Disagreement=Hate

Here's a familiar situation: If you can't refute someone's views with logic, call them a bigot! Look at this:

Google bans Christian ad

Yeah, it's from WND, so you should probably take it with a grain of salt, but if you read on, I'll explain why I believe this one.

Google has banned a Christian organization's advertisements promoting its stance against homosexuality, saying the group promotes "hate."

As we all know, "hate" means "views we don't agree with."

Stand to Reason, a nonprofit apologetics organization, says its "AdWord" advertisement on Google recently was pulled down. Specific AdWord ads are listed in the right-hand margin of search results on the popular site when key words an advertiser submits match with those put in by a Net user. A company promoting hats, for example, could have their site displayed when a user searches for information about hats.

Okay, here's where it gets interesting. Stand to Reason is one of my favorite non-blog websites. As I've mentioned before, I basically learned how to think from reading various commentaries and listening to the radio show, since the Publik Skool Sistem never bothered to cover critical thinking. I've spent hours and hours taking in this information. Therefore, I happen to know that there is no "hate" on the site. It's quite the opposite.

(Incidentally, it's not news to any of you newer people that I'm a Christian, is it? I don't think I've mentioned that in a while. Anyway...)

Melinda Penner, director of operations for Stand to Reason, says the organization placed four ads on Google. Three of the ads remain on the system, but one leading Net surfers to a Q&A about same-sex marriage was taken down after running for two or three weeks.

"Google's objections had to do with other articles on our website pertaining to homosexuality," Penner told WND. "They claimed that their specialist had deemed us a hate site and that their policies didn't allow people to have ads that discriminated against certain groups, which include sexual orientation."

I guess that means there's nothing wrong with discriminating against Christians. After all, they're just a bunch of hateful bigots.

Penner said she asked Google what specifically it thought was "hate speech."

Since there was no "hate" or "speech" involved, I'm wondering about this one myself.

"The things they cited were all moral judgments from our religious perspective about homosexuality, that it's wrong," she explained.

"GASP! You can't make moral judgments! That might hurt someone's precious feeeeeeelings! What? Yes, I know that I made a moral judgment against your site, but that's different because it has hate on it!"

"The irony is that in one of the articles they cited, we have an admonition that one of our moral perspective is that we treat homosexuals respectfully and kindly."

YES! Thank you for stating what would be obvious to anyone who actually read the freakin' site! I bet I can even find one of the articles they're talking about. Give me a second here...does this count?

Moving on...

The Stand to Reason website has a special page with articles on homosexuality issues.

Penner says she has asked Google for its definition of "hate," saying Stand to Reason's positions are not hateful based on dictionary definitions.

When it comes to "discrimination," she says, it is actually Google that is discriminating by disallowing Stand to Reason's ads.

I think Penner has this one covered. By their definition, I can call Google a hate site because they're discriminating against Christians. It's so ironic that it just makes you want to vomit.

An e-mail Penner received from "Kristie" at Google used the "H" word, saying, "Google AdWords policy never permits ads or keywords promoting hate, violence, or crimes toward any organization, person or group protected by law," including those distinguished by their "sexual orientation/gender identity."

Since STR has articles that clearly condemn people who act violently or hatefully toward homosexuals, you should be supporting them. Do you not get it? THEY HAVE THE SAME POLICY AS YOU. They just happen to have a different moral perspective on it. Are you saying that it's okay to promote hate, violence or crimes toward people who aren't protected?

Penner countered via e-mail: "Your suspension of our advertisement illegitimately excludes one side of the [same-sex marriage] debate. If you deem the issue itself off limits, then consistency would require you to suspend all searches of the issue. Instead, your search criteria return links to sites strongly advocating same-sex marriage. …"

"You still don't understand! They're just supporting 'equal rights,' while you're promoting hate by having a different opinion!"

Kristie responded by reiterating the company's verdict that the Stand to Reason website includes "unacceptable content." In the same e-mail, she said, "Google believes strongly in freedom of expression. We therefore offer broad access to content across the Web without censoring results. Please note that the decisions we make concerning advertising in no way affect the search results we deliver."

Did you hear that? Google believes strongly in freedom of expression! Also, two and two make five, freedom is slavery, and we have always been at war with Eastasia.

Penner noted that Google, which is in the midst of an IPO, or Initial Public Offering of stock, takes pride in its company motto: "Don't be evil."

What? How dare they promote hate, violence, and crimes toward evil people!

"If that's your company motto then there must be some things that you don't want to do," she told WND, "and if your definition of 'hate' is calling something 'evil,' then aren't you a hate group?"

See why I love Stand to Reason? The above is an example of the "Columbo Tactic."

Anyway, there's more of the article, but that's the good stuff. Let's review:

Believing that homosexuality is immoral=hate

Believing that believing homosexuality is immoral is wrong=not hate

Believing that homosexuality is immoral, but also believing that violence against homosexuals is immoral=hate

Believing that homosexuality isn't immoral, and also believing that violence against homosexuals is immoral=not hate

Calling something evil=hate

Telling people not to be evil=not hate

...

...

Get me out of here. I don't care where you take me. Just...someplace where people can actually think for themselves.

(Hat tip: The Great Separation)

Posted by CD on August 17, 2004 06:11 PM
Category: