ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

You Can't Say That!

It’s great to have freedom of speech
But just be careful what you say;
The guardians of freedom teach
That should you slip then you will pay.

Don’t question motives of the weak
Who feather nests with other’s gold;
Of pale imposters never speak,
Just swallow propaganda told.

Make sure your verse is all correct;
Politically don’t stir the pot,
And don’t accuse some shrouded sect
Of hatching an explosive plot.

Say what you like as long as it
Agrees with all the talking heads;
You’ll find yourself deep in the grit
Unless you parrot what the reds

Are telling you to think and say.
Don’t question this I do beseech;
Just watch your mouth all night and day;
It’s great to have freedom of speech.

© Dennis N. O'Brien, 2012

Touche

I'd argue that there's freedom of speech and there's "appropriate" speech. There are conversations I would not have and words I would not use in front of children or older people. There are things I would never had said in front of my grandmother who was from a different time and that was simply out of respect for her.

Heather

Good On You Dennis like the poem and the idea behind it. Heather I don't think Dennis is talking about the form of inappropriate speech you refer to. There are many many subjects which now one does not mention or attempt to discuss because of political correctness. In fact I find it ironic that the very people who bridle at the thought of "censorship" are in the main those who react most vehemently to the discussion of a large number of important subjects. Dennis is totally correct in his viewpoint that we have freedom of speech only if we don't disagree with the status quo.

Vic, I may be wrong but I thought Dennis' poem was in reference to another thread.

The point is that we want this site to be suitable for children to use.

Ah....more than a little confused here.
I post a poem in users forum and it gets locked away
in here - thought it was in the dustbin for a minute.
Also not sure whether my poem is offensive to some or whether
it was just caught up in the response to the other thread (I didn't
write it in response to that thread by the way. It's been sitting around for a while) but since
it's been put in jail I will assume for now that there is something unacceptable about it.
Please feel free moderators to correct me if I am wrong.
I do get the impression that Marty and Heather aren't too keen on this "sort"
of poem. Anyway it does interest me.

So if some of you found this poem offensive? Which bits (or words)?
Is it because you disagree with what you interpret as its message or do you think
there are thoughts expressed which are unacceptable?
Do you think this sort of poem is unsuitable for children to read bearing in mind what
is available to the children on the internet etc. in open forums and sites?
Do you think that this forum should censor (or delete) any poems or comments that cover subjects
such as social comment and political satire or poems that are by "today's standards"
"politically incorrect" even where these poems are not obscene or defamatory.
And to the moderators: Are all poems judged to be of this nature going to be removed from the open
forums and locked in these areas only accessible to members?

Interested in your views and answers.

I don't find your poem offensive or unsuitable for children Dennis.

Heather

I'm confused. All this talk of being offended . . but I don't think anyone has taken offence unless I missed something (bugger! always miss the good bits ).

i sorta followed some ofthe thread then some posts went awire and others moved.


No offence my end , unless you pull my finger !!!



Bob

What on earth is going on here? I can't make head nor tail of this thread and Merv's thread either. Seems to be all mixed up and nothing I can see here is offensive. Just harmless opinion. Unless I'm missing something, or something has gone missing in the move of comments. Dunno