To the Editor:
Re Trump Claims Hes Protecting Free Speech by Reining In Tech Giants (news article, May 29):
It shouldnt surprise anyone that Donald Trump claims hes being denied his right to speak when Twitter marks his lies with a fact-check asterisk. He has no clue that the First Amendments prohibition on interfering with ones speech rights applies only to government.
But his executive order purporting to strip the company of liability protection, a pathetic (and unlawful) attempt to retaliate, is itself government action to chill and limit speech. Maybe he should read the First Amendment its only 45 words long.
Richard YospinNewton, Mass.
To the Editor:
Re What Would Happen if Twitter Banned Trump?, by Charlie Warzel (Opinion, nytimes.com, May 27):
Twitter is more than a little late to the party with its Get the Facts link appended to President Trumps latest lies about mail-in voting. It seems to me that short of barring Mr. Trump from Twitter, the least that Twitter could do would be to append a Get the Facts link to every one of his tweets that contain outright lies, baseless accusations, support for racist and white supremacist beliefs, bullying based on peoples appearance, and implicit or outright threats of violence. In other words, pretty much everything that he tweets.
Thom ThackerIrvington, N.Y.
To the Editor:
In Im Not Mrs. America. Thats the Point (Op-Ed, nytimes.com, May 21), Im afraid that Cate Blanchett misses the point. She posits a deep divide between feminists and the followers of Phyllis Schlafly, the character she plays, and calls that divide the difference between staying at home and making your way in the world, or between the demands of faith and the indulgence of the self.
In fact, there are homemakers, worldly women and women of faith on both sides of an ideological and political divide that is all too real.
At the same time, Ms. Blanchett describes the divide as an illusion and a simplified antagonism. In truth, the divide between feminists and anti-feminists is real and critical. Its the difference between those of us who consider women to be full human beings deserving of equal rights, dignity and the freedom to control our own bodies, and those who believe that women should be submissive to men, taken care of by men and subject to male authority.
Ms. Blanchetts faith in art to bridge her misconstrued divide trivializes the urgent threats from todays Schlafly clones, who would deny women access to birth control, reproductive autonomy, child care and a host of other rights that are hardly illusory.
Letty Cottin PogrebinStockbridge, Mass.The writer is a founding editor of Ms. magazine and the author of several books about womens issues.
Larry Kramer Gave Hope to Those With AIDS
To the Editor:
Re Larry Kramer, 1935-2020: An Activist Who Gave People With AIDS a Voice. A Loud Voice (front page, May 28):
Larry Kramer gave AIDS patients something intangible, but vitally important. He gave them hope.
My brother Alan first told me about Larry and the Gay Mens Health Crisis in the early 1980s, when Alan was first diagnosed. Alan had hope that people like Larry could make enough noise, fast-track medicine and save lives, including my brothers. The only thing that Larry couldnt give many of them, including Alan, was enough time.
My brother died on April 1, 1990, in San Francisco. While time was not on Alans side, Larry Kramer did make a difference, and countless people are alive today because of him.
Tom GoodmanNew York
To the Editor:
Where Did All the New Yorkers Go? Follow the Mail (news article, May 19):
A big thank you goes out to my neighbors on the Upper West Side who decided to flee the city. I stayed and fortunately am not feeling lonely and isolated. I did not really need your tracking data to tell me my building was nearly empty, but confirmation is nice.
Thank you, fellow residents, for making me feel safer from contracting the virus, with fewer people to come in contact with: no crowded elevators in the building or traffic in the lobby, and no competition in the laundry room. And fewer people in the park, on the streets and at the supermarket.
Having been recently widowed, and healthy but in the at-risk age group, I have learned to live alone and cope as best I can with the pandemic. Some days the only other human I interact with in person is the doorman, who greets me in the morning with my newspaper. The wonderful staff of my building are here, and I thank them for their presence, as well as the other essential workers who keep this city running.
I count my blessings daily.
Betty WelkerNew York
To the Editor:
Re With Classes or Without Them, Colleges Want to Play Football (front page, May 28):
From Horse Feathers in 1932, starring the Marx Brothers:
Groucho (as Quincy Adams Wagstaff, a new college president): Have we got a stadium?
Faculty: Yes.
Groucho: Have we got a college?
Faculty: Yes.
Groucho: Well, we cant support both. Tomorrow we start tearing down the college.
Mark FeldmanKirkwood, Mo.
