FREE WHITEWATER

Freedom of Speech

Lament of the Chicken Littles

There are lot of people who are very sure that protests in Madison are proof of a disordered society. They’re quick to wail and cry that the sky is falling, and that these protests are the end of Polite and Civilized Society as Understood by Polite and Civilized People. They sky’s not falling; society’s doing…

Institute for Justice Fights to Unleash Free Speech

It’s not too much to ask that American business people — like all other citizens — should be allowed the rights of a free people. Unfortunately, not every local official understands or respects those rights. Consider the illegitimate and unconstitutional restrictions that Arlington, Virginia wants to place on Kim Houghton’s liberty. The Institute for Justice…

Update: U.S. Supreme Court Considers Whether to Hear Institute for Justice’s Challenge to Arizona’s “Clean Elections”

Great news — The U.S. Supreme Court had decided to hear a challenge to Arizona’s supposedly “clean,” but actually speech-inhibiting, elections law. See, Supreme Court to Review Arizona Campaign Finance Law. Here’s a FW post from November on the challenge — Think that “clean” elections laws keep elections, well, fair and clean? You might be…

Shafer — In Defense of Inflamed Rhetoric

Indeed — Only the tiniest handful of people—most of whom are already behind bars, in psychiatric institutions, or on psycho-meds—can be driven to kill by political whispers or shouts. Asking us to forever hold our tongues lest we awake their deeper demons infantilizes and neuters us and makes politicians no safer. See, The awesome stupidity of…

“Yes, Virginia – You can say ‘Merry Christmas’ “

There’s a fine, speech-defending column at the Chicago Tribune from Jamie Katz on saying “Merry Christmas.” Here’s part of it: ….It’s all right to say Merry Christmas. In fact, it’s lovely. I happen to be Jewish. And I’ve lived most of my life in New York City, where, on the whole, contrary to rumor, people…

‘Cheerleader’ Joe McCarthy

Sen. Joe McCarthy, a great embarrassment to Wisconsin, was known as ‘Tailgunner’ Joe. To my knowledge, no one called that witch-hunter ‘Cheerleader’ Joe McCarthy. And yet, the space between a supposedly positive ‘cheerleader’ and a witch-hunter in search of disloyalty isn’t a great distance. It was Rousseau, I think, who once remarked that many of…

U.S. Supreme Court Considers Whether to Hear IJ’s Challenge to Arizona’s “Clean Elections” Scheme

Think that ‘clean’ elections laws keep elections, well, fair and clean? You might be surprised. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering an Institute for Justice challenge to the fairness of Arizona’s supposedly clean election laws. Here’s a video from the IJ entitled, “The Dirty Game of AZ’s “Clean Elections.” Below the video, I have placed…

CNN Money: The Absurdity of Campaign Finance Reform

Nina Easton writes about so-called reform that’s both anti-speech, and deeply hypocritical: One narrative of election year 2010 was shaped long before any votes were tabulated. President Barack Obama penned the first chapter with his January condemnation of a Supreme Court ruling that lifted government prohibitions on spending by corporations in elections. The 5-to-4 decision…

Just Admit it, Newspapers: You’re Scared of Muslims – Reason Magazine

That’s about the size of it — As Radley Balko noted in yesterday’s Morning Links, the Washington Post and other newspapers pulled Wiley Millers syndicated “Non Sequitur” cartoon from their comics pages two Sundays back, because Miller pulled a familiar-to-Reason-readers “Where’s Waldo?” gag with the Prophet Muhammad…. On the other hand, maybe comparisons or references…