Category Archives: Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc.

Why I Oppose The Petition To Have Orson Scott Card Canned By DC Comics

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Ampersand

So DC comics has hired Orson Scott Card, a famous sci-fi author, to write a couple of issues of Superman. Orson Scott Card is also an activist who has said that “gay rights is a collective delusion,” and has called … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartooning & comics, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 26 Comments  

Cartoon: Copyright Vs. Shakespeare

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Ampersand

This cartoon was inspired by a Huffington Post article by Jennifer Jenkins, in which she quoted Judge Richard Posner: What happens if these underlying sources are copyrighted? As Judge Richard Posner pointed out, “Romeo and Juliet itself would have infringed … Continue reading →

Posted in Cartooning & comics, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 19 Comments  

When it comes to free speech, the anti-gay-marriage movement is much, much worse

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Ampersand

A quick summery of the “Gallaudet vs McCaskill” story: Angela McCaskill, the Chief Diversity Officer at Gallaudet University (a university for Deaf students), signed a petition asking for Maryland’s marriage equality law to be put to a repeal vote. Months … Continue reading →

Posted in Class, poverty, labor, & related issues, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Same-Sex Marriage | 25 Comments  

Anti-SSM Politician In Baltimore Asks Boss To Order Pro-SSM Employee To Shut Up

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Ampersand

Brendon Ayanbadejo, a football player for the Baltimore Ravens, has been outspoken in support of marriage equality. Maryland state Delegate Emmett Burns, a Reverend and a Democrat, wrote to Ayanbadejo’s boss (Ravens owner Steven Disciotti) on government letterhead (emphasis mine): … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Same-Sex Marriage | 5 Comments  

Copyright, Comics, and Compulsory Licensing

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Ampersand

[In 2008, I wrote a few posts on the blog "The Art Of The Possible." I just noticed that "The Art Of The Possible" no longer exists, but I found a copy of one of my posts on the wayback … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc. | 63 Comments  

Poised behind my closet door

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Grace Annam

[Edited to add context: I am a trans woman. I have not yet publicly transitioned, so I still present as male. And I am a police officer.] In “Milk”, the movie starring Sean Penn, there is a scene which haunts … Continue reading →

Posted in About the Bloggers, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Gender and the Body, Gender and the Economy, Transsexual and Transgender related issues | 32 Comments  

Prop 8 Proponents Have Standing To Defend It In Court

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Myca

NPR Report The Full Decision I think this is the right decision. I’m in favor of full legal equality for all citizens. I don’t believe that there is a legitimate state interest in restricting marriage rights to heterosexual couples. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Homophobic zaniness/more LGBTQ issues, Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Queer issues | 23 Comments  

We Should Have The Right To Record On-Duty Police

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Ampersand

It’s not often I agree with Glenn Reynolds, but his editorial about the recent trend of police harassing and arresting citizens for recording the police as they publicly perform their duties is spot-on. The most outrageous example may be Tiawanda … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Prisons and Justice and Police | 2 Comments  

King & Spalding’s Decision to Renege On Defending DOMA

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Ampersand

Former Bush Solicitor General Paul Clement, a partner at the law firm King and Spalding, was contracted by the House of Representatives to defend DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) in court. A few days later, K&S dropped the case. … Continue reading →

Posted in crossposted on TADA, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., In the news, Same-Sex Marriage | 49 Comments  

The Republican Party in Wisconsin Appears to be Using the Freedom of Information Act to Intimidate Professor William Cronon, a Historian at the University of Wisconsin

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Richard Jeffrey Newman

You really need to read the blog posts–there are several; start here–that Professor William Cronon of the University of Wisconsin has written on his blog, Scholar as Citizen, about what has happened since he published a post called Who’s Really … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Elections and politics, Free speech, censorship, copyright law, etc., Organizations, Media, Online Stuff | 1 Comment