Freedom of Speech

Accessorizing Hate

Sarah O'Leary | Posted 05.29.2012

Read More: Women's Rights, Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, Bias, Jesus, Non-Profits, Gays and Lesbians, United States, Love, Bigotry, Minorities, Civil Rights Movement, Hate Crimes, Intolerance, Southern Baptists, Kindness, Non-Profit-Tax-Status, Religious Tolerance, Civil Rights, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Christianity and Homosexuality, Murder, Politics, God, Hate Speech, Politics News

When we choose silence in the face of bigotry, we threaten the lifeblood of our Union. We've all experienced more than a few bigots in our lives. Th...

Read Post

Reclaiming 'Labels'

Adam Kissel | Posted 05.25.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Speech Derogatory Words, Public College Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Speech College, Slurs, Stereotypes, College News

Many are aware of a controversial part of The Vagina Monologues in which the audience is encouraged to "reclaim" a certain slur. Unfortunately, the idea of using derogatory words to draw attention to their effects in society has met roadblocks at two universities lately.

Read Post

NY Bill Would Eliminate Anonymous Online Comments

Posted 05.23.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, First Amendment, Cyberbullying, Assemblyman Dean Murray, Ny News, Anonymous Online Comments, Intnernet Protection Act, Internet Protection Act New York, New York News, Senator Thomas O'Mara, New York News

A new bill in Albany has its sights set on anonymous internet trolls. The Internet Protection Act would require sites to have online commenters identi...

Read Whole Story

What Do Corporations Want?

William Astore | Posted 05.22.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Supreme Court, Campaign 2012, James Caan, Corporations, Mitt Romney, John Houseman, Rollerball, Citizens United, Culture News

Americans admire plucky individuals, those who cry "Give me liberty or give me death." But how much liberty do we truly have when we cede so much power to corporations?

Read Post

Authoritarian Art

Eric X. Li | Posted 05.22.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Art Basel, Art, Hong Kong, Globalization, Democracy, Hong Kong International Art Fair, China, Art Miami, Culture, World News

As things slow down in Basel and Miami, leading galleries, dealers, collectors and artists who congregate here are setting the art world of the People's Republic abuzz. It seems to be only an interim culmination of a 20-year trend that shows no sign of slowing.

Read Post

A New Spin on Freedom of Speech

Sharon Mizrahi | Posted 05.21.2012

Read More: Hive-Learning-Network, Freedom of Speech, First Amendment Rights, Hive Nyc First Amendment Hack Jam, Video, Teen News

By the end of the Hack Jam, youth and mentors alike carried a newfound understanding of the scope and power of freedom of speech.

Read Post

Georgetown Should Honor Its Commitment to Free Speech

Adam Kissel | Posted 05.17.2012

Read More: Religious Freedom, Catholic Church, Freedom of Speech, Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Contraception, Georgetown University, College News

What does Georgetown really stand for? Georgetown's continuing attempt to have it both ways when it comes to respecting freedom of expression can only earn it more bad press.

Read Post

What Is The Meaning Of Art? A Master Of Arte Povera Gives The Answer

Simona Lodi | Posted 05.16.2012

Piero Gilardi anticipated later movements, in seeing the aesthetic value of shared space and collaboration -- a value underpinning the open-source, Internet-based nature of tech-art today.

Read Post

Thai Censorship Case Verdict Delayed

AP | THANYARAT DOKSONE | Posted 04.30.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Thai Censorship, Thailand, Prachatai, Thai Media, Chiranuch Premchaiporn, Thailand Royalty, Jiew, Thailand Human Rights, Thailand Media, Thailand Censorship, Lese Majeste, Video, World News

BANGKOK -- A Thai judge postponed a verdict that had been expected Monday for a webmaster accused of failing to act quickly enough to remove Internet ...

