Hillary Clinton Declares Support for Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United
At the first real stop on her campaign tour of Iowa, Hillary Clinton announced support for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.
Tag: free speech
Turkish Court Fines Opposition Leader for Insults Against Erdoğan
Turkish officials resumed the crackdowns on free speech after a court fined the country’s opposition leader for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Victim-Blaming: Garry Trudeau Blasts Charlie Hebdo’s ‘Hate Speech’
Less than four months after Islamic fanatics stormed the Paris offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and butchered 12, while accepting the George Polk career award Friday, left-wing cartoonist Garry Trudeau blasted the dead with the claim that they had “wandered into the realm of hate speech.”
Texas Man Faces Jail at High Noon: Refuses to Surrender Facebook Password to Bankruptcy Judge
HOUSTON, Texas — A Katy, Texas, man told Breitbart Texas that he is willing to go to jail rather than concede to a violation of his First Amendment speech rights and his property rights. He is facing contempt if he does not turn over his Facebook password to a federal judge in Houston, Texas by noon, Wednesday, April 8th. Jeremy Alcede says former business owners who took the business over in a hostile takeover, are trying to silence his comments about what has happened as a result of the takeover.
Poll: One in Four Russians Thinks Putin Jokes Should Be ‘Off-Limits’
A full quarter of Russian respondents to a poll by state-run pollster VTsIOM answered that jokes about President Vladimir Putin should be off-limits to comedians. 79 percent said religious jokes are inappropriate, with more than half answering the same for war and terrorism.
No, Thuggery and Threats Of Violence Are Not ‘The Market At Work’
Are any of you “social justice warriors” planning to explain yourselves to the hard-working innocent employees you’re trying to send to the unemployment line, all because of something the owner of the restaurant said – not even something the business did?
SCOTUS May Consider Cinco de Mayo US Flag Case UPDATE: Denied
The U.S. Supreme Court, prompted by the May 5, 2010 incident at Live Oak High School near San Jose where several students were punished after they wore shirts emblazoned with the American flag on Cinco de Mayo, may institute new standards for free speech.
Not-So-Free Speech: Street Preacher Fined for Quoting the Bible, Told to Use Alternative Verses
A Christian street preacher has been found guilty of using “threatening” language for quoting the Bible on the streets of Taunton, Somerset. The presiding judge advised Mike Overd, a former paratrooper, on which Bible verses he was and was not
The AFDI Draw Muhammad Contest: Announcing the People’s Choice Award
In light of the huge number of submissions of Muhammad cartoons that we have received, we have decided to give a second prize: the People’s Choice Award.
US Supreme Court Hearing Texas Case Involving State Rejection of Confederate License Plates
The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Monday, March 23rd, in a case deciding whether the State of Texas acted unconstitutionally in disallowing the sale of a license plate displaying the Confederate Flag. The Texas Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) argue that the free speech rights of their members have been violated by the rejection of their 2009 application for the license plate. The license plate bears the Confederate flag and the words “Sons of Confederate Veterans 1896.”
Texas Rep. Villalba Deletes Angry Tweets and Facebook Page Amid Backlash
One Texas legislator seems to be finding criticism over a bill he filed too much to take, lashing out at critics on Twitter, then deleting some of his most intemperate remarks, as well as deleting critical comments from his Facebook page before finally taking down the page altogether.
Backlash Grows Against Texas Rep. Villalba’s Bill Criminalizing Bloggers Filming Cops
AUSTIN, Texas — State Representative Jason Villalba (R-Dallas) is pushing back against critics of a bill he filed that would make it a crime for bloggers and independent journalists to film or photograph police officers. After the bill, HB 2918, was filed, it was the target of criticism from both the right and the left. Villalba has conceded he will make some amendments, but has continued to aggressively defend the bill. This week, the bill was referred to a committee and set for public hearing on March 26.
New Zealander Sentenced to Prison for Bar Ad with Picture of Buddha Wearing Headphones
Freedom of speech and expression have come under scrutiny with a vengeance recently. In Burma (Myanmar), it was taken to a whole new level when a bar manager from New Zealand and his two Burmese colleagues were sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison–with hard labor—for posting an image on social media of a Buddha wearing headphones, in an attempt to promote unlimited frozen margaritas.
Tiny Doo Freed in SD: Hip-Hop, Free Speech Victory
San Diego rapper Tiny Doo’s release from all charges related to the alleged role of his lyrics in nine shootings between May 2013 and February 2014 is being hailed as a win for speech freedoms.
Cartoonist Lars Vilks Wins Prize For Courage From Danish Free Press Society
Each year, the Free Press Society of Denmark gives out the Sappho Award — a prize for courage in the advocacy of free speech, named after the Greek poet who serves as the Society’s icon. This year’s winner is cartoonist Lars Vilks, who has been dealing with death threats from Muslims in Europe ever since drawing a dog with Mohammed’s head in 2007.
Facebook Plans to Crack Down on ‘Hate Speech’ Directed at Unspecified ‘Protected Groups’
That bit about suppressing content based on complaints from various governments is where the business of content restriction gets stuck, especially when it comes to “hate speech.”
Texas Rep. Villalba Files Bill That Criminalizes Bloggers, Citizens Filming Cops
Texas State Representative Jason Villalba (R-Texas) has found himself at the center of controversy after filing a bill that would make it a crime for bloggers and independent journalists — as well as regular citizens — to film police officers. Despite the backlash from free speech advocates, Villalba is insisting that his bill “does not infringe on constitutional rights” or “limit liberty in any way.”
Federal Court Rules Against Missouri Ban on ‘Profane’ Speech Near Houses of Worship
On Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled against Missouri’s House of Worship Protection Act on First Amendment grounds, as reported by Eugene Volokh at the The Washington Post.
Turkey Blocks 68,000 ‘Blasphemous’ Websites, Including Charlie Hebdo
The government of Turkey has banned French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s website from being accessed anywhere in the country along with a total of blocked websites in the tens of thousands.
American Jailed In UAE For ‘Cyber Slander Against Islam’ on Facebook
The Tampa Tribune brings us the amazing and outrageous story of local helicopter mechanic Ryan Pate, who worked as a contractor for a company called Global Aerospace Logistics, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates. Pat was arrested in the UAE for an offending Facebook post.
‘Charlie Hebdo’ Returns with First Regular Post-Massacre Issue
The best-selling issue of Charlie Hebdo that drew much attention—not all of it flattering—for a cover cartoon of (presumably) Mohammed holding up a “Je Suis Charlie” sign was a special edition of the magazine. Its first regular issue since the massacre of its editors and staff by Islamist gunmen is due on Wednesday.
‘White’ and ‘Power’ Signs Under Investigation by Texas School Officials
It started as an image that captured two words — “White” and “Power” — on signs held up by two fans at a Dallas suburban high school basketball game. Now it has sparked a social media firestorm complete with accusations of
Michael Quinn Sullivan Wins
A Denton County judge has tossed out a ruling by the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) against Empower Texans President Michael Quinn Sullivan that claimed that Sullivan had improperly failed to register as a lobbyist. The court not only rejected the TEC’s attempt to transfer the case back to Travis County, but then later ruled that the entire case was to be thrown out.
Human Rights Group: Journalists Targeted ‘With Impunity’ in Post-Gaddafi Libya
Journalists in post-Gaddafi Libya are being threatened and even murdered “with impunity” for doing their job, according to a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Twitter: Turkish Government Led Content Removal Requests
The social media website Twitter published a report on Monday that showed Turkey and Russia submitted the most frequent content removal requests of any state.
