EditCrime: What's Treason to You is Punctuation to Me
Free speech is a human right regarded as a fundamental part of a "free" society. And yet the US "government" proposes to inspire its "enemies" to promote human rights by enforcing the denial of the same rights at home.
According to the New York Times, the US Treasury "has warned publishers they may face grave legal consequences for editing manuscripts from Iran and other disfavored nations, on the ground that such tinkering amounts to trading with the enemy." That's right: a comma is as deadly a weapon as anthrax: "The Arabian Nights" is a WMD.
"Anyone who publishes material from a country under a trade embargo is forbidden to reorder paragraphs or sentences, correct syntax or grammar, or replace "inappropriate words" - as well as being forbidden to add illustrations. Publication of "camera-ready copies of manuscripts" only is allowed.
The implications have staggered editors and publishers: "A story, a poem, an article on history, archaeology, linguistics, engineering, physics, mathematics, or any other area of knowledge cannot be translated, and even if submitted in English, cannot be edited in the U.S." - leading to the denial of publication for material from such countries, regardless of content.
"Criminal editing" is a phrase you expect to hear in relation to China, Soviet Russia, and others; though one may now add the USA to the pantheon of dictatorial regimes using fear to dissuade free speech. Yet ironically, an article that does not require editing or translation may be freely published! Its those subversive typos one has to watch for.....
There is an interesting related email discussion at http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/wikien-l/2004-February/011219.html.
Item posted by AutoEditor at 11:13 am ::