Read Whole Story

Honoring W.E.B. Du Bois 2012

Dr. Tukufu Zuberi | Posted 04.24.2012

Read More: Howard Winant, African, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, Du Bois, WEB Du Bois, Lewis Gordon, Robert Vitalis, Speech, Quincy Stewart, Elijah Anderson, Musical Tribute, Africa Sociology, Aldon Morris, Tukufu Zuberi, Reiland Rabaka, Harvard, Documentary, Video, Afro American, Pan Africanism, History, Africa, Installation, Stephanie Evans, Educational, Lawrence Bobo, Kenneth Shropshire, Vivian Gadsden, Gwendolyn Du Bois Shaw, Clark Atlanta, Film, Conference, Temple, Yale, Freedom of Speech, February 17 2012, University of California, Mary Pattillo, Camille Charles, University of Pennsylvania, Terry Adkins, Public Intellectual, Northwestern, Scholar, Sociology, Poetic Tribute, Black History, Africana, Honorary, Black Voices News

The Board of Trustees at the University of Pennsylvania appointed Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois Honorary Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies on February 17th 2012. This short video captures the day's activities.

Read Post

If a Nobel Laureate Can't Speak Out, Who Can?

Christina Patterson | Posted 04.12.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Anti-Semitism, Iran, Gunter Grass, Nuclear Weapons, Israel, Gunter Grass Israel, Gunter Grass Poem, World News

Günter Grass may or may not be right to say, in his poem, that Israel's nuclear weapons are a threat to world peace. But he's right to say that the West's attitude to Israel, and its nuclear arsenal, involves an awful lot of hypocrisy.

Read Post

How Far Do First Amendment Rights Go?

Aubree Eliza Weaver | Posted 04.11.2012

Read More: First Amendment, Marines, Facebook, Gary Stein, Constitutional Rights, President, First Amendment Rights, US Navy, Freedom of Speech, US Marines, Barack Obama, Armed Forces, Tea Party Facebook Group, Obama Administration, Tea Party, US Army, College News

How are First Amendment rights different for people serving our country? Now, hear me out when I say that I'm rather torn on this issue.

Read Post

Iran Plans To Unplug Internet, Launch 'Clean' Alternative

arstechnica.com | Posted 04.10.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Internet, Iran, Internet Freedom, Middle East, Online Freedom, World News

Iran topped a recent list of repressive regimes that most aggressively restrict Internet freedom. The list, published by Reporters Without Borders, is...

Read Whole Story

Reevaluating Ownership

Jennifer Hamady | Posted 04.09.2012

Read More: Literature, Perfectly Smooth, Legal Rights, Music, Accessible, Conversational Language, Government, Freedom of Speech, Sean Combs, Creative License, Illegal Downloading, Technology, Mac Computers, Cosmetic Surgery, Language Rights, Brands, Creativity, Ipods, Washington DC, Free, Trademark Law, Creative Freedom, Facebook, Downloading, Ownership, Iphones, Service Mark, Ipads, Art, Original, Language, Inspiration, Napster, Margarita, Freedom of Expression, Branding, Copyright Law, Legal System, Imaginative, Inspire, Small Business News

Trademarks are becoming as common as commas, yet with a far greater impact than overused punctuation. While the legal lockdown of conversational language is progressing, the copyright law and rights are being thoroughly challenged.

Read Post

Student Expelled For Profane Tweet Thrust Into Free-Speech Debate

AP | CHARLES WILSON | Posted 04.03.2012

Read More: First Amendment, Twitter, Student Tweet, Austin Carroll Tweet, Indiana Student Tweet, Garrett High School, Free Speech, Student Expelled for Tweet, Student Expelled, Austin Carroll, Indiana Schools, Freedom of Speech, Indiana High School, Social Media, Video, Center for Democracy and Technology, Social Media in Schools, Student Twitter, Education News

INDIANAPOLIS -- Austin Carroll was fighting insomnia when the Indiana teenager turned to Twitter for relief and casually dropped the F-word multiple t...

Read Whole Story

Anti-Protest Law Passes Nearly Unanimously And Is Signed By The President

Lee Camp | Posted 05.14.2012

Read More: Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech, H.R. 347, Congress, Ron Paul, Protest, Anti-Occupy Bill, Anti-Protest Law, First Amendment, Obama, Occupy, Anti-Occupy Law, Politics News

So I have some great news folks! The Republicans and the Democrats in Congress and the White House finally came together and agreed on something. This is huge. These guys disagree on EVERYTHING! Getting them getting Eskimos and polar bears to play Jenga.

