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

I don’t care how the CEO of Marvel Comics spends his money

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Ampersand

It’s his money. When I order pizza, I don’t ask how the pizza delivery person plans to spend the tip. Why should I feel differently about comics? Whether or not we buy products from people shouldn’t be a referendum on … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartooning & comics, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 35 Comments

These Vindictive Responses To Students Saying Awful Things Are Disproportionate And Wrong

Posted on January 23, 2016 by Ampersand

Six white seniors at Desert Vista High School in Arizona took a photo of themselves wearing shirts that spelled “ni**er.” ((In this post, I’ve blurred the faces and omitted the names of the people I’m talking about; but that’s not … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., norms of discourse, Race, racism and related issues | 54 Comments

Paramount and CBS Sue To Stop A Fan-Made Star Trek Movie

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Ampersand

Mike Glyer at File 770 writes: Paramount and CBS have filed a copyright infringement suit against Alec Peters and others involved in making Axanar, a fan-produced Star Trek movie project that raised more than $1 million on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 1 Comment

Hotel Fires Employee For Calling Someone A “Slut” Online. Is This A Free Speech Issue?

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Ampersand

Content warning: Misogynistic online harassment, including rape threats. I want to respond to a comment left by Desipis, but to do that, I’ll need to bring in some context. Clementine Ford is a feminist columnist from Australia. Various misogynists have … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, sexism, etc, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 301 Comments

Greer in Cardiff Follow-Up

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Ampersand

Since I previously posted about Greer in Cardiff, it’s worth noting that Germaine Greer did speak in Cardiff, as planned. She had said earlier that she wasn’t going to, but apparently she changed her mind. A few notes: 1) After … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 27 Comments

Three Points Regarding The No-Platforming Of Germaine Greer

Posted on October 24, 2015 by Ampersand

Quick summery: Germaine Greer, a second-wave feminist famous for her 1970 book The Female Eunuch, was invited to give a speech at Cardiff University. Ms. Greer’s transphobia is well-known, gross, and undeniable. Rachael Melhuish, the Women’s Officer at Cardiff Unversity … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Transsexual and Transgender related issues | 127 Comments

I Stand By Irene Gallo

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Ampersand

“Nielsen-Haydens, your fellow travelers, and media goombahs . . . I MOCK YOU! I MOCK YOUR ASININE INCESTUOUS CLUSTERFUCKED LITTLE CULTURE OF DOCTRINAIRE PROGRESSOSEXUAL MEDIOCRITY MASKED AS SUPERIORITY! You are all dolts. You are moral and physical cowards. You are … Continue reading →

Posted in Civility & norms of discourse, Feminism, sexism, etc, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., norms of discourse | 77 Comments

In Which Amp Realizes That Two Arguments That Frustrate Me Are Actually The Same

Posted on May 16, 2015 by Ampersand

As regular readers know (and by “know,” I mean, “are probably sick of hearing”), I’m against it when folks organize to economically punish others for their political views. Very frequently, when I write or talk about this, I’ll run into … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Hugo Awards | 11 Comments

Criticism Isn’t Censorship, National Review.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Ampersand

A National Review article, How to Censor Speakers on College Campuses, is subtitled “Oberlin students trying to censor Christina Hoff Sommers conflate speech and violence.” ((It’s possible that someone else at the NR, rather than Cooke, was responsible for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-feminists and their pals, Christina Hoff Sommers, Civility, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 53 Comments

#SavingChase: Judge Orders Mom Arrested For Violating Agreement To Have Her 4-Year-Old Son Circumcised

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Ampersand

From the Florida Sun Sentinel (if that link is paywall blocked, try this indirect link). Despite the threat of being jailed Tuesday, a West Boynton mother hid with her 4-year-old son in a domestic violence shelter, the latest twist in … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., In the news, Sexism hurts men | 12 Comments