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"So if we've done that, we can't just pick parts of our history that we want to recognise and bury the others. If in World War II we fought against genocide, yet we don't recognise the genocide in our own country, that's a double standard.

"I was basically censored in the fact that the ABC said [performing April 25th] was not appropriate."

Q+A host Hamish Macdonald pointed to the program's decision to have Ramo on the show as evidence of its commitment to an open debate, which an ABC spokeswoman echoed on Tuesday.

"The ABC asked Ziggy Ramo to perform an alternative song to close Q+A on Monday night and instead invited him to present his points of view on all topics, including the sentiment and lyrics of the song April 25th and the reasons he wrote it, during the discussion," the spokeswoman said.

Fellow panellist, former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who said he was shocked to be defending the ABC, agreed with the broadcaster's decision not to allow Ramo to perform the song.

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Mr Joyce said the song was insulting to Indigenous Anzacs.

"You have to be careful what you say," he said.

Mr Joyce, long an unpredictable politician, also found himself in agreement with unexpected allies on the question of media diversity on a day when Media Diversity Australia, a pressure group, released a report showing non-Anglo-Celtic journalists were under-represented on Australian TV.

Antoinette Lattouf, the organisation's director, said a more diverse workforce would help the media represent a broader range of political views, pointing to electorates in Western Sydney, home to ethnic communities that recorded high "no" votes on the same-sex marriage postal survey. Mr Joyce and Lattouf also agreed on the problems of ill-informed and aggressive social media posts.

"I've been a reporter on the road for several years, never have I copped so much abuse from randoms just for being in the media," Lattouf said.

She said she had heard calls of "fake news" and "defund the media" when she was not even reporting.

Mr Joyce said: "We have to try and give kids a course that Twitter is the ambit scratchings on the back of a lavatory wall."

In the end Ramo closed the show with a performance of his song Stand for Something, which also deals with racial inequality. His emotional rendition passed without incident, aside from the panel's applause.

Nick Bonyhady is industrial relations reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based between Sydney and Parliament House in Canberra.

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Indigenous rapper accuses the ABC of censorship - Sydney Morning Herald

A much hyped-up propaganda has been launched with the intention of portraying Facebook as pro-BJP. While the allegations appear hilarious on the face of it, liberals appear to have lost all sense of reality and proportion and embarked upon an Uninstall Facebook drive. The latest spell of delusion began after propagandists at the Wall Street Journal published a report alleging, without any real evidence, that Facebook was unfairly favouring the BJP.

The allegations are particularly ridiculous because Facebook, like almost all other social media platforms, is known to silence right-wing or conservative voices on social media. The Community Standards section on Hate Speech offers sufficient indication of the Left-wing bias built into the platform.

Facebook clubs gender identity, a term engraved deeply in left-wing political ideology, with very real concepts such as race, ethnicity, religious identity and other such identities. Thus, if a user is vocal against the concept that a man can be a woman if he merely claims to be one, then the user can be accused of having trafficked in Hate Speech and his account could be suspended. We are expected to believe that such an organisation has suddenly discovered fondness for a Hindutvavadi party.

There is also other very real evidence that the Facebook is not favourably disposed towards the BJP. It is known that prior to the General Elections in 2019, the tech giant engaged in a campaign against popular pages supportive of the BJP and suspended them from Facebook without any clear reason at all.

For instance, in April 2019, Facebook had announced that it had taken down 687 pages linked to the Indian National Congress for suspicious activity. When we remove one of these networks, the reason we remove them is because of their coordinated inauthentic behaviour, that they are using network of fake accounts to conceal their identity.to mislead whos behind them. Thats the basic reason for removal, Head of its Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher told the media.

What escaped notice was the fact that numerous pages supportive of the BJP were also taken down, without any good reason, and the popularity of almost every single one of these pages far exceeded that of the cumulative reach of the Congress pages put together. One of the pages that suffered the axe was The Chaupal page which currently has close to 10.8 million likes on Facebook.

The monetisation of the page was suddenly rescinded on the 22nd of March, as per the admins of The Chaupal and they were told that it will be restored in 90 days. However, it was not restored even after 120 days had passed. Now, The Chaupal has a verified blue tick on Facebook. It was suspected even then by the page that they suspect they were targeted because of their right-wing political inclinations.

On the 1st of April, 2019, Facebook pages with a cumulative likes of around 150 million were removed. We page owners have no say after our pages are penalised. We are subjected to automated mails with no positive outcome, they complained. They also complained that they could not add new administrators and editors to their pages.

Speaking to OpIndia, Vikas Pandey, social media influencer and administrator of various popular Facebook pages said that although numerous Congress pages were deleted and their umber was greater in absolute numbers, the cumulative likes on them was far lesser than the BJP pages that were removed. We were told that the reason that was provided was that a Facebook administrator or editor on the page had a fake profile, he said.

Facebook claimed that some pages were removed because one of the IDs of the admins was fake. Many people use more than one accounts and it is very normal to protect ones identity. Such accounts were deleted arbitrarily. All this happened right before elections in April 2019. he said.

