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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: freedom of speech

freedom of speech stories: 22 news summaries

1 - 20 of 22 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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 China Censors Obama Speech 

National coverage of school event cut after a few minutes

Nov 16, 09 2:41 PM CST
(Newser) - President Obama’s entreaty for greater personal freedoms in China did not reach most of nation’s residents, apparently because of a last-minute decision by censors. Though authorities initially agreed to broadcast the speech, which Obama hoped would be the central event of his China visit, all national transmission was... More »

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China • Barack Obama • censorship • Beijing • freedom of speech • control

 Web Protests Win Surprise   
 Traction in China 

Some fear official tolerance is surveillance in disguise

Nov 9, 09 9:20 AM CST
(Newser) - The usually repressive Chinese government has been surprisingly tolerant of—and even responsive to—a wave of Internet petitions protesting local injustices and corruption. Online campaigns have gotten accused killers freed, officials fired, and charges dropped against a motorist who cut off his own finger to protest police entrapment, then... More »

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China • Internet • corruption • surveillance • anonymous • online activism • freedom of speech • petition

(Newser) - Some 200 pistol-packing parishioners filled a church in Louisville, Ky., yesterday to celebrate the somewhat unlikely combination of freedom of religion and the right to bear arms, reports the Courier-Journal. Church members checked to ensure the weapons were unloaded and holstered before pastor Ken Pagano led the congregation in patriotic... More »

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religion • Kentucky • church • Second Amendment • freedom of speech • guns • gun rights

 Anti-Porn Curbs  
 Mask Chinese 
 Crackdown on Dissent 

Google blocked as Beijing ramps up Internet controls

Jun 26, 09 6:39 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Chinese government ramped up restrictions on Internet use yesterday, sharply curtailing access to medical research on sexual health. It's the latest escalation in what Beijing calls an anti-pornography campaign that will culminate in new filtering software, called the Green Dam, that will be installed on all new computers from... More »

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China • Google • censorship • pornography • freedom of expression • censor • Internet censorship • freedom of speech • Chinese Communist party • Green Dam

 UK Bans Ad With Lusty 'Pope' 

It caused 'serious offense,' ad council rules

Apr 2, 09 4:02 AM CDT
(Newser) - A British advertising commission has blocked the use of a dancing, beer-guzzling photo-manipulated "Pope John Paul II" in an advertisement promoting a nightclub, reports the Telegraph. "It was hugely offensive," said a spokeswoman for a Polish organization, one of several Catholics who complained about the brochure. "... More »

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advertising • censorship • religion • nightclub • Britain • Catholic • Pope John Paul II • freedom of speech

Democratic Petition Gains Support in China

Charter 08 first sustained human-rights campaign since '89 Tiananmen protests

Jan 29, 09 11:42 AM CST
(Newser) - An online human-rights manifesto has been gaining support in China, the Washington Post reports. Charter 08 has gathered 8,100 signatures, from ordinary citizens as well as known advocates for democracy. The document, modeled after a document put together by intellectuals in the former Czechoslovakia, demands China’s constitution be... More »

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China • human rights • democracy • censorship • political freedoms • freedom of speech • Charter 08

 Playboy 
 Snowboards 
 Arouse Debate 
 in Vermont 


Some see sexism in Playboy line; others demand free speech

Jan 5, 09 12:53 PM CST
(Newser) - Racy snowboards have created a snowball of protests in liberal Vermont, the Boston Globe reports, where manufacturer Burton makes a Playboy line plastered with giant images of naked women. While some in Burlington say free speech guarantees their right to ride what they want, others worry about the effect of... More »

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Vermont • Burlington, Vermont • Playboy • snowboarding • freedom of speech • nude • Burton snowboards

Shoe-Thrower
Is Instant Hit on Arab Street

Demonstrators want journalist who took aim at Bush set free

Dec 15, 08 11:10 AM CST
(Newser) - Thousands marched across Iraq today to demand the release of Muntazer al-Zaidi, the little-known Shiite journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush yesterday. Though Bush spent last night making shoe puns—I have my assailant’s “sole,” he quipped—Iraq’s government was less amused, charging al-Zaidi... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • shoes • Bush legacy • freedom of press • freedom of speech • George W. Bush • Muntadar al-Zaidi

Student Sues Over Facebook Suspension

Constitutional case
asks if school can limit online expression

Dec 9, 08 3:39 PM CST
(Newser) - With the help of the ACLU, a Florida high school grad is suing a former principal for violating her constitutional rights in suspending her for “cyber-bullying” a teacher, the Miami Herald reports. Katherine Evans created a Facebook page railing against her “worst teacher,” and asked classmates to... More »

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high school • Facebook • ACLU • cyberbullying • freedom of speech • teenager • teacher • harrassment

 Croatia PM 
 Decries 
 Facebook 
 Arrests 

Police detained man who set up anti-government group on networking site

Dec 4, 08 9:47 AM CST
(Newser) - Croatia’s prime minister wants an explanation for arrests of opposition activists who rallied anti-government sentiment on Facebook, the BBC reports, including a 60,000-strong group plotting protests for tomorrow. Police in the Balkan state, which is hoping for EU membership, detained another group’s founder for disturbing the peace... More »

