Absolutely correct. The only Constitutional
sanction against censorship is that the
*government* cannot impede what an *individual*
may say/see/hear. Private institutions have the right to dispose of their assets any way they wish (so long as such use is not fraudulent nor
forceful). In the disposition of such assets, that private institutions are free (or used to be until the Congress Critters decided the Constitution was optional) to decide Who
gets to use them, How Much they must pay or not,
How Long they get to use them, and How. This is
not some conspiracy to censor, it is known as owning Private Property.
The only reason this is a bowl of worms is because
the government (unconstitutionally, I might add) runs things like schools, libaries, and hospitals
which all properly belong in the private sector.
When the government arrogates to itself the power to act in the private sector, it finds itself in these very murky waters wherein it is trying to act with the freedom a private institution enjoys, but is using public money to do it... Very Bad Thing follow.
Slashdot Mirror
Absolutely correct. The only Constitutional
sanction against censorship is that the
*government* cannot impede what an *individual*
may say/see/hear. Private institutions have the right to dispose of their assets any way they wish (so long as such use is not fraudulent nor
forceful). In the disposition of such assets, that private institutions are free (or used to be until the Congress Critters decided the Constitution was optional) to decide Who
gets to use them, How Much they must pay or not,
How Long they get to use them, and How. This is
not some conspiracy to censor, it is known as owning Private Property.
The only reason this is a bowl of worms is because
the government (unconstitutionally, I might add) runs things like schools, libaries, and hospitals
which all properly belong in the private sector.
When the government arrogates to itself the power to act in the private sector, it finds itself in these very murky waters wherein it is trying to act with the freedom a private institution enjoys, but is using public money to do it... Very Bad Thing follow.