In Support Of Internet Censorship
In a recent study, Yemen was mentioned as one of the countries to have the most extensive censorship filters for the Internet. I do wholeheartedly support this; as would most of my fellow adult Yemenis. What Yemen censors most, are the very many sites that have no positive purpose except to corrupt and spoil; with this, I have the very many explicit pornographic Internet sites in mind.
Imagine living in a country as conservative and as religious as Yemen. Where almost all women seen publicly or even at homes, are covered completely from head to feet; imagine, what it would be like for a young man to have a 'window' to see women of all forms and of all kinds and colors, naked and sexually explicit? What would that young man do? Certainly, normally and naturally: the young man would use that window, as a means to see, view and indulge in - what he would not easily be able to, otherwise. He would use it over and over.
Human mind and human nature are mainly driven by two things: food and sex. These are the forces that drive most of our actions. Men's in particular. And whenever denied, Man can go to extremes to feed these forces. For the millions of well fed Yemeni young men, one can imagine what would happen if they are given free access to fulfill their other main appetite. Hence, Internet censorship is very much necessary and needed.
Is the censorship effective? Overall, yes. But, some young men have the know how to overcome the censorship and do access pornographic sites; and, some of these sites are set such that the censorship do not identify them and they get through. In the many Internet cafes in Yemeni urban areas, it is the young who mostly frequent. Young men. As it is cheap, the Internet is now being widely used all across Yemen; many homes have Internet connections and many more would soon have the connection. At homes, it is the young too, who mostly use it; both young men and women.
For a few of these young, those who are keen and smart, they do use the enormous and vast resources offered by the Internet - positively. To learn, expand and enlarge their knowledge. To benefit. But for most, young men in particular, the Internet is a deviation and a pastime. Where most spend time 'chatting' with friends, or listening to music, or reading some silly articles. And for many, the Internet is a window for them to see what is denied them. It is a window for them to see and watch, privately, half naked or naked women; or sexually explicit pictures or videos. Should these sites be readily accessible, there is no doubt that more and more young men, if not most - would seek these sites to fulfill there urge; would that 'fulfilling the urge' be wrong? Pornography, in any form is: totally wrong, degrading and demoralizing. 'Human Rights' aside; I, as any sensible and responsible Yemeni adult and especially - parent would, do wholly support the censorship; the more strict, the better.
Imagine living in a country as conservative and as religious as Yemen. Where almost all women seen publicly or even at homes, are covered completely from head to feet; imagine, what it would be like for a young man to have a 'window' to see women of all forms and of all kinds and colors, naked and sexually explicit? What would that young man do? Certainly, normally and naturally: the young man would use that window, as a means to see, view and indulge in - what he would not easily be able to, otherwise. He would use it over and over.
Human mind and human nature are mainly driven by two things: food and sex. These are the forces that drive most of our actions. Men's in particular. And whenever denied, Man can go to extremes to feed these forces. For the millions of well fed Yemeni young men, one can imagine what would happen if they are given free access to fulfill their other main appetite. Hence, Internet censorship is very much necessary and needed.
Is the censorship effective? Overall, yes. But, some young men have the know how to overcome the censorship and do access pornographic sites; and, some of these sites are set such that the censorship do not identify them and they get through. In the many Internet cafes in Yemeni urban areas, it is the young who mostly frequent. Young men. As it is cheap, the Internet is now being widely used all across Yemen; many homes have Internet connections and many more would soon have the connection. At homes, it is the young too, who mostly use it; both young men and women.
For a few of these young, those who are keen and smart, they do use the enormous and vast resources offered by the Internet - positively. To learn, expand and enlarge their knowledge. To benefit. But for most, young men in particular, the Internet is a deviation and a pastime. Where most spend time 'chatting' with friends, or listening to music, or reading some silly articles. And for many, the Internet is a window for them to see what is denied them. It is a window for them to see and watch, privately, half naked or naked women; or sexually explicit pictures or videos. Should these sites be readily accessible, there is no doubt that more and more young men, if not most - would seek these sites to fulfill there urge; would that 'fulfilling the urge' be wrong? Pornography, in any form is: totally wrong, degrading and demoralizing. 'Human Rights' aside; I, as any sensible and responsible Yemeni adult and especially - parent would, do wholly support the censorship; the more strict, the better.
Comments
Fortunately we in the West can see the nude Yemini ladies, they are very beautiful, I can assure you;-D We have our pleasure with them (pictures only), yet grow up to mature, well balanced fathers/leaders, with stable families.
Perhaps more stable than most families in Yemen. I read your post about that relative who was courting your wife, while you weren't around, and she was, due to the local customs, unable to react suitable for the situation. I feel very sorry for your wife (and you) that you both had to endure that terrible and bitter shock. Same as you, our men will not divorce their wifes when such things happen. I admire you for that.
Are you sure your government only censors sex, and nothing else? Something they don't want you to know? Perhaps they even invent stories to convince you with their weird ideas? You will never have the chance to check. That is why you don't know that your president is a dictator, and though you have elections every now and then, opponents are arrested. Yemeni journalists who write about that kind of fraud and corruption are put in jail. Perhaps even in the Mukalla jail, so you can visit them and ask them. You will never know what is blocked, what is the truth or what is a lie. Sleep well.
When I was in the Arab world I got sick of all men talking constantly about sex. I live in the west but nobody here has such an obession with sex as the Arab men have, also in Yemen. Sex, sex, sex. Sex is next to religion the main topic with all bloggers in the Arab world, also gay and lesbian sex. Bloggers that I can read, but you can't because your government blocks them. Your government doesn't want you to know that sex is the main topic among the Arab men and women alike, youngster and grown-up people as well. As I said, sleep well, your government is singing a lullaby for you, be obedient, so that they can have a good laugh at you, while you snore.
But a couple cautions. Porn is so hard to block without blocking important items, like medical images of the female genitalia, which some need to study if they are going to be doctors. Or even search terms that refer to animal sex, which is central to the study of many biologists- even at the high-school level.
Also, while I think our problem is a lot worse, I recall seeing a number of Yemeni men in the webcafes on sites that I found very disturbing- and this in public! Without women around (as there are few women in the webcafes) they feel free evidently to search- and evidently a lot gets through the government filters.
Abdul Muhib - it's very defficult to control porn, but it's essential it is completely controlled here. With our kind of conservativeness - out of simply pure curiosity, many young men will get spoilt if it is freed on the Web. What I find defficult to understand is how Americans and the West are so engrossed in porn when they have all the freedom?