Below The Beltway

I believe in the free speech that liberals used to believe in, the economic freedom that conservatives used to believe in, and the personal freedom that America used to believe in.

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Archive for the 'Freedom of Speech' Category

Happy Birthday, Mr. Jefferson

by @ Sunday, April 13th, 2008. Filed under Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, History, Individual Liberty

America’s Third President was born 265 years ago today.
Since there isn’t anything to write about Jefferson that hasn’t already been said, it seems appropriate to let his words speak for themselves from the text of the two written documents that he was most proud of throughout his life.
First, from the Virginia Statute For Religious Freedom:
[...]

From Our Stupid Lawsuit Department

by @ Thursday, April 3rd, 2008. Filed under Dumbasses, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty, Legal

A high school student in California is suing his teacher for making allegedly “anti-Christian” remarks:
A student and his family have filed a federal lawsuit demanding that a popular European history teacher at California’s Capistrano Valley High School be fired for what they say were anti-Christian remarks he made in the classroom.
Chad Farnan, a 16-year-old sophomore, [...]

Australia Strikes A Blow Against Freedom

by @ Monday, December 31st, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty, Internet, Technology

The battle for internet freedom suffered another setback today when Australian leaders announced plans to make filtering mandatory for all internet feeds:
Telecommunications Minister Stephen Conroy says new measures are being put in place to provide greater protection to children from online pornography and violent websites.
Senator Conroy says it will be mandatory for all internet service [...]

More Stupid Lawsuits

by @ Thursday, November 8th, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Immigration, Individual Liberty

Chris Core, a morning host on WMAL in Washington is being sued by a Prince William County resident who wrote a column admitting that he hired day laborers:
A local newspaper columnist is suing radio host Chris Core over comments he made on his show in early October.
Woodbridge resident Gary Jacobsen said Core “falsely and maliciously” [...]

Thoughts On The Funeral Protestors Case

by @ Thursday, November 1st, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty

I put this entry up at The Liberty Papers last night.
I’m obviously in the minority on this one, but I think the jury got it 100% wrong.

The Islamic Saudi Academy And The First Amendment

by @ Thursday, October 18th, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty

Today’s Washington Post reports that a government agency is recommending that a private school funded in part of the Saudi Government be shut down:
McLEAN, Va. — A private Islamic school supported by the Saudi government should be shut down until the U.S. government can ensure the school is not fostering radical Islam, a federal panel [...]

Life, Liberty, And Lap Dances

by @ Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty, Right to Contract

Apparently, lap dances are protected speech, at least in Oregon:
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A Marion County judge has ruled that lap dances in Salem are protected by the free speech provisions of the Oregon Constitution.
Judge Albin Norblad’s ruling struck down a city ban on “prohibited touching” - sexually exciting physical contact for pay.
The case involves [...]

A Mixed Day for Liberty At The Supreme Court

by @ Monday, June 25th, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty, Legal, Supreme Court

I’ve written in more detail at The Liberty Papers about the major cases that came out of the Supreme Court today, but here’s a roundup.
In FEC v. Wisconsin Right To Life, the Court declared unconstitutional those provisions of the McCain-Feingold law that restrict advertising that specifically mentions a candidate for office 30 days before a [...]

Egypt Imprisons Blogger For Insulting Islam

by @ Thursday, February 22nd, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty

Yesterday, I wrote about the case of Abdel Kareem Nabil, a college student being held in an Egyptian prison after posting anti-government remarks on his personal blog. Today, an Egyptian judge sentenced him to four years in prison:
ALEXANDRIA, Egypt — An Egyptian blogger was convicted of insulting Islam and President Hosni Mubarak and sentenced to [...]

Arrested For The “Crime” Of Blogging

by @ Wednesday, February 21st, 2007. Filed under Freedom of Speech, Individual Liberty

Today’s Washington Post tells the story of a man sitting in a jail in Egypt for doing nothing more than dare to criticize a government institution on his blog:
A former college student, Abdelkareem Nabil Soliman, is sitting in an Egyptian prison, awaiting sentencing tomorrow. His alleged “crime”: expressing his opinions on a blog. [...]

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