Blogroll

Yes, people, the Constitution protects wackos too

Although it tends to be overused and misattributed, the summary of Voltaire’s thoughts on free speech — “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” — epitomizes my views of the First Amendment. More important, that view was reinforced by the U.S. Supreme Court today […]

Is violence the legal equivalent of obscenity?

Whether violence is a functional equivalent of obscenity may be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Yesterday, the Court agreed to rule on the constitutionality of a California law banning the sale or rental of violent video games to minors, a law predicated in part on the Court’s obscenity jurisprudence.

The California statute defines a […]

Them thar are fighting nasty words!

So you’re among people streaming out of the bars at closing time on Labor Day weekend and, being a considerate and insightful person, decide it’s a prime opportunity to yell obscenities at the cops driving by. Perhaps not the wisest idea in the world but you might simply be exercising your First Amendment rights. At […]

Scott v. Beck Round 2

I’m not going to go into any detail or comment much on the latest decision rejecting the Argus Leader‘s efforts to dismiss Dan Scott’s libel suit against it and executive editor Randell Beck. (The opinion is available in PDF format here thanks to PP.) Suffice it to say that the written opinion reflects comments I […]

A marketplace beset by rot?

I know things have leaned too much toward the political here recently but my recent comment about the O.J. Simpson book and the marketplace of ideas and events transpiring since then got me in a philosophic mode. It’s something I’ve contemplated before but I am becoming more and more convinced that one of the political […]