If Want Longer Lasting Sex on a billboard is confronting to you, or you support the ASB’s call to remove the Advanced Medical Institute’s ads, ask yourself what’s wrong with being offended?

I was discussing the billboards on Aussie tech forum Overclockers today and was surprised at the number of people who supported the ASB’s decision.

Most folks thought the ads were annoying and were glad to see them given the boot, others admitted they had no objections to them but accepted others did. I don’t recall anyone admitting that the ad offended them, but the overwhelming majority appeared to support the methods used by the ASB.

That’s worrying for a country on the verge of Internet censorship and fighting for an R18+ games rating.

Even if you dislike the ads (or the penis piano ads on television, or the late night SMS ads), supporting a decision to remove any form of media because you or someone else found it ‘confronting’ or offensive sets a dangerous precedent.

If we follow that logic there’s reason to ban everything. Science books, the bible, celebrity magazines, pornography, violent films, computer games. Everybody finds something offensive.

All of these games have offended or outraged family groups and a number of concerned parents at some point. Would you support them being banned because others find them inappropriate?

All of these games have offended or outraged family groups and concerned parents at some point. Would you support them being banned because others find them inappropriate?

Some people accept it as the cost of free speech, but others believe it is their right not to be offended, as if it were a crime. They are of course judge, jury and executioner, deciding what’s a breach of their moral code. A code they believe should be followed by you and me.

We’ve all been offended at some stage in our lives, probably every week. If not, it’s likely we aren’t confronting issues we should be. Imagine if every time you were offended by something you could stop it from happening. Would you, even if it meant restricting another persons free speech?

Think of how many times you’ve offended someone or confronted them with a topic they may not have liked. Imagine if they had the right to restrict what you could say. Few of us would let that fly.

It’s hard to stick up for erectile dysfunction (pun intended), but as net censorship looms and gamers fight for their right to play uncensored video games, allowing any form of censorship to slide will only help those who see to have our rights restricted.

Terms like sexualisation and protecting children are being thrown around when we all know the real agenda is far from being in the best interests of children.

If we accept these excuses now and say one form of censorship or suppression is fine, than those excuses will continue to be used again and again, but with more weight.

– Mike