No, I’m serious. Really. If I wanted to post a thread arguing seriously for armed political class-war revolt against the United States government, and trying to recruit volunteers for a revolutionary army, is there any SDMB forum in which the rules would allow for that?
Whilst waiting for TubaDiva to arrive, I’m going to say not. Such a thing would be against U.S. law, to put it mildly.
I think that it is illegal to advocate overthrow of the government (the generic government), and entering into a conspiracy to commit violence definitely is.
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I think that about covers it, don’t you?
Not really. Since the SDMB is an international forum, why do the rules specifically bar material that “fosters or promotes activity that is illegal in the U.S.?”
And of course, any revolution anywhere is illegal, by definition – but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing. Suppose I wanted to argue for revolution in North Korea?
The SDMB follows US law, because its host, the Chicago Reader, is in the US.
Because the Chicago Reader is based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and is subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
Now North Korea would be an interesting sidebar. Certainly you could advocate revolution, but I think we would frown on your attempting to raise an army. Perhaps you’d need to get it cleared by a mod, as if it were a Secret Santa thread.
Please note, I’m winging it here. 
Of course there is a great gulf between advocacy and observing that something is a good idea, except for it’s illegality.
Or, one might argue that violent revolution is not/should not be illegal in the US and expatiate on the merits and benefits of that position.
Further one could appeal to the justice and rightness of such a policy, without specifying one’s own adherence to justice and righteousness. If a reader chooses to make that assumption they should be entitled to do so without any prejudice to the author.
I think.
Found it! It is still illegal.
It’ll get you 20 years. And to add insult to injury, you’re not eligible to be a U.S. government employee for five years after your conviction.
From here.
But of course, once the five years are up…
I think two of your examples would be walking a very fine line, and anyone who tried it would be trying it at their own risk.
A debate about whether violent revolution should be illegal in the U.S. would be acceptable, I should think.
Thanks for the clarification. It’ll doing well to be mindful of the benefits of a position clearly stated, at the outset.
…and here, I thought that BrainGlutton wanted to oust the mods and take over all duties himself.
Not sure that the mods would put up too much of a fight… 
I have to ask: do you want to post a thread arguing seriously for armed revolt against the United States government? Or is this purely hypothetical?
Just to sum up the official Moderator position:
*We do not permit posts that encourage activities that are illegal in the U.S. Yes, we have many non-US posters, but our host server is in the U.S. and there’s no way that we can stay on top of every law in every country where we have posters. Our understanding of laws regarding the internet restricts such things to the server country, at least so far.
*Urging violence or the overthrow of the government is illegal in the U.S.
*A discussion on whether such law should be overturned would be acceptable: that’s a discssion of law, and how to legally bring about changes in laws, and discussion of laws is not an illegal activity.
*A reminder of the Board Rules:
Is that really so? Didn’t Abraham Lincoln advocate overthrowing the government if it became not-so-nice?
Why aren’t many communists arrested then?
Just asking, I love the government and want to keep it the way it is.
This isn’t the place for the debate about the law: you can open a thread in the Great Debates forum if you’d like. This is a place for discussion about the Message Board rules.
It does raise the interesting question of whether a discussion of how to get together to overthrow the Canadian or South Korean governments would be acceptable. My initial instinct is that, legality issue aside, advocating violence is NOT a good thing.
What they said.
The revolution will not be televised . . . on webcam.
Getcher own board if you want a soapbox.
TubaDiva
Well you know we all want to change the world.
– Reverend Ivan Stang
Funny how a country founded by violent revolution would outlaw it…
Anyway, it’s probably a good rule, seeing how the US’s sense of humor got blown up with the WTC…
So there it is, folks: The evil plan to overthrow the US thwarted by board policy. Phew