Category Archives: Free Speech

Harold Hodge believes in the power of protest.

Its important, he said as he walked on First Street in front of the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. "I believe people should have the right to protest and picket against the government.

But, he says, its a right that is disappearing.

They, he said, as he pointed up at the white columns, are taking it away from us.

In January 2011, Hodge was standing on the public plaza above the steps of the court wearing a sign around his neck. It read The U.S. Gov. allows police to illegally murder and brutalize African-Americans and Hispanic people."

Video of him shows he was still and quiet and more than 100 feet from the Court entrance. Nonetheless, officers arrested him, charging him with violating a so-called no speech zone.

These things are popping up all over the country, said John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute, which is defending Hodge in court, where people can only speak when they are pushed away to the side.

Im astounded, he said. Especially when you see the footage of Harold Hodge standing silently with no one else around. He wasnt blocking anybodys egress. He wasnt talking to anybody. If you cant do this in front of the Supreme Court, theres no such thing as free speech.

Whitehead says officials have been increasingly implementing no speech zones around government buildings and important government events, like political conventions.

This is a dangerous trend that's been going on for a number of years, he said. Putting people so far away from government officials that government officials can't hear the speech. Well that means the First Amendment means nothing, They are destroying the First Amendment.

More:
Taking Liberties: Free speech rights disappearing?

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Last Friday afternoon, Station Casinos, an anti-union casino company, complained to Twitter about the Twitter account @workerstation, whose profile stated: Updates by Culinary Union Local 226 on the organizing campaign by workers at@stationcasinosin Las Vegas, NV. The company claimed @workerstation infringed on the companys trademark Station Casinos. The tweets by @workerstation have focused on educating the public and enlisting support for the on-going campaign by over 5,000 workers at Station Casinos to exercise their legal right to join unions in the face of the Las Vegas casino companys unprecedented anti-union campaign.

After ignoring the response by the unions attorney sent on Friday, Twitter temporarily suspended @workerstation on Monday afternoon after it received another report from the trademark holder that your account, @workerstation, is still using a trademark in a way that could be confusing or misleading with regard to brand or business affiliation.

The union sent another response to the temporary suspension notice immediately, and a letter was sent to Twitters legal department on Tuesday morning. At 12:38 p.m. on Tuesday, Twitter restored the @workerstation account. So far, Twitter has not responded to the argument by the unions legal counsel that @workerstation has not violated any trademark law, especially considering well-established legal precedents on critical fair use of trademarks.

We are happy that Twitter has not succumbed to anti-union corporate special interests and has not given in to Station Casinos unreasonable demands, said Geoconda Arguello-Kline, President of the Culinary Local 226. We believe it isand wasabsolutely crystal clear to any reasonable person that @workerstation is not affiliated with, supported by, or paid for by Station Casinos.

At the same time, continued Arguello-Kline, we urge Station Casinos to finally begin to respect its employees right to decide for themselves, freely and without management interference or intimidation, whether they want to join our union.

For more information on the on-going organizing campaign at Station Casinos, please follow @workerstation on Twitter, like the campaigns Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WorkerStation), or sign up for updates from http://www.WorkerStation.org.

Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is the largest union in Nevada and an affiliate of UNITE HERE, the hospitality workers union in North America.

Visit link:
Culinary Workers Union: Station Casinos Tries to Suppress Free Speech as it Continues Attacks on Workers; Twitter ...

BBC / Jonathan Stewart

Humphrey's new series, which will feature BAFTA-winner Adam Deacon and Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney on the panel, is intended to create a talking shop for issues directly affecting young people.

"There are loads of issues directly impacting on young people at the moment, the riots, work experience schemes, rising unemployment, so why not have a show for young people with young people?" Humphrey told Digital Spy.

"Young kids are very well catered for TV-wise in this country and also again when you get to your mid-30s. But I think there is a real need for something that caters for and is controlled by young people.

"We want young people to develop and decide how this show works. I won't be going on with a running order. The audience and people at home will direct the way that the show goes.

"As a broadcaster it's exciting to do something that challenges you and moves you away from regular stuff. This couldn't be any more different from standing in the pit lane or covering the Olympics."

Explaining the show's format, he added: "The simplest thing to say is that it's like Question Time for younger people.

"The young audience will hopefully share their views and voice, but the biggest thing that this show has going for it is that quite often shows will discuss unemployment, young people not being empowered in politics and the riots, but it's filled with old people and there's not a young person in sight.

"But on this show, not only do we have the 100 or so people in the studio, but also we open the debate up on Twitter. That's something I'm excited about. Through hashtags people will be able to affect a power bar in our studio and as our panel speak, the power bar can go up or down.

"It's instant and honest. People can react and we can discuss why a power bar is going up or down. It's anonymous and I think we'll get some real honesty."