More here:
Trump, Twitter and the First Amendment - The New York Times
- Afternoon Briefs: SCOTUS will consider cheerleader's First Amendment case; former AG dies at 88 - ABA Journal - January 5th, 2021
- No Blanket Protection for Internet Platforms - The Wall Street Journal - January 5th, 2021
- Walsh Vetoes Ordinance That Would Restrict Police Use Of Tear Gas, Rubber Bullets - WBUR - January 5th, 2021
- Happy new and old year: 2020 just won't go away when it comes to first amendment issues in 2021 - Hopkinsville Kentucky New Era - January 5th, 2021
- Far-Right VA State Senator Claims huge victory for the First Amendment and for open access to government for all Virginians. Except That the Court... - January 5th, 2021
- Will You Save Money On Hospital Bills With New Price Transparency Rule? : Shots - Health News - NPR - January 5th, 2021
- "I am asking Washingtonians and those who live in the region to stay out of the downtown area on Tuesday and Wednesday and not to engage with... - January 5th, 2021
- Julian Assange Extradition to U.S. Blocked Over Mental Health Concerns - The New York Times - January 5th, 2021
- The First Amendment is under siege and most Americans know it - The Central New York Business Journal - December 30th, 2020
- First Circuit Creates Exception To Massachusetts Wiretap Statute Based On First Amendment Rights, Allows Citizens And Press To Record Police Activity... - December 30th, 2020
- First Circuit Appeals Court Reaffirms Its 2011 Decision: The First Amendment Protects The Recording Of Cops - Techdirt - December 30th, 2020
- New Year's Eve In The Year Of The Coronavirus - The Rhino Times of Greensboro - The Rhino TImes - December 30th, 2020
- On Religion: COVID was year's top religion story. But which story? - Tahlequah Daily Press - December 30th, 2020
- How Lin Wood Became a Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theorist - The New York Times - December 30th, 2020
- The Year That Changed the Internet - The Atlantic - December 30th, 2020
- Section 230 Isn't A Subsidy; It's A Rule Of Civil Procedure - Techdirt - December 30th, 2020
- 7 Recommendations for the New Year - Contracting Business - December 30th, 2020
- Smith: Small steps to bring hope and wonder - The Register-Guard - December 30th, 2020
- Court Enjoins Enforcement of Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping Executive Order for Federal Contractors and Grantees - JD Supra - December 30th, 2020
- COOMBES: Put the First Amendment first - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily - October 12th, 2020
- Did the First Amendment to the Constitution lay the foundation for an authoritarian state? - The Indian Express - October 12th, 2020
- First Amendment Right to Record Child-Protection Visit to Your Home - Reason - October 12th, 2020
- First Amendment scholars weigh in on legality of Terminal Tower Biden Harris light display - cleveland.com - October 12th, 2020
- Use of Trademarks in Creative Works & Lanham Act Liability - The National Law Review - October 12th, 2020
- 'Introduction to the First Amendment Museum' topic of presentation - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel - October 12th, 2020
- Judge amy coney barrett and the First Amendment - Lexology - October 12th, 2020
- A vote for Trump is a vote against the First Amendment - Poughkeepsie Journal - October 12th, 2020
- Trump Admin. Says First Amendment Is Moot In WeChat Case - Law360 - October 12th, 2020
- You Shouldn't Get Sued for Petitioning the Government - Cato Institute - October 12th, 2020
- Reporters Committee welcomes Inasmuch Foundation Legal Fellow - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press - October 12th, 2020
- FIRST 5: Trump and COVID-19 -- How 'free' are/should we be? - Salina Post - October 12th, 2020
- Candidates and voters alike suffer as yard signs are targeted for theft and vandalism - Burlington Hawk Eye - October 12th, 2020
- Letters to the Editor: The First Amendment in Rio Rancho - Albuquerque Journal - September 21st, 2020
- Texas A&M University Introduces First Amendment Website - Texas A&M University Today - September 21st, 2020
- Attorney on first amendment rights of protesters: The government must protect these rights - RochesterFirst - September 21st, 2020
- Polk County GOP chairperson gathering signatures in support of a Second Amendment Designated County - Grand Forks Herald - September 21st, 2020
- Health officials urge people who attended Trump rally on Saturday to get tested for coronavirus - The Fayetteville Observer - September 21st, 2020
- Potsdam 'toilet gardens' will stay, for now, as federal judge grants injunction in toilet case - NNY360 - September 21st, 2020
