Tag Archives: freedom of the press

Islamists Firebomb Charlie Hebdo Magazine. Time’s Bruce Crumley Blames the Magazine.

This is simply breathtaking for its grotesqueness. A French newspaper practices freedom of the press, printing some satire directed toward Islam; the paper is subsequently firebombed by religious fanatics; and Bruce Crumley, Time magazine’s bureau chief in Paris, castigates the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

This is what democracy looks like?

In the video below, the guy at the mike falls off message and says that Nevada Republican, Sharon Angle, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, will make herself available for questions. Oops! You see, Sharon Angle doesn’t take questions from … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Four Great Quotes from John Stewart Mill

Here are four good John Stuart Mill quotes: “The amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigor, and moral courage it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Geoffry Robinson Tells the Story of How He Hid Salmon Rushdie

At the Daily Beast, Geoffery Robertson tells how he hid Salmon Rushdie from the Ayatollah Khomeni here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Attacks by the mainstream media” interfere with Sarah Palin’s “First Amendment rights”?: In an Interview TODAY, Sarah Palin Shows Weird Confusion Over the First Amendment—and Who It’s Designed to Protect

Alex Koppelmann today (at Salon.com) details Sarah Palin’s stange First Amendment confusion: In a radio interview that aired Friday morning, Sarah Palin said Americans’ First Amendment rights are in danger. Ironically, it’s apparently the press who’s threatening those rights. “If [the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Palin is Once Again a No-Show on the Sunday Morning Programs. And She Still Hasn’t Done a Press Conference

Sarah Palin might find herself president if Republican John McCain wins this election, and dies in office. And she clearly doesn’t believe in basic democratic openness, transparency, and accountability. She won’t testify at hearings into her behavior in the troopergate … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Outrageous Blow to Free Speech in Europe: A Turkish Court Bans Richard Dawkins’ Website from Turkey

The Guardian UK reports today that a Turkish court has set a ban on Richard Dawkins’ website. Money quote:  A Turkish court has banned internet users from viewing the official Richard Dawkins website after a Muslim creationist claimed its contents … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Back to the Middle Ages? An Italian Woman Satirizes the Pope and Finds Herself Being Subject to Prosecution Under the Lateran Treaty

According to the Wall Street Journal this week, Sabina Guzzanti, an Italian woman who joked about the pope, may be subject to prosecution under the Lateran Treaty: The possible prosecution of an Italian comedienne shines a light on the Lateran Treaty, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

On the THIRD Weekend After Sarah Palin was Picked for VP, She’s Still Not Sitting Down to Talk with Journalists on the Sunday News Shows

John McCain’s campaign continues to shield Sarah Palin from any extended, direct media scrutiny. Will she ever hold a press conference before November—or make the Sunday morning rounds of sit-down interviews with journalism news programs? Despite being a largely softball, and light focus interview … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Back to the Future: An Image of Book Burners and Icon Destroyers in Geneva, 1500s, and a Report by ABC News, 2008, on Sarah Palin’s Attempt to Ban Books from Wasilla Public Library

John Calvin’s Geneva, 16th century:                                             And Sarah Palin’s Wasilla, 21st century:

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

NO ACCESS TO PALIN FOR AT LEAST TWO WEEKS!: McCain Campaign Surrogate Says “Voters Don’t Care” That Palin Avoids Press Interviews or Questions

Sarah Palin will not be answering your questions. The reason? Because voters, apparently, just want their candidates for high office to do photo-ops and to read focus-group tested speeches from teleprompters. Orwellian democracy comes to America:

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments