It seems that most people do make the mistake of interpereting censorship issues like this based on the 'freedom of the press' sevtion of the First Amendment. And as the author of this article states, that doesn't apply.
However, the first amendment still applies: "Congress shall make no law respecting [the] right of the people peaceably to assemble." The two clauses work together: the press may publish in freedom, and the people may read in freedom. It's on this basis that censorware abrogates our freedoms: it keeps the people from assembling peaceably.
BU arthur C. Clarke, I believe, this book's among one of the classics of Sci-Fi, though it's sequels don't fare well. I'd also reccomment most stuff by Heinlein, Niven, Clarke, Pohl, and McCaffrey....
True, obscenity is not protected by law. However, the definitions of obscenity are not to be interpereted by teachers and school boards, but by judges.
In addition, the definition of obscenity used by law is very vague, at least when it comes to art -- and this is what pornography falls into. It must have "no redeeming social or artistic value". It's -virtually impossible- to classify -anything- as obscene under this definition.
Don't forget documents like the Federalist Papers...which actually tell you what some of the founding fathers meant by the stuff that they wrote in the constitution. And this is damned hard to find in dead tree format.
Slashdot Mirror
It seems that most people do make the mistake of interpereting censorship issues like this based on the 'freedom of the press' sevtion of the First Amendment. And as the author of this article states, that doesn't apply.
However, the first amendment still applies: "Congress shall make no law respecting [the] right of the people peaceably to assemble." The two clauses work together: the press may publish in freedom, and the people may read in freedom. It's on this basis that censorware abrogates our freedoms: it keeps the people from assembling peaceably.
It's a must! :)
BU arthur C. Clarke, I believe, this book's among one of the classics of Sci-Fi, though it's sequels don't fare well. I'd also reccomment most stuff by Heinlein, Niven, Clarke, Pohl, and McCaffrey....
True, obscenity is not protected by law. However, the definitions of obscenity are not to be interpereted by teachers and school boards, but by judges.
In addition, the definition of obscenity used by law is very vague, at least when it comes to art -- and this is what pornography falls into. It must have "no redeeming social or artistic value". It's -virtually impossible- to classify -anything- as obscene under this definition.
Don't forget documents like the Federalist Papers...which actually tell you what some of the founding fathers meant by the stuff that they wrote in the constitution. And this is damned hard to find in dead tree format.