We were told that it is a very common practice for admins of pages to create alternative profiles for their Facebook pages. Sometimes, these profiles have names that are similar to the name of the page itself or have the same names as other administrator accounts. BJP-supporting Facebook pages were removed on the basis of such silly reason.

A popular Facebook page, The Frustrated Indian, suffered similar action after they shared from a syndicated news feed. Independent fact-checker Boom Live marked one of their articles as fake. Interestingly, it was a post that was from news agency IANS. When the administrator tried to reach out to Facebook to resolve the issue, he could not get through to him.

Similarly, another Facebook page Nation Wants NaMo was deleted abruptly just ahead of elections. The page admin, speaking to OpIndia said that there was no strike, a warning, before Facebook deleted their page. It was targeted to be deleted, the former page admin said.

Another such Facebook account which is regularly targeted is Political Kida. Ankur Singh, admin of Political Kida, while speaking to OpIndia said how Facebook policies are still unclear and used arbitrarily to silence their pages. They say that their memes and jokes are fact-checked and reported to be fake, videos that target the Congress party are removed before they go viral. The pages are selectively removed without any intimation and information and when an appeal is made, they are met with an automated response without any further response, he said.

Numerous such Facebook pages with great reach such as Doval Fan Club, I Support Ajit Doval, I Support Zee News with likes of 4.1 million, 1.8 million, 2.2 million respectively were censored by Facebook as well. There are a lot of other Facebook pages supportive of the BJP that suffered the same fate.

Under such circumstances, it is utterly preposterous to claim that the social media platform is somehow unfairly favouring the BJP. If anything, it is deliberately engaging in malpractice against the party and engaging in electoral malpractice. The current liberal rage against Facebook appears to be motivated by Facebook not bending to their will as absolutely as they so desire. Facebook, for its part, has rubbished such allegations.

Original post:
Social media activists share stories on how their pro-BJP content was censored by Facebook even as some accuse Facebook of being pro-BJP - OpIndia

By SCOTT STROUD Associated PressKolby Cooper, Vol. 2 (Combustion Music)Kolby Cooper could add a fresh voice to country radio if he could only get past the censors.The 21-year-old fire breather from the piney woods of East Texas offers relief from the parade of inauthentic junk laden with John Deere tractor references thats still way too pervasive these days.

Hes edgy, thats for sure.On Vol. 2, a new five-song EP, Cooper doesnt take long to start the beat-down. One of the songs, 2 Words, begins with a 15-second banjo intro and then drops hard into a breakup song as emphatic as any you will ever hear. And the two words its built around are enough to take commercial radio off the table.Thats probably OK with Cooper, who still lives in Bradford, Texas, not far from Palestine, a little farther from Dallas. He has the look of a guy who might pump your gas at one of those East Texas stations that still hasnt converted to pay-at-the-pump.

His music pulsates with the give-a-care vibe of someone still kicking dust off his jeans.Coopers first EP, 2018s Vol. 1, was followed by his only full-length album, Good Ones Never Last, which helped make him a word-of-mouth sensation. His previously best-known breakup song, It Aint Me, registered more than eight million Spotify streams.Yes, breakup songs are a specialty. But Cooper, who married early, says neither song is autobiographical.I showed the song to my wife, he says. And she was like, Oh sure, thats a good song. But are we OK?'The answer was yes. And Cooper shows his range and depth on new song Cannonball, a ballad about commitment thats original in its own way.Versatile and fearless, Cooper is the kind of voice that could redeem country music if only his songs can be cleared for airplay.

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Review: A new voice from Texas rips it but tests the censors - Fort Worth Business Press

Wear a mask

There are acts that one can perform in life that are so simple yet so important and impactful in the lives of others. Wearing a mask literally saves lives. It's as simple as that, yet some people laugh it off, or quote garbage cited by someone who "studied" epidemiology at the University of YouTube and wrote their doctorate thesis on Reddit.

I will continue to avoid businesses where the employees don't care about my safety. Long after this pandemic is over I will keep my distance from those who lack intelligence and empathy. I've lost an uncle to COVID-19. We'll all lose more due to the carelessness of others before this is over.

Kevin McKague

Madison Heights

As a longtime consultant for the Illinois Police Academy, Bureau of Investigation, and the primary sponsor of the Pontiac Police Department's fundraising activities during the 1980s, I have had the honor and privilege of meeting hundreds of men and women either in training or already in law enforcement. I have dined, drank and played golf with some. I often wondered what motivated them to enter such a demanding profession. So I read much research regarding this issue.

Most had a great respect for the law and wanted to protect it. Others wanted the respect that wearing a badge could give them. Interestingly, some liked wearing a uniform and not having to decide what to wear to work. There were other personality traits and psychological factors which are the reasons for this letter.

An adequate emphasis on psychological testing and evaluation of each candidate before he is accepted for training just might save a lot of money, time and lives. Do we really want to defund or eliminate our police departments? Good luck if you call the Marines for a neighborhood disturbance.

