Civil Liberties

On-the-Spot License Suspension

By Carroll Andrew Morse | July 25, 2007 |

Utilitarian or libertarian? Choose your side, with respect to this Bruce Landis article in today’s

Reporter Banned from a National Press Club/Council on American Islamic Relations Event

By Carroll Andrew Morse | July 19, 2007 |

This report from Fox News seems worthy of a raised eyebrow or two… The Council on American Islamic Relations held a symposium at the National Press Club in Washington Tuesday. The Washington Times reports CAIR National Board Chairman Parvez Ahmed characterized Bush administration policies as driven by fear, and is irrational and divisive. All this…

Reverend Barry Lynn Defends the Censorship of Religious Newspapers

By Carroll Andrew Morse | July 2, 2007 |

In a letter to the editor in Saturday’s Projo, Reverend Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, defended his organization’s position in favor of government censorship of print media. Americans United has filed an IRS complaint against the Diocese of Providence for publishing Bishop Thomas Tobin’s criticism of Rudolph…

Americans United for Suppressing Religious Speech

By Carroll Andrew Morse | June 14, 2007 |

According to a Mike McKinney entry on yesterday’s 7-to-7 blog, a group called Americans United for Separation of Church and State has called for an Internal Revenue Service investigation of the Diocese of Providence because of Bishop Thomas Tobin’s letter published in the Rhode Island Catholic criticizing Republican Presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani’s position on the…

URI Student Senate to College Republicans: You Are Free to Express Any Opinion (That We Approve Of), In Any Manner (That We Approve Of)

By Carroll Andrew Morse | April 19, 2007 |

One of these things is not like the others… 1647: Rhode Island adopts its first code of laws. In stark contrast to codes enacted in colonies like Maryland or Massachusetts around the same time, the code imposes no penalties for “blasphemy” or uttering “any reproachful words or speeches”. One of these things just doesn’t belong……

Post Office Sides with Time Warner Against Free Speech

By Marc Comtois | April 18, 2007 |

Whether you’re left, right or independent, PAY ATTENTION: Earlier this year, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) rejected a postal rate increase plan offered by the U.S. Postal Service. Instead they opted to implement a complicated plan submitted by media giant Time Warner. (Click here for a timeline) Under the original plan, all publishers would have…

In Allentown, Not So Crazy About Card Checks

By Marc Comtois | March 6, 2007 |

Well we’re waiting here in Allentown For the Pennsylvania we never found For the promises our teachers gave If we worked hard If we behaved So the graduations hang on the wall But they never really helped us at all No they never taught us what was real Iron and coal Chromium Steel And we’re…

’60’s Era Campus Free Speechniks: Fought the Old Boss, became the New Boss

By Marc Comtois | February 22, 2007 |

What happens when young co-eds “fight the power” and win a loosening of on-campus speech codes? Why, they seek to reimpose them when they become “the power.” As Greg Lukianoff and Will Creeley of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) explain in a campus free speech expose in today’s Providence Phoenix (Via N4N):…

Remembering Dr. King

By Marc Comtois | January 15, 2007 |

In remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., take some time to read his “I Have a Dream” speech. Also, there are quite a few pieces extolling the inherent conservatism (and Republicanism) of Dr. King. For instance, the Heritage Foundation held a lecture in 1993 concerning “The Conservative Virtues of Dr. Martin Luther King” and…

Habeas Provisions of the Military Commissions Act Upheld, But Narrowly

By Carroll Andrew Morse | December 14, 2006 |

Judge James Robertson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (a Clinton appointee, for those keeping score at home) has upheld the section of the Military Commissions Act relating to the Habeas Corpus rights of foreign nationals held as unlawful enemy combatants by the government of the United States, at least in…