- This Week at The Ninth: Informational Injury and Union Dues - JD Supra - September 21st, 2020
- Even with a Recent Lag, Special Interest PACs Enjoy Big Fundraising Edge Over Parties - InsiderNJ - September 21st, 2020
- Readers respond: Racists coming out of the woodwork - oregonlive.com - September 21st, 2020
- WeChat and TikTok Sanctions Not to Came Into Effect Yesterday - JD Supra - September 21st, 2020
- The Oklahoma Meat Consumer Protection Act is Meat Lobby's Response to the Increased Consumer Demand for Plant-Based Options - vegconomist - the vegan... - September 21st, 2020
- Army esports team denies accusations of violating First Amendment, offering fake giveaways - ArmyTimes.com - July 21st, 2020
- FIRST FIVE: Fighting over the meaning of First Amendment freedoms - hays Post - July 21st, 2020
- My View: In Provincetown, strange views of the First Amendment - Wicked Local Provincetown - July 21st, 2020
- John Bolton Gambles That Constitution Will Save Profits on Book That Was Embarrassing to the President - Law & Crime - July 21st, 2020
- Second Circuit Wrecks All Sorts Of First Amendment Protections To Keep Lawsuit Against Joy Reid Alive - Techdirt - July 21st, 2020
- Editorial A flushtrated community: Potsdam trampling on First Amendment rights of toilet artist - NNY360 - July 21st, 2020
- This Week in Technology + Press Freedom: July 19, 2020 - Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press - July 21st, 2020
- Churchill: Troy preacher has the right to offend - Times Union - July 21st, 2020
- More conferences cancel fall sports and other COVID-19 news - Inside Higher Ed - July 21st, 2020
- First Amendment on the street | Opinion | dailyitem.com - Sunbury Daily Item - June 30th, 2020
- Taking a cellphone video of police? Theres a First Amendment for that - Seattle Times - June 30th, 2020
- First Amendment Bars California from Requiring a Proposition 65 Glyphosate Warning - JD Supra - June 30th, 2020
- Read the First Amendment | Letters To The Editor - The Central Virginian - June 30th, 2020
- First Amendment right to protest is in jeopardy in Jacksonville - The Florida Times-Union - June 30th, 2020
- Pence says First Amendment is why Trump campaign held Tulsa rally despite local health officials' warnings - Yahoo News - June 30th, 2020
- Supreme Court hands win to religious schools | TheHill - The Hill - June 30th, 2020
- Letter to the Editor: Remember and Defend the First Amendment - Dana Point Times - June 20th, 2020
- Another look at the First Amendment | Opinion - Franklin News Post - June 20th, 2020
- Death threats protected by First Amendment, attorney says - Alpena News - June 20th, 2020
- Really Pathetic: First Amendment Expert Torches DOJ Efforts to Stop John Bolton Book - Law & Crime - June 20th, 2020
- The First Amendment protects attorneys from compelled speech | TheHill - The Hill - June 17th, 2020
- Protesters are protected by the First Amendment and will not be cited any violations if they remain peaceful - WATN - Local 24 - June 17th, 2020
- Dear Journal: That's some amendment, that First Amendment; let's use it - The Daily World - June 17th, 2020
- Barr Threatens Suit To Stop Boltons Book Because The First Amendment Is, Like, More Of A Suggestion Really - Above the Law - June 17th, 2020
- NASCAR tossed out First Amendment and more letters to the editors - Chattanooga Times Free Press - June 17th, 2020
- Snap's decision to restrict Trump is within its First Amendment rights, CEO says - CNBC - June 17th, 2020
- First Amendment rights? Only for the Left - Must Read Alaska - June 17th, 2020
- "Vocational Training Is Speech Protected by the First Amendment" - Reason - June 17th, 2020
- A North Carolina professor who sparked outrage with his tweets still has his job. Why? It's called the First Amendment. - USA TODAY - June 17th, 2020
- Opinion: 1st Amendment rights apparently only apply to the left - Juneau Empire - June 17th, 2020
- If you're planning to take part in protests, know your rights. Read this. - CNN - June 17th, 2020
- Opinion: Trump's Antifa crackdown treads on First Amendment - The Detroit News - June 17th, 2020
- First Amendment Rights and Twitter, Encryption Backdoors - Security Boulevard - June 1st, 2020
- Arrest of CNN Crew in Minneapolis a 'Violation of First Amendment' - Voice of America - June 1st, 2020
- First Amendment Group Opposes Webinars On Toll Roads - WUSF News - June 1st, 2020
- ACLU issues warning to police to protect First Amendment rights of protesters - KATC Lafayette News - June 1st, 2020
- Federal, California and Local Law Enforcement's Statement on the Death of George Floyd and Riots Says They Will Continue to Work Together to Protect... - June 1st, 2020