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police • Facebook • Croatia • protests • freedom of speech • Ivo Sanader

Palin: Media Threatening My First Amendment Rights

Because it won't let me attack Obama without criticizing me

Nov 1, 08 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - Sarah Palin seems to think the Constitution is supposed to protect her from criticism. On a conservative radio show, Palin said the media is unfairly attacking her for her shots at Obama on Bill Ayers and Jeremiah Wright, and that if the media “convinces enough voters that that is... More »

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First Amendment • negative campaigning • McCain 2008 • Election 2008 • freedom of speech • Sarah Palin

 US Urges China to Free 8 Yanks

Pro-Tibetan demonstrators to be released next weekend

Aug 24, 08 2:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - Washington is seeking the release of eight US protesters held by China during the Olympics, Reuters reports. Two were collared Thursday for posting a "Free Tibet" banner near an Olympic event; six others were members of Free Tibet Reporters detained the day before. Beijing vows to release all eight... More »

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2008 Beijing Olympics • protests • Tibet • Tibetan independence • US Embassy • freedom of speech • Olympic protests • detention without trial

Amnesty: China Broke Promises of Free Speech

Olympic committee
has hushed dissent despite 2001 vow

Jul 29, 08 11:13 AM CDT
(Newser) - Ten days ahead of the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony, Amnesty International charged that China hasn’t welched on promises of freedom for activists and journalists it made when it was awarded the Games. “The Chinese authorities are tarnishing the legacy of the Games,” said a rep who called... More »

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China • Beijing • Amnesty International • 2008 Beijing Olympics • journalism • International Olympic Committee • freedom of speech • activists

Aussie Court Strikes Down Law Banning Pope Protests

Law against 'annoying' Catholics attending papal events ruled unconstitutional

Jul 15, 08 3:25 AM CDT
(Newser) - An Australian court has struck down a law aimed at curbing protests during Pope Benedict XVI's visit Down Under, reports Reuters. The law, ruled unconstitutional, had banned protesters from "annoying" those attending papal events. People handing out condoms or wearing anti-Pope t-shirts faced possible $5,000 fines. More »

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Pope Benedict XVI • Australia • protests • Catholicism • Sydney • Catholic • freedom of speech • protesters

Opinion

Teenagers Have Rights, Too

Schools shouldn't
use high court
ruling to silence
'disruptive' students

Jul 12, 08 7:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - "Teenagers have constitutional rights." That shouldn’t be controversial, but several schools are in court arguing that the First Amendment doesn't apply to students, writes Frank LoMonte in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Morse v. Frederick set a precedent last year, when Supreme Court judges ruled that students could... More »

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education • First Amendment • school • US Supreme Court • freedom of speech

Opinion

 Real Patriots Criticize
 the Government 

American ideals more important than scare of the minute

Jul 4, 08 6:50 PM CDT
(Newser) - Patriotism is the word of the day, but what does it mean? For Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it means fighting for your country’s ideals. "I believe I'm lucky to be an American because our founding document embraces the revolutionary idea that any citizen should be able... More »

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constitution • civil rights • freedom of speech • patriotism

Philly Guides Seek Liberty From Licensing Law

Test requirement violates First Amendment, guides argue

Jul 3, 08 10:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - Three tour guides in the cradle of democracy are taking the city to court over a law they say tramples on their constitutional rights, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. The law compels Philadelphia guides to pay a fee and take a test to get a tour license—and the plaintiffs argue... More »

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First Amendment • Philadelphia • Constitution • tourists • freedom of speech

Studios Want to Keep
Certain Movies Off Your DVR

Blocking the copying of hi-def films before DVD release is tradeoff for fast-tracking to TV

Jun 9, 08 4:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - Hollywood is pressing the Federal Communications to allow studios to block digital video recorders from copying high-definition films before they're released to DVD, Ars Technica reports. In return, the studios promise to shorten the time it takes movies to get from theater to home TVs. The feds would need to... More »

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FCC • MPAA • DVR • freedom of speech

Teen Calls Scientology a 'Cult,' Faces Charges

London police leap to institution's defense

May 20, 08 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - A 15-year-old is facing charges for holding a sign calling Scientology a "cult" during a peaceful protest. A London policewoman asked the teen to remove the sign; when he refused, she handed him a court summons, the Guardian reports. Free speech and anti-cult groups are furious, particularly in light... More »

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Scientology • freedom of speech

 Court Upholds Child Porn Law 

Justices overturn ruling that measure was too broad

May 19, 08 12:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Supreme Court today upheld a tough federal child pornography law in a 7-2 decision, the Los Angeles Times reports. The law makes it illegal to offer or seek child porn online, even if there is no actual pornography, or if the images are computer-generated rather than of actual children.... More »

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child pornography • US Supreme Court • freedom of speech

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