Biased, wish-fulfilling, partisan, badly supported news stories abound. (I'm going to try to avoid the f--e n--s term, even ironically.) Has it always been thus? Maybe. But it's never too late to try to improve yourself. Moreover, with a highly controversial and divisive President, such stories will probably multiply. We'll be faced, daily, with more news that tells us what we want or expect to hear, that endorses our dim view of the political and social figures we don't like. Critical … [Read More...]
The Latest Defamation Case Against Donald Trump, and the "Trump Defense"
The latest defamation suit against Donald Trump has emerged. Summer Zervos, recently famed for her accusation that Trump sexually assaulted her in 2007, filed suit against Trump in state court in New York, accusing Trump of defaming her in the course of denying her accusations. The suit follows a recent trend in cases against public[Read More…]
Legalize Child Porn?
We should be worried about the Adverse Secondary Effects of making child porn illegal. A few days ago, I brought you this post about a cop who got busted for filming the perfectly legal (in Texas) act of having sex with a dog. In it, I hinted that he also got tapped for possession of[Read More…]
The Selma March In Some Rare Photos, And The Obligation To Speak
Alfred M. Loeb was a dedicated and skilled photographer interested in justice. More than a half-century ago he participated in the legendary march from Selma to Montgomery, taking pictures all the way. His daughter, my friend Judith Loeb Whitaker, shared the photos, which I think are not nearly as widely published as they deserve. They[Read More…]
Screw your dog, just don't film it!
Texas puts the "best" in bestiality! A cop got arrested for fucking a dog. Hilarity ensues. (source) And, who could sympathize with this cop? He was fucking a dog, after all. Well, that's the thing about seeing someone prosecuted — you shouldn't think about whether you sympathize with them. You shouldn't think about "what happens[Read More…]
Donald Trump's Golden Opportunity
Donald Trump infamously said he was going to "open up the libel laws." First Amendment loving people pushed back — even a lot of Trump supporters, or at least people who are not suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. See, e.g., Is the First Amendment Safe from Donald Trump? We don't need to make it easier[Read More…]
"Clock Boy" Gets His Clock Cleaned with Texas' Anti-SLAPP Statute
More than a year ago Ahmed Mohamed — later derisively known as "Clock Boy" — had a run-in with Texas school administrators and law enforcement. Your preconceptions may have driven your reaction. Was he a victim of insipid if-you-see-something-say-something culture, as my preconceptions suggested? Or was he part of a public relations stunt designed to[Read More…]
In a Crowded Field, University of Oregon Distinguishes Itself At Unprincipled and Lawless Censorship
The University of Oregon, a public institution, does not see itself as meaningfully bound by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, nor by any civic obligation to offer a minimally rational or persuasive explanation for why it is not bound. That cavalier attitude specially applies to the School of Law, an academy nominally[Read More…]
Popehat's 2016 Censorious Asshat of the Year: The City of Parma Police Department
The votes are in! At 1176 votes — an overwhelming 49.49% of all votes cast — Popehat's 2016 Censorious Asshat of the Year is the City of Parma Police Department, which I profiled in April 2016. Congratulations! Sort of. How did the police of a modest Ohio town beat out luminaries like Donald Trump and[Read More…]
There's A Pony Born Every Minute
Juda Parker 9:23 AM (22 hours ago) to me Hi There, I've been trying to get in touch with somebody in regards to learning about your site's advertising strategy – specifically how you're set up monetizing your site. My name is Juda and I work for Sovrn Holdings, which is a premium ad exchange that[Read More…]
Criticizing An Adverse Witness — Free Speech or "Retaliation"?
If you trash-talk a business and the owner sues you, the legal path is clear. You're protected by the First Amendment, indolent bloggers may write to support you, luminaries like Paul Alan Levy may get all up in your grill, and legislatures may pass laws to protect you. But what are your rights if you're[Read More…]