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Censors***

March 16, 2005 ( politics )

A retired Texas judge on the telecom bill banning "indecent" speech:

This is bullshit -- unconstitutional bullshit and also bad policy bullshit. To violate your ban on indecency, I have been forced to use and overuse so-called indecent language. But if I called you a bunch of goddam motherfucking cocksucking cunt-eating blue-balled bastards with the morals of muggers and the intelligence of pond scum, that would be nothing compared to this indictment, to wit: you have sold the First Amendment, your birthright and that of your children. The Founders turn in their graves. You have spit on the grave of every warrior who fought under the Stars and Stripes.

And what mess of pottage have you acquired in exchange for the rights of a free people? Have you cleansed the Internet of even the rawest pornography? No, because it is a worldwide system. You have, however, handed the government a powerful new tool to harass its critics: a prosecution for indecent commentary in any district in the country.

Have you protected one child from reading dirty words? Probably not, if you understand what the economists call "substitution" -- but you have leveled the standards of political debate to a point where a history buff would not dare to upload some of the Federalist v. Anti-Federalist election rhetoric to a Website.

Since the lobby reporting requirements were not law when the
censorship discussion was happening, I hope you got some substantial reward for what you gave up. Thirty pieces of silver doesn't go far these days.

--Steve Russell, a retired Trial Judge and and Assistant
Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas

Posted by griffjon at March 16, 2005 09:02 PM

Comments

Posted by: griffjon at March 18, 2005 09:48 AM

Posted by: firedoglake at March 18, 2005 02:24 AM

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