Phill <hallam@w3.org> wrote:

...

It is not simply an issue of money, it is an issue of national security. If a foreigner were to control the majority of the media there would be a significant threat to the national interest. This threat has been realised in the UK with the comming to power of Rupert Murdoch. Fortunately his influence on the US political scene has thus far been minor. In his own country he has brought down the government more than once.

At 01:37 AM 12/20/95 -0500, Jim Ray wrote:

So what??? He gives us "The Simpsons" and "Married, With Children!" [IMO] Rupert has done more for humor than any humor-impaired liberal has ever done!

Murdoch is bitterly hated by our elites, because things are speakable on his networks that are unspeakable on other networks. Hence their perfectly true claim that he has overthrown several governments. I hope he overthrows some more. I especially love the political humor on "married with children" Cypherpunk relevance: Murdoch got in deep shit because of his famous speech that the communication revolution would profoundly undermine the power of oppressive governments. Murdoch sometimes calls himself a libertarian, but he is more a conservative with bombs. Still, I am strongly in favor of bombs. It seems clear to me that Murdoch, whatever his political beliefs may be, has done much for liberty. He has been a powerful disruptive influence. --------------------------------------------------------------------- | We have the right to defend ourselves | http://www.jim.com/jamesd/ and our property, because of the kind | of animals that we are. True law | James A. Donald derives from this right, not from the | arbitrary power of the state. | jamesd@echeque.com