Is there a place where hundreds of thousands have protested, packed their Capitol building, nearly a million later signing election petitions, without violence, at limited public costs, and without fraud? What spot of peace and honesty, integrity and democracy, is like that? Could there even be such a place, in all the world? There is.…
Freedom of Speech
Food, Freedom of Speech
Why Marilyn Hagerty was right to review an Olive Garden restaurant
by JOHN ADAMS •
Eighty-five year-old Grand Forks Herald columnist Marilyn Hagerty recently wrote a review of an Olive Garden restaurant that opened in her North Dakota town. Her review caught people’s notice, in cities across America. Established reviewers believe that one should not review a chain (and certainly not praise a restaurant chain, as Hagerty did). Some of…
Freedom of Speech, Law, Liberty
Know Your Rights: Photographers | American Civil Liberties Union
by JOHN ADAMS •
Here’s a link to photographer’s rights from the ACLU. These are the rights of citizens, rights (among so many others) that they have as citizens. The linked page includes information on (1) general rights, (2) what to do if one is stopped for taking lawful pictures, (3) special considerations for video recording, (4) taking photographs…
Foreign Affairs, Freedom of Speech, Laws/Regulations, Liberty
China’s President Pushes Back Against Western Culture
by JOHN ADAMS •
BEIJING — President of Hu Jintao of China has said that China must strengthen its cultural production to defend against the West’s assault on the country’s culture and ideology, according to an essay in a Communist Party policy magazine published this week. The publication of Mr. Hu’s words signaled that a new major policy initiative…
Freedom of Speech
New York Civil Liberties Union: Accommodate Christmas Prayer Vigil in Zuccotti Park
by JOHN ADAMS •
The NYCLU ( a chapter of the ACLU) is advocating on behalf of a group of religious Occupy protesters in New York. They’re right to do so. I have decidedly mixed feelings about the Occupy movement’s economic agenda, but speech like this in a park – whether political or religious – should be allowed in a…
Freedom of Speech, Law, Liberty, Politics
Teenage mayoral candidate to ignore cease and desist demand from Sheboygan’s Mayor Ryan
by JOHN ADAMS •
Good for him: Sheboygan teenager and potential recall mayoral candidate Asher Heimermann said he intends to ignore a cease and desist letter from Sheboygan Mayor Bob Ryan to take down a fake Twitter account claiming to be Ryan, saying the account complies with the social media websites rules for parody and does not rise to…
Freedom of Speech, Liberty, Politics
Time names ‘The Protester’ Person of the Year
by JOHN ADAMS •
A solid choice: ….In short, 2011 was unlike any year since 1989 — but more extraordinary, more global, more democratic, since in ’89 the regime disintegrations were all the results of a single disintegration at headquarters, one big switch pulled in Moscow that cut off the power throughout the system. So 2011 was unlike any…
Freedom of Speech
None needed: Teen Tweeter Won’t Apologize To Kansas Governor
by JOHN ADAMS •
I don’t support government funding for art any more than Brownback does, but as for tweeting, Sullivan owes neither Brownback nor her principal any apology. On the contrary, they owe her one for their wrongly intrusive, restrictive (and oddly creepy) concern with an eighteen-year-old citizen’s use of Twitter. A U.S. teenager who wrote a disparaging…
Freedom of Speech, Liberty, Police, Politics
The Misuse of Law Enforcement Against Peaceful Protesters
by JOHN ADAMS •
I may have my doubts about the Occupy movement’s platform (such as it is), but I’ve none about the aggressive use of law enforcement against peaceful protesters: that use is wrong, being both offensive and contrary to America’s political tradition. The Huffington Post offers up a video of excessive use of force against seated protesters…
City, Freedom of Speech, Politics, Recall, University, Wisconsin
On Occupy Whitewater, 11.17.11
by JOHN ADAMS •
There was an Occupy Whitewater protest and rally on November 17 through this morning. Some attended a protest yesterday, a GOP counter-demonstration, a talk with three Democratic politicians, or camped over. The photograph above is from the morning of the eighteenth, with tents from those sleeping overnight occupying Whitewater. As one could tell, from the…
Freedom of Speech, Liberty, Police, Politics
84-Year-Old Woman Becomes the Pepper-Sprayed Face of Occupy Seattle
by JOHN ADAMS •
Photo: Joshua Trujillo / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Worse than outrageous: Seattle photographer Joshua Trujillo captured what may become the defining image of this week of Occupy unrest — an elderly woman being led away from the mayhem, her face covered with pepper spray. A pregnant woman and a preist were also hit with pepper spray during a…
Freedom of Speech, New Media
The Simplicity of Blogging
by JOHN ADAMS •
The important dynamic for blogging is one that I tweeted about yesterday: write what you believe, and defend what you write. If one writes from conviction, and defends that writing (and the liberty to write), one has a good chance of making one’s way through good times and bad. (In the course of defending something,…
Freedom of Speech, Politics
Going to a Protest? Tips to Prepare Your Digital Camera
by JOHN ADAMS •
Freedom of Speech, Laws/Regulations, Liberty, Taxes/Taxation
Banned Books Week, 9.24 – 10.1
by JOHN ADAMS •
It’s Banned Books Week, from September 24th to October 1st: During the last week of September every year, hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2011 celebration of Banned Books Week will be held…