Most recently, some political figures, notably our governor and the mayor of New York City have publicly addressed the issue of police brutality. Also I read with great interest the recent article titled, "To Defund or Not to Defund" in The Oakland Press Vitality section, July 2020. I have yet to notice any reference to preventing the problems before they occur.

It is time to do the right thing. Let us put the respect back where it should be with our law enforcement officers. A thorough evaluation of all existing testing and training programs would be a start. Consider hiring a psychological consultant. The proper and thorough psychological evaluation of any candidate for any law enforcement agency could prevent the bullies, racists and potential troublemaker from ever wearing a badge.

Bill Vincent

West Bloomfield Twp.

I was shocked to hear about the explosion in Beiruts main port. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I am praying for the victims and their families.

In line with a saying of the Holy Prophet that people must "guard yourselves against the Fire even if it be only with half a date-fruit (given in charity); and if you cannot afford even that, you should at least say a good word" we must pray for Lebanons recovery and, if able, donate to trusted organizations like the Lebanese Red Cross to aid the victims of this horrific incident.

Saood Qureshi

Troy

Thanks to the Oakland County Republican Party for ruining the Dream Cruise.

For many years those with diverse political leanings came together to share their love of classic cars. Not any more. Now all we'll ever see is angry people with Trump signs and anti-Trump people displaying their anger with Trump.

I'm sure the next event you will ruin is the Arts Beats and Eats festival. Say goodbye to any fun event anywhere thanks to the Oakland County Republicans who can't gather without shoving their politics in others face.

David Oswalt

Clarkston

Internet censorship is illegal, and Trump cannot ban TikTok or any other websites. If our lame-duck Congress does not prevent this, we literally are no better than the authoritarian countries we so often liberate. We are no longer The United States of America!

Individually, it's nothing, but with alphabet agencies spying on citizens, federal agents assaulting citizens in the streets, citizens begging for our food and not having jobs, and now extreme mass censorship under the guise of "national security"? Ask yourself: is this the land of the free and the home of the brave?

I'd like our elected officials to know that this is happening on their watch. Before my grandparents passed they were big-time supporters of Sen. Peters and Sen. Stabenow. They would be rolling in their resting places if they witnessed what our country is becoming. I'm asking our officials to please fight for an end to illegal censorship.

Daniel Smith

Madison Heights

Advocating for birds and the places they need doesnt have to stop during a pandemic.

The last week of July, I participated in the National Audubon Societys Virtual Seabird Action Fly-into educate my representatives, Senator Gary Peters and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, about seabirds and the threats they face.

Seabirds like Black Terns and White Pelicans are in crisis, declining around the world by 70% since the 1950s, due to climate change, overfishing, and habitat loss. But we can help save them by supporting the laws and policies that protect their habitat and the small, schooling fish -- known as forage fish -- they rely on for food. First, Peters and Dingell can improve the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, our nations only federal fisheries law. Since the 1970s, this law has successfully recovered fish populations and reduced overfishing. However, the law needs to be improved to factor in the important role that forage fish play in the ocean, account for climate change, and adequately protect seabirds from bycatch.

Second, our legislators can fully fund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs that protect fish and benefit coastal habitat. Through yearly and supplemental appropriations, Congress can ensure that seabirds have healthy coastal areas to nest, raise their chicks and forage for food. Thank you, Gary Peters and Debbie Dingell, for meeting with me about this important issue, and I hope youll join me to make sure seabirds have a healthy future.

Don Burlett

Oxford

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Letters to the editor: Wear a mask; don't defund police; politics ruining fun; end illegal censorship - The Oakland Press

New Delhi, August 12

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has written a letter to the Censor Board objecting to its undue negative portrayal in the movie Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, said a senior official.

The movie was released on streaming platform Netflix on Wednesday.

According to the official, the letter mentions concerns related to the movies portrayal of gender bias as an institutional work culture at the IAF.

The movie is based on the life of IAF officer Gunjan Saxena who became the first woman pilot to take part in the 1999 Kargil war. It has been produced by Karan Johars Dharma Productions.

The IAF has written a letter to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) objecting to certain scenes in the movie Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl wherein it has been portrayed in undue negative light, the official said.

The official said a copy of the letter has also been sent to Netflix.

Before the release of the film, the IAF had requested Dharma Productions to modify or delete the objectionable scenes. However, it did not take any action, the official noted.

The Defence Ministry had written to the CBFC last month raising strong objections to the depiction of armed forces personnel in some web series, sources said.

It had urged that production houses may be advised to obtain a no-objection certificate from the ministry before telecasting any film, documentary or web series on an Army theme, they added.

The ministry had received some complaints raising strong objections about the portrayal of Indian Army personnel and the military uniform in an insulting manner, they said.

The sources said the communication last month was also sent to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for consideration. PTI

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IAF writes to censor board objecting to its undue negative portrayal in movie Gunjan Saxena - The Tribune India