See more here:
Jake Humphrey on 'Free Speech': 'We need more TV for young people'

SAN DIEGO Marine Sgt. Gary Stein first started a Facebook page called Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots to encourage service members to exercise their free speech rights. Then he declared that he wouldn't follow orders from the commander in chief, President Barack Obama.

While Stein softened his statement to say he wouldn't follow "unlawful orders," military observers say he may have gone too far.

The Marine Corps is now looking into whether he violated the military's rules prohibiting political statements by those in uniform and broke its guidelines on what troops can and cannot say on social media. Stein said his views are constitutionally protected.

While troops have always expressed their views in private, Stein's case highlights the potential for their opinions to go global as tech-savvy service members post personal details, videos and pictures that can hurt the military's image at home and abroad.

"I think that it's been pretty well established for a long time that freedom of speech is one area in which people do surrender some of their basic rights in entering the armed forces," said former Navy officer David Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.

"Good order and discipline require the military maintain respect for the chain of command," Glazier said. "That includes prohibiting speech critical of the senior officers in that chain of command up to and including the commander in chief."

According to Pentagon directives, military personnel in uniform can't sponsor a political club; participate in any TV or radio program or group discussion that advocates for or against a political party, candidate or cause; or speak at any event promoting a political movement.

Commissioned officers also may not use contemptuous words against senior officials, including the defense secretary or the president.

In January, an Army reservist wearing camouflaged fatigues got into trouble for taking the stage during a rally in Iowa with Republican presidential candidate and Texas congressman Ron Paul.

Stein was first cautioned by his superiors at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, in 2010 after he launched his Facebook page, criticizing Obama's health care overhaul. Stein volunteered to take down the page while he reviewed the rules at the request of his superiors.

The rest is here:
Marine's Facebook page tests free speech rights

Criminalizing Free Speech: Is This What Democracy Looks Like?

By John W. Whitehead

March 05, 2012

Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

One of the key ingredients in a democracy is the right to freely speak our minds to those who represent us. In fact, it is one of the few effective tools we have left to combat government corruption and demand accountability. But now, even that right is being chipped away by statutes and court rulings which weaken our ability to speak freely. Activities which were once considered a major component of democratic life in America are now being criminalized. Making matters worse, politicians have gone to great lengths in recent years to evade their contractual, constitutional duty to make themselves available to us and hear our grievances. That is what representative government is all about.

Unfortunately, with gas prices rising, the economy tanking, the increasingly unpopular war effort dragging on and public approval of Congress at an all-time low, members of Congress have been working hard to keep their unhappy constituents at a distanceavoiding town-hall meetings, making minimal public appearances while at home in their districts, only appearing at events in controlled settings where theyre the only ones talking, and if they must interact with constituents, doing so via telephone town meetings or impromptu visits to local businesses where the chances of being accosted by angry voters are greatly minimized. Consider that in the summer of 2011, 60 percent of Congress refused to hold town hall meetings with their constituents during their summer break. The ones who did often charged a fee for attendance. For example, Rep. Paul Ryan charged fifteen dollars per person for his public appearance, and Rep. Dan Quayle charged 35 dollars per person.

Now, in a self-serving move aimed more at insulating government officials from discontent voters than protecting their hides, Congress has overwhelmingly approved legislation that will keep the public not just at arms length distance but a football field away by making it a federal crime to protest or assemble in the vicinity of protected government officials. The Trespass Bill (the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011) creates a roving bubble zone or perimeter around select government officials and dignitaries (anyone protected by the Secret Service), as well as any building or grounds restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance.

The bills language is so overly broad as to put an end to free speech, political protest and the right to peaceably assemble in all areas where government officials happen to be present. Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI) was one of only three members of the House of Representatives to vote against the legislation. As he explains:

Current law makes it illegal to enter or remain in an area where certain government officials (more particularly, those with Secret Service protection) will be visiting temporarily if and only if the person knows it's illegal to enter the restricted area but does so anyway. The bill expands current law to make it a crime to enter or remain in an area where an official is visiting even if the person does not know it's illegal to be in that area and has no reason to suspect it's illegal.

Some government officials may need extraordinary protection to ensure their safety. But criminalizing legitimate First Amendment activityeven if that activity is annoying to those government officialsviolates our rights. I voted "no." It passed 388-3.

Go here to see the original:
Criminalizing Free Speech: Is This What Democracy Looks Like?

05-03-2012 11:48 Liberal talker Mike Malloy mocks recent tornado victims, their religious beliefs, in a most hateful, spiteful way. Yet, I believe it is protected by free speech.

Originally posted here:
Mike Malloy Mocks Tornado Victims

Yumi Stynes has been the target of an online hate campaign. Source: HWT Image Library

HOW amazing. In all Australian television in the past year, only one presenter is so evil that they must be hounded off air.

Well, two actually, but more about me later.

I'm talking, of course, about Yumi Stynes - now the target of a hate campaign by fat-bottomed moralists who offend me even more than she did.

