Australian court rules against freedom of the press

[martybegan]

Very chilling court decsion in Australia:

The Volokh Conspiracy » Illegal Article About Aborigines by Australian Journalist


The basics is that the court found the articles written by the journalist (the actual articles are at the bottom of the descion link) were somehow racist, and therefore could not be published anymore, and will now force the publishing paper to either post an voluntary apology, or be forced to place a notice of the judgement in thier paper.

Luckily our first amendment, properly intepreted through the courts, usually prevents this crap over here. However I am sure that there are those in the PC crowd that would love for this to reach our shores.

 

[whitehall]

Freedom of the press is covered in the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution. There is no 1st Amendment in any other country, therefore there is no guarantee of freedom of the press as we understand it. One more reason to appreciate the greatest Country in the world and one more reason to say who gives a damn if the fascists in Austrailia take over the media.

 

[martybegan]

Freedom of the press is covered in the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution. There is no 1st Amendment in any other country, therefore there is no guarantee of freedom of the press as we understand it. One more reason to appreciate the greatest Country in the world and one more reason to say who gives a damn if the fascists in Austrailia take over the media.

The reason to give a damn is that this is happening in a supposed modern western democracy. What you get is the same creeping statism that is happening in europe when it comes to other things, like health care, and taxation.

Someone over here looks approvingly at what is happening down under, and uses the o so convicing "logic" of "well, look at them? they are a democratic state, and THEY seem to be able to handle the issue of racism/sexism/sexualityism/whateverism. Why cant WE do something like that.

At that point all it takes is a PC statist legislature, a liberal court circuit, and poor timing with the supreme court roster, and BAM, the 1st amendment gets gutted like the 2nd is being gutted in some cities/states.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Someone over here looks approvingly at what is happening down under, and uses the o so convicing "logic" of "well, look at them? they are a democratic state, and THEY seem to be able to handle the issue of racism/sexism/sexualityism/whateverism. Why cant WE do something like that.

Although every American must remain diligent in safeguarding our civil liberties and preventing their erosion, no American jurist would approve of such a decision; it’s in conflict with settled case law and would never be made by an American judge, much less survive judicial review.

We also have the advantage of being a Republic, not a democracy, governed by the rule of law.

 

[martybegan]

Someone over here looks approvingly at what is happening down under, and uses the o so convicing "logic" of "well, look at them? they are a democratic state, and THEY seem to be able to handle the issue of racism/sexism/sexualityism/whateverism. Why cant WE do something like that.

Although every American must remain diligent in safeguarding our civil liberties and preventing their erosion, no American jurist would approve of such a decision; it’s in conflict with settled case law and would never be made by an American judge, much less survive judicial review.

We also have the advantage of being a Republic, not a democracy, governed by the rule of law.

I salute your optimism combined with vigilant watching, I'm just worried that sooner or later someone will try to push this crap "for the greater good"

 

[Dr Grump]

I live here. The guy was an idiot...That aside, the US Absence of Malice defense is just as pathetic.
Are you saying nobody has ever been sued for slander or libel in the US?

I say BOOOLLLSSHHHEETTT...

That aside, the press down here are idiots - in a New York Post/National Enquirer kind of way........

 

[William Joyce]

Someone over here looks approvingly at what is happening down under, and uses the o so convicing "logic" of "well, look at them? they are a democratic state, and THEY seem to be able to handle the issue of racism/sexism/sexualityism/whateverism. Why cant WE do something like that.

Although every American must remain diligent in safeguarding our civil liberties and preventing their erosion, no American jurist would approve of such a decision; it’s in conflict with settled case law and would never be made by an American judge, much less survive judicial review.

We also have the advantage of being a Republic, not a democracy, governed by the rule of law.

I salute your optimism combined with vigilant watching, I'm just worried that sooner or later someone will try to push this crap "for the greater good"

i suspect you are right. I think that American whites have had their spines so carefully removed that when they're actually told, point blank, that they can't speak as they wish, they'll quietly accept it.

 

[martybegan]

I live here. The guy was an idiot...That aside, the US Absence of Malice defense is just as pathetic.
Are you saying nobody has ever been sued for slander or libel in the US?

I say BOOOLLLSSHHHEETTT...

That aside, the press down here are idiots - in a New York Post/National Enquirer kind of way........

Then why wasn't he sued for libel or slander? Why go for this PC "you hurt my feewings" crap? From the article it appears he was trying to expose fraud, usually a noble pursuit.