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I've been doing just this for nearly 10 years by way of this regular column and blogging is now the favourite pastime of millions around the world.

Of course if you're in government you might not be quite as happy with the fact that the individual can now have as loud a voice as the Prime Minister if they want to. I suspect many politicians, especially those in oppressive regimes, are also less than best-pleased with the fact that citizens are free to speak out with impunity, against those who seek to rule them.

And then there's the fact that even the lunatic fringe are quite able, and often more than willing, to use the Net as a way of airing their sometimes distasteful messages.

However, the price of free speech is the fact that we really just have to acknowledge the rights of everyone to have their say and simply use our own right to ignore those messages we don't wish to hear.

With this in mind, I was gobsmacked to read that historian, holocaust denier and member of the "lunatic fringe" David Irving is to be denied entry to New Zealand simply because the government feels that we should not be exposed to his opinions.

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Oh, I'm sorry, that's not right is it?

The official line is that he'll be denied entry because he was once deported from Canada and our laws bar deportees from entry to NZ without special dispensation.

According to the reports I read, Irving was deported from Canada after conviction for "an immigration offence". Naturally, Irving's own version of the story is somewhat at odds with the official line -- but is a great demonstration of how the little guy (even if he's a bit of a nutcase) can fight back against what he sees to be a corrupt bureaucracy.

The thing that annoys me about the whole situation relating to Irving's attempt to enter New Zealand is that it smacks of censorship.

I can't help but get the feeling that the government is (yet again) trying to protect poor feeble-minded NZers from the evil Irving and his beliefs that the holocaust never occurred.

In effect, the Prime Minister and her minions are telling us that we're all so stupid and easily duped that we'd soon all be supporting his claims.

I also find it a little irritating that once again we appear to be ceding to the laws and courts of another country rather than taking responsibility for making our own decisions.

Why do we take a Canadian court's word that Irving is a person unfit to enter New Zealand? Perhaps for the same reason that we've also decided to let Australia control the laws related to dietary supplements in New Zealand -- we're just too lazy or miserly to do the job ourselves?

Of course if this is an attempt at censorship then it's the kind of pure folly that only politicians could believe will work. Hell, all those feeble-minded Kiwis only have to jump on the web and search out the many articles and reports on Irving's activities and preachings to be exposed to his corruptive influence.

I certainly don't believe what he says but I'll fight for his (or anyone's) right to express their opinions and beliefs -- and thank God for the internet.

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