first-amendment

Connecticut Prisoners Protesting 'Unfair' Porn Ban

Lauri Apple · 10/09/11 06:09PM

Dissent is in the air in America! Even behind bars, the people are rising up against oppression. In Connecticut, prisoners have begun a letter-writing campaign to defend their right to own "pictorial depictions of sexual activity or nudity," otherwise known as Pornographic Magazines. Letters today! Hunger strikes tomorrow!

Woman Forced to Remove Pothead T-Shirt at Pothead's Concert

Lauri Apple · 09/18/11 05:46PM

A Nebraska Cannabis Coalition activist who was attending Willie Nelson's concert at the Nebraska State Fair was told by state troopers that she couldn't wear her "Don't Panic, It's Organic" t-shirt because of a vague "fair policy" that doesn't even prohibit pot-themed t-shirts. Or pot-themed musicians, apparently!

Coffee Shop's Stupid Lawsuit Against the New York Times Tossed

Lauri Apple · 08/13/11 01:28PM

A judge has thrown out a defamation lawsuit filed by "Brooklyn-born and bred" coffee shop Gorilla Coffee against the New York Times—upholding the paper's right to report on mean things that people say about each other during disputes. Kind of an important part of a newspaper's job, if you think about it.

Is the Westboro Baptist Church Protected by the First Amendment?

TPM · 10/07/10 06:15PM

There's almost universal agreement that the tactics and message used by parishioners of the small, fringe Westboro Baptist Church are despicable. Does that make their provocative protests near the funerals of dead U.S. soldiers — under the theory that God is punishing the country because it tolerates gay and lesbian Americans — unconstitutional?

Sarah Palin Doesn't Understand the First Amendment

Max Read · 08/19/10 01:09AM

Did you know that the First Amendment gives every American the right to a nationally-syndicated radio show? I sure didn't! But I learned that it's true on Wednesday, when former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin told me.

Floyd Abrams' Spurious First Amendment Excuse for S&P

John Cook · 06/02/09 11:50AM

Floyd Abrams is a lion and the First Amendment is his precious cub. If you come near it, he will maul you. Which is usually a good thing, but now he's shilling for the great unsung villains of the economic collapse: credit rating agencies. He thinks they have rights!

Court Victory for Dunne, Reckless Speculation Everywhere

Pareene · 07/09/08 10:39AM

Fantastic news, America-our constitutional right to repeatedly call a man a murderer has been upheld! Former congressmen Gary Condit, who allegedly caused 9/11 (j/k Gary!) sued Vanity Fair scribe Dominick Dunne for defamation, because Dunne kept claiming he knew that Condit knew stuff he wasn't telling about the murder of former Condit intern/paramour Chandra Levy (which Condit is totally responsible for, allegedly). Dunne went on the tee-vee and said "I think he knows more about what did happen than he has ever said," so the judge dismissed the suit becuz "I think" means it was a constitutionally protected statement of opinion, not assertion of fact. Or, as the judge put it, "Dunne does not suggest that his opinion statements are based on any additional facts not known to the public." This is terrible news for everyone, as now we all actually do have to be careful to use those stupid weasel words. Like "allegedly"!