Sometimes I Just Say, "Oh, shut up."

I am a censor.

There were some comments made over on the Piker Press forums that were replied to, back and forth, until finally it was insinuated that Piker staff were Homophobes and Against Freedom, the usual whine attackers use to insult and paralyze people who try to defend Catholicism. I've heard such insinuations all my life, lo, even when I was seven years old and classmates told me that John Kennedy shouldn't be elected President because he was Catholic and therefore, the Pope would try to rule America through him. No, really. That really happened in grade school. Homophobia wasn't the popular label then, of course -- back then it was "Your Church says everyone who isn't Catholic is going to Hell!" And then, as now, no matter how many times I explained that, no, it doesn't, the response always seemed and seems to include that because the Church has Beliefs and Rules, then it must condemn people who don't have the same Beliefs and Rules. "But your Church says you have to go to Mass every Sunday! That means it's a dictatorship and is Against Freedom to do what you want!"

Anyway, no one was allowed to reply in defense of Catholicism, not even to a socially graceless post, because such replies showed clearly that Catholics are Homophobic and Against Freedom of Thought and Deed.

Alex tried moving the posted conversation to a more appropriate thread, and then not only were all Catholics Homophobes and Against Freedom of Thought and Deed, so was the Editor and she was suppressing Freedom of Speech, as well.

All right thinking people, therefore, must tally up how many gay and lesbian and bisexual friends and relatives they have, proclaim it to the world, and stomp off in a huff.

I didn't find any of the posts offensive, per se. But for once, I just didn't feel like hearing how Homophobic and Against All the Right Kinds of Freedom anyone is who doesn't jump on the band wagon and squeal about Benedict XVI's orthodoxy.

When I woke up this morning, and re-read the gasps of "oh, how can you tell me how to think" I just got tired of it, and having the power of Moderation over the Forum, I pushed the little button and became a tyrant, a murderer of words, an oppressor of freedoms, a stifler of creativity. Whoops.

This proves once again that absolute power corrupts absolutely.