Decius wrote:

I am sorry to inform all interested parties that Red Rose Stories is a DEAD site.

The FBI has suceeded in closing me down.

I am being charged with 'OBSCENITIES' and face charges for having posted fantasy stories.

They are trying to say fantasy stories are illegal.

The men in black (FBI) took ALL of my computer equipment, and many of my diskettes,
and have access to ALL my files and site information. They came when I was NOT home and seized my belongings, I had no choice, and no recourse.

BoingBoing seems to be providing coverage of a number of cases. This one is key. My understanding is that the stories on this site were, ehm, perhaps a bit over the top. Certainly not the sort of writing one would recommend in polite company, or even, perhaps, in impolite company.

Nevertheless, they are just stories. They aren't pictures. They aren't movies. They are written stories. They are someone's thoughts. If it can be a crime to publish these stories then the only appropriate name for that sort of crime is thoughtcrime. This person's house has been raided for sharing inappropriate thoughts.

Ask your Republican friends who claim to advocate a strict constructionalist jurisprudence to explain how this is consistent with a literal reading of the first amendment.

Where are the facts here? All I've seen is the posting from the web site operating himself saying the feds shut him down..that's useless information.

Why did the feds shut him down? If that can be answered - I'd be willing to criticize them.

"charged with 'OBSCENITIES'" -- That's not a charge. I won't criticize the experts until more information is available but if they are charging this guy with something that's not illegal then the feds involved should be punished - However, I can only imagine there was a reason. Freedom of speech is only available if your speech isn't hurting someone else.

If your speech, stories, anything, can be proven to be harmful to others - your rights are revoked. You can't go into an airport and scream bomb - do you want to argue that arresting someone who does that is having their rights violated?

On the other hand, the government seems to be full of morons - so I can easily see how this is some right-wingers abusing power - but I'm going to have to give the feds the benefit of doubt until I see more info that would lead me to feel otherwise.

RE: The Bush Administration's porn war has begun