Read Post

Rush Limbaugh's Words Too Offensive For Dept. Of Defense

M.S. Bellows, Jr. | Posted 05.06.2012

Read More: Slut, Pentagon, Rush Limbaugh, Department of Defense, American Forces Network, Armed Forces Radio, Sandra Fluke, Douglas B. Wilson, Prostitute, offthebus2012, Offthebus, Freedom of Speech, Politics News

My email was rejected by the Pentagon's email server. Why? Because it contained "Banned Words," the same words uttered by Rush Limbaugh -- on the American Forces Radio & Television Network.

Read Post

WATCH: Speech-Silencing Gun Puts Loudmouths In Cross-Hairs

Posted 03.05.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Speech Blocking Gun, Video, Arab Spring, Riot Control, Protest, Occupy Wall Street, Speech Gun, Speech Jammer, Speech Jamming Gun, Science News

Scientists have come up with device for silencing speech, but the hand-held "Speechjammer" has people talking up a storm. The scientists--from Japan's...

Read Whole Story

Censorship Returns to Pakistan

Malik Siraj Akbar | Posted 04.29.2012

Read More: Dana Rohrabacher, Freedom of Speech, Balochistan-Congressional-Hearing, Pakistan, Malik Siraj Akbar, Balochistan, Balochistan Conflict, Press Freedom, World News

The future of a stable and democratic Pakistan largely hinges upon a free and fair press.

Read Post

Criminalizing Lies -- An Unusual Free Speech Case in Supreme Court

Bennett L. Gershman | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Congressional Medal of Honor, Free Speech, Freedom of Speech, Politician Military Records, Stolen Valor Act, First Amendment, Military Records, Military Service, Politics News

Congress passed the Stolen Valor Act to protect the reputation of military decorations and honors from false pretenders. Such false representations dishonor the decorations themselves, and diminish the reputation.

Read Post

New Springsteen Exhibit Opens On Friday

AP | Posted 04.16.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, David Eisner, National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Art Exhibitions, Bruce Springstein, Bruce Springsteen, Arts News

PHILADELPHIA — It's like the promised land for Bruce Springsteen fans at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The Boss' guitars, h...

Read Whole Story

Reacting to Reactionary Muslims

Jalees Rehman, M.D. | Posted 04.12.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Social Media, Islam, Religion News, Religion, Muslim, Human Rights, Twitter, Conservatives, Saudi, Internet Censorship, Censorship, Kashgari, Religion News

There are a number of Muslims in Muslim countries who may be willing to oppose the reactionary-conservative movements, but they need additional support, both from within Muslim countries as well as from outside.

Read Post

In Year of Uprisings, Reporters Brave Crackdowns from Wall St. to Tahrir Square

Michelle Chen | Posted 04.11.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Egypt Protests, Reporters Without Borders, Social Media, Corporate Media, Free Speech, Tahrir Square, Protest, Occupy Wall Street, Reporters, Media, #Occupywallstreet, Journalism, Occupy Movement, Blogging, Syria, Media News

You wouldn't think handling a notebook or a camera could be a hazardous line of work. But according to the latest global Press Freedom Index, abuse and oppression of reporters has made journalism an increasingly risky job in many countries.

Read Post

How New Zealand's Petty Politics Undermines Stability and Security in the Pacific

Cleo Paskal | Posted 04.10.2012

Read More: Freedom of Speech, Arab League, South Pacific, Tonga, China, Barack Obama, New Zealand, World News

It seems like a small story -- local politics in an island nation at the edge of the map. But it is typical of the sort of dynamics that are seriously undermining western security in a critical period.

Read Post

Is Outkast's Big Boi A Pirate? How Twitter Cracks Down On Copyright Violations

HuffingtonPost.com | Saki Knafo | Posted 02.09.2012

In early June, about three weeks before Beyonce's latest album came out, one of her songs, a collaboration with the rapper Andre 3000, made its way to...

Read Whole Story