Category Archives: Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc.

Marriage Equality and Free Speech

Over on Marriage Debate.com (and in a slightly longer pdf version on his organization’s website) Anthony R. Picarello, Jr. argues that same-sex marriage might be bad for free speech. He makes four points. First, as employers, educators and service providers, … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Same-Sex Marriage | 6 Comments

Gallery owner becomes target after showcasing painting of Iraqi prisoner abuse

From the San Francisco Chronicle: Painted by Berkeley artist Guy Colwell, “Abuse,” the painting at the center of the controversy, depicts three U.S. soldiers leering at a group of naked men in hoods with wires connected to their bodies. The … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Iraq | 8 Comments

Leiter Report on Free Speech in the USA and Canada

The Lieter Report compares free speech in Canada (where “hate speech” is often banned) with free speech in the USA: Already, from the increasingly ridiculous right-wing corners of the U.S. blogosphere, we hear the mocking clucking of the libertarian pundits, … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 17 Comments

The Punish Professors who Criticize Israel Bill

Odds are you haven’t heard of Ttile VI of the International Studies in Higher Education Act of 2003 – but if it passes the Senate, it’ll be an enourmous loss for academic freedom and free speech. It already passed the … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Palestine & Israel | 20 Comments

Texas Rep tries to chase Planned Parenthood off campus

From Mousewords (which I’ve just added to the blogroll, by the way): My little sister is a student at Stephen F. Austin University. Stephen F. is a large state university with a diverse student body. They have on campus health … Continue reading

Posted in Abortion & reproductive rights, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 1 Comment

Nice little Times article on the Copyright laws

The New York Times Magazine has an okay article summing up the current conflict over copyright. There’s nothing new here for folks who have been following the issue, but if you’re unfamiliar with the issue the article will provide a … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Site and Admin Stuff | Comments Off on Nice little Times article on the Copyright laws

Really radical copyright reform

Ages ago, I mentioned that I’d like to see a far more radical copyright reform than any I’ve seen proposed. One of Alas’ readers asked me how I’d design a copyright system. Well, I’d start with a few principles in … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Site and Admin Stuff | 30 Comments

Parade of Strawmen

The Curmudgeonly Clerk – currently guest-blogging at Crescat Sententia – disagrees with both myself and PG of En Banc regarding a parade in Florida, in which parade organizers kicked out Veterans for expressing “patriotically incorrect” opinions about the war on … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 8 Comments

Right-wingers kick anti-war veterans out of parade

This is pretty despicable. TALLAHASSEE — A group of 30 military veterans critical of the war in Iraq hoped to use Tuesday’s Veterans Day parade to call attention to the increasingly deadly conflict but instead found themselves fighting for something … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Iraq | 66 Comments

Censorship of porn sites: Why should we care?

Jim Leitzel – normally of Vice Squad, but in this instance guest-blogging on Crescat Sententia – reports that the Federal Government is cracking down on the owners of “Extreme Associates.” According to an ABC News report from August: One of … Continue reading

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Sex work, porn, etc | 134 Comments