Until Tuesday last week, most Australians did not even know Stynes existed, and was a host of the Channel 10 morning chat show The Circle.

But on that fateful day, Stynes made a mistake that comes from not knowing much but having much time to fill with babbling about whatever.

Her assigned subject was VC winner Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, the astonishingly brave soldier who'd featured in a Channel 7 documentary two days earlier.

I'd bet she hadn't seen the documentary, and had no idea Roberts-Smith had movingly revealed the struggle he and his wife had to conceive a child.

All that she apparently had was a picture of this gigantic soldier's muscled body as he exercised in a pool, at which point something in her brain went ping and she said: "He's going to dive down to the bottom of the pool to see if his brain is there."

It got worse. With her was ageing reporter George Negus, also underresearched, who consoled himself with the observation that people like poor old Ben might not be up to it in the sack.

View original post here:
Lazy online activists abuse free speech

06-03-2012 14:11

The rest is here:
Your Take/My Take - What happened to "free speech" for Rush? - Video

Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan. Source: HWT Image Library

WAYNE Swan. World champion treasurer and twit.

Over the years you accumulate a list of stories or commentaries that in the cold light of subsequent day you would prefer not to have written.

You also accumulate a second list of stories and commentaries that you regret NOT having written.

Some on this second list were written, or written better, by others. Then there are the ones that just slipped by, unwritten, as the moment passed.

One of the latter that I have continually regretted not writing is an observation on Julia Gillard's instruction to journalists to "just don't write crap." Serendipitously, her deputy Swan has now given a new sense of relevance to that previously unwritten observation.

Gillard's instruction came in response to a 'Dorothy Dixer' from Seven Network's Canberra correspondent Mark Riley: to paraphrase, please tell us how to report on, as he ingeniously - others might say, inanely - put it, climate change opposers? Presumably, some of those "climate change opposers" will now be out in the streets "opposing" the floods in NSW and Victoria. I look forward to Riley reporting on them.

Riley's question could have spawned a whole series of commentaries on the fawning failures of the Canberra Press Gallery.

Its collective failure to even report on, far less scrutinise, substantive policy. Of which so-called climate change aka global warming is the all-time but by no means only standout.

But when the Gallery turns to rolling up supine 'Dorothy Dixers,' as Riley did last July, we have truly moved into the realm of the nauseating surreal.

See the article here:
Swan's assault on free speech

NEW YORK (AP) At the first U.S. Secret Policeman's Ball, American and British comics took turns on the Radio City Music Hall stage to showcase the foul-mouthed joy of free speech.

The benefit concert Sunday night brought a U.K. tradition across the Atlantic for the first time in its 36-year history. It was started by Amnesty International and Monty Python's John Cleese, who gathered comics for a gala to fundraise for the human rights organization. Musicians like Pete Townsend and Sting would later join.

The last Secret Policeman's Ball was in London four years ago, but the tradition was renewed stateside Sunday with the same guiding ethos of celebrating free expression by ridiculing despots whether they be international dictators, fictional characters like the Ball's namesake or maybe just more daily life demons like as Paul Rudd cited high-priced sushi.

"It's not a hostile takeover," insisted Russell Brand, speaking on behalf of his British countrymen.

In a 2 hour show, which was streamed live by EpixHD.com, that featured dozens of performers, the only restriction on speech was the "Wrap It Up" sign, which hurried the loquacious Brand from the stage.

Aside from the night's two musical guests Coldplay and Mumford & Sons the event mainly congregated comics. From the American side, there was Jon Stewart, Ben Stiller, Sarah Silverman, David Cross and most of the cast of "Saturday Night Live." The U.K. was mainly represented by stand-ups, including Eddie Izzard, John Oliver, Jack Whitehall and Micky Flanagan.

The culture clash was fodder for comic examination. Stiller and English comedian David Walliams analyzed the different meanings of various words between the two countries. Whereas they differed on words like "dentistry" and "obese," they found commonality in their dim view of CNN host Piers Morgan.

Stewart took the stage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (played by Rex Lee of "Entourage"). Kim pleaded to be allowed to join in the fun, trying out knock-knock jokes and demanding to be added to sketch. (He later made a cameo as a pizza delivery boy.)

Taped videos were played from three members of the Pythons Eric Idol, Terry Jones and Michael Palin who each made far-fetched excuses and claimed to be "the sixth Python."

The protested impediments to free speech took on unlikely forms. Silverman lambasted the refusal of an old boyfriend to be told "I love you" after six weeks of dating. Fred Armisen, Jason Sudeikis and Seth Meyers traded places in an interrogation sketch where each was guilty of offending "the Supreme Leader" who could only be assumed to be "SNL" producer Lorne Michaels. For some, even Fozzie Bear was "the man."

View post:
Brit and American comedy dance at 'Secret Ball'