Arthur Topham believes in his Right to Freedom of Speech. He’s a very vocal advocate for that right, and has been for many years.
Arthur Topham is also the latest individual being harassed by RCMP for what they call “hate speech” on Arthur Topham’s website RadicalPress.com.
Even though Mr. Topham has not been convicted of any crime, the RCMP Hate Crimes Unit has contacted Mr. Topham’s web hosting company, Netfirms.com, and “suggested” that RadicalPress.com promoted hatred on the internet and should be pulled down immediately.
Netfirms.com complied with the RCMP “request.”
I would suggest if you’re looking for a web hosting company, that you do NOT use NetFirms.com. Any company that will, on the whim of a state official, deny a Canadian citizen’s Right to Freedom of Speech by yanking their website from the internet is not a company that I want to do business.
For me this is not some arbitrary thought. I’m actually a Netfirms customer. I will not be for long, however, and steps are already underway to move all my web business to another company.
I don’t believe in making idle threats. I wrote to Netfirms on Arthur’s behalf and expressed my displeasure with their intention to take down RadicalPress.com.
I explained that should they choose to deny Mr. Topham’s Right to Freedom of Speech before he has been convicted of anything, that I would remove all my business from the immediately.
Choices have consequences.
Netfirms.com chose to violate Mr. Topham’s Right to Freedom of Speech.
I choose to never again do business with this company, and will urge everyone I know to boycott them as well. It’s called “voting with my dollars” and is a principle I believe in very strongly.
Here is a link to the letter written by Arthur Topham that describes the latest events in his case. I urge you to read his letter in its entirety, and think about the ramifications of the RCMP actions against him. If they can do this to Arthur Topham, they can do it to anyone.
And in case you decide you can’t stand Arthur Topham or what he has to say, I would urge you to remember that Freedom of Speech is just that: the right to say what you think without
fear of persecution by any state entity.
It is NOT the Right to “Approved Speech”; to say only that which is politically correct.
When “Approved Speech” is the only thing left, we no longer have Freedom.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent to “Zach P.” at Netfirms.com on November 26, 2012.
I have yet to receive a response. Shocking, I know…
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Dear Zach P.
legal@netfirms-inc.comIt’s come to my attention that you’ve threatened to take down the website RadicalPres.com, which is hosted on Netfirms servers.
Since the website has not broken the law and there is this pesky little thing we call Freedom of Speech in Canada, I’m very curious to know why you would be taking this action.
The RCMP, or at least one constable from the RCMP, seems to have taken it upon himself to see to it that Arthur Topham’s website RadicalPress.com is removed from the internet.
Guilty until proven innocent would appear to be this particular constable’s game, but that’s just not how Canada works.
Please be advised that I am also a Netfirms customer, and that should you remove Arthur Topham’s RadicalPress.com website from the internet, I will immediately remove all my business from Netfirms.
Free Speech is the right to say what I think. It does not mean your anyone else has to agree with what I say.
I will not do business with a company that does not 100% support my Right to Freedom of Speech, or that of any other Canadian, including Arthur Topham and RadicalPress.com.
I look forward to hearing back from you precisely why you threatened to take down this website, and under what authority you would do so.
Thank you.
Yours in Liberty,
Christopher di Armani
https://christopherdiarmani.com
Dennis Florian on Facebook says
Arthur… any relation to Fred, by any chance?
Christopher di Armani says
i’m not sure, but am trying to find out…
UPDATE: No relation that he is aware of.