas Paine’s publisher. The first witness the attorney General called was Henry Ben Raven, who, as stated earlier, had purchased a copy of Thomas Paine’s book from Daniel Isaac Eaton’s shop. Continue reading “Daniel Isaac Eaton, Thomas Paine’s publisher, accused of blasphemy”

The Ghost of Thomas Paine haunts the Church of England