In the main I agree but if one is a true
free speech advocate one must defend the
right of others to speak their minds
despite the abhorrent message.
Ref: ACLU defending the Klu Klux Klan
right to free speech.
However shouting "fire" in a movie theater
is not protected. Having made that distinction I
wonder aloud...
not having visited the site because it
offends my personal beliefs, but I am curious
if the murder threat is implied or simply
extrapolated from innuendo or site detractors???
also wondering if the ACLU was approached
for their help by the site's authors???
> yes...your completely right....
> im not a book burner.....but free speech doesnt advocate murdering
> others....
> > > CREATORS OF ANTI-ABORTION WEB SITE TOLD TO PAY MILLIONS
> > > Issue: Free Speech
> > > A federal jury has ruled that Planned Parenthood and a group of doctors
> > > should receive more than $107 million from 14 militant anti-abortion
> > > activists.
> >
> > This is great news -- and before someone jumps down my throat, please
> > note *carefully* that I am not expressing an opinion about the topic
> > of abortion here.
> >
> > I am, however, going to express an opinion about the subject of this
> > ruling, which has nothing to with abortion, and everything to do with
> > the distinction between speech and conduct, and with constitutionally-valid
> > imposed limits on speech (e.g. the old "fire-in-a-crowded-theater" argument).
> >
> > I think both factors are at work here. It's very clear from the content
> > of these sites [I'm aware of two; don't know if either or both are covered
> > in this ligitation] that the intent is to pose overt and implied threats to
> > physicians and their families, and to encourage and support aggressive
> > conduct (including criminal conduct) against them. This intent is made
> > unambiguously and undeniably clear by the materials on the sites themselves,
> > by the public statements of their creators, and by their endorsement of
> > acts (including violent acts) directed against the subjects of these materials.
> >
> > This is unacceptable.
> >
> > Moreoever, it's unnecessary: it's unnecessary to exceed the (wide) bounds
> > of the First Amendment in order to effectively lobby and organize in
> > support of political/social/religious/etc. causes.
> >
> > And beyond that, it's counter-productive: threatening members of one's
> > audience or acquaintances/relatives/supporters/etc. of one's audience
> > is not an effective communication technique. It's far more likely to
> > polarize the audience (at least that segment of it which is equipped
> > with spines) *against* the speaker's message.
> >
> > Bluntly, I'm surprised the defendants were this stupid; but given
> > just how stupid they were, I think $107M is appropriate. Given that
> > figure, my guess is that this will be appealled and that we can eventually
> > expect a Supreme Court ruling on it.
> >
> > (I'm pretty much in favor of the Stupidity Penalty on a global basis...
> > otherwise known as "Hey! You! Out of the gene pool!")
> >
> > It will be interesting to see -- once that ruling is made, *if* it's made --
> > what effect that has on similar web sites run by other groups or individuals
> > which contain similar content.
> >
> > ---Rsk
> > Rich Kulawiec
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
P.A. Gantt, Computer Science Technology Instructor
Electronic Media Design and Support Homepage
http://user.icx.net/~pgantt/
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Subject=etech
http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/vision/1998-11.asp
Common sense is not common, and conventional wisdom is not
wisdom. But at least you can have conventional sense. ~~ Daily Whale
____________________________________________________________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Join The NEW Web Consultants Association FORUMS and CHAT:
Register Today at: http://just4u.com/forums/
Web Consultants Web Site : http://just4u.com/webconsultants
Give the Gift of Life This Year...
Just4U Stop Smoking Support forum - helping smokers for
over three years-tell a friend: http://just4u.com/forums/
To get 500 Banner Ads for FREE
go to http://www.linkbuddies.com/start.go?id=111261
---------------------------------------------------------------------
