The Straw Buyer SLACKING! Friday and some news from the blogosphere...

We have to admit folks, things have been so hectic at work that we haven't been able to spend enough time researching for the blog over the last couple of days.  It's Friday so cut us some slack!  There are a few disturbing points that we should cover though, from yesterdays Miami New Times...

Cuban writer sentenced to almost two years in prison for blogging
A 41-year-old writer in Cuba was arrested and sentenced to almost two years in prison for blogging. Dania García contributes to opposition websites Primavera Digital and CubaNet, and keeps a blog linked to a radical anti-Castro group based in Miami. Reporters Without Borders reiterated its appeal to the Cuban authorities to put an end to this latest crackdown on independent journalists. Her sentence was reduced to a fine of 300 pesos ($12 US).

OH MY!  Thank god we've got freedom of speech here in the good old United States of America!  Shame on you Fidel and Raul!!!  It gets worse though, Cuba isn't the only oppressive regime that's going after bloggers...

Russia arrests an Islamic convert blogger
Russian Islamic convert Alexei Dudko was arrested for blogging. His blog mainly focused on the events in Ingushetia in the North Caucasus and general events in Russia. He kept his real name in strict secret throughout his blog. We now see why. His arrest came days after his name somehow surfaced in the Internet.

JEEZE!  It's these types of actions by backwards countries like these that illustrate just how lucky we are and how important our first amendment rights are here in the United States.  We think John F. Kennedy said it best...

And that is why our press was protected by the First Amendment-- the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution- -not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, not to simply "give the public what it wants"--but to inform, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion.

Granted, JFK never imagined that the mainstream media would fall into the sorry state that it is today and that there would be such things as blogs and bloggers, but the meaning is the same.  It's the rights afforded to journalists, bloggers, etc by the Constitution that makes this the great country that it is and not some backward third world $hithole were they government goes after people who criticize it openly.  

Now, could you imagine the public relations nightmare if say someone like Assistant State Bill Kostrzewski misusing his prosecutorial powers made some sort of move against us here at the Straw Buyer?  God forbid Bill or one of his "ilk" was to have sent out say a subpoena or something of that nature to the company that hosts our web domain or say Google that provides our blog template.  As dirty as ASA Kostrzewski has been throughout our story, surely he would never stoop to that level now would he?  Could you imagine the black eye the State Attorneys office would suffer from that sort of incident?  No worries though, there's no way such an egregious violation of our civil rights could happen here in the U.S. where we have freedom of speech, ain't that right Bill!?

Rest easy folks it's all good, just another day in the Jungle...