Nightside With Dan Rea, Harvey Silverglate, Wendy Kaminer

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/08/nightside-harvey-silverglate-and-wendy-kaminer-discuss-freedom/
[About 41 minutes]


Dan Rea
Nightside with Dan Rea, WBZ Radio 1030 AM Boston, MA. September 27, 2012, with guests Wendy Kaminer and Harvey Silverglate discuss liberty and free speech.



Harvey Silverglate
Harvey Silverglate asked "How do we live in a world that is so hostile to our notion of free speech?" One way to push back against opponents of our free speech standards is to cite the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of the United Nations.

http://www.ohchr.org/en/udhr/pages/introduction.aspx

Article 19 is the free speech article of that document. See also,

 http://www.article19.org/

It applies to all UN member nations. If they oppose Article 19 why do they support other efforts of the UN? Is selective enforcement of laws a legal principle of the nations that oppose free speech? In ancient Athens free speech was a tradition. There were no laws or constitutional amendments that permitted it. For 1200 years Athenians enjoyed the fruits of tolerance for unpopular speech.

Wendy Kaminer
Wendy Kaminer suggested regarding the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that people support indefinite detention and other restrictions on liberty, because they cannot see the surveillance. A corollary is when citizens see the surveillance and complain, government uses psychiatry to discredit the victim of abuses.

Some people argue against Due Process Rights. In a discussion about the election of Elizabeth Warren on the Harvard Crimson online. One person is "D.W. Duke is a principle in the California law firm of Giardinelli & Duke, APC. He received his Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law. Mr. Duke is a noted lecturer on various legal matters and has published several books on legal topics including Principles of Liberty, a Practical Guide to Constitutional Law, Understanding and Avoiding Medical Malpractice and California Insurance Law. D.W. assists SCE Campaign with legal research with respect to international convention and obligations and also contributes articles and reports on the subject of Child Executions." [From web site] http://stopchildexecutions.com/

This organization supports Stopping Child Executions. Duke argued that it was OK for the President to kill US citizens if they are "known" terrorists. You can see this discussion in the comments below this story:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2012/11/6/warren-wins-senate-election/

I agree with Harvey Silverglate's comment, "You can't trust any President."

Schools Watch Students at Home Using Computers

ACLU is a wealthy non profit used for political purposes. Read Wendy Kaminer's book, Worst Instincts. Entering a home electronically without a warrant is a 4th Amendment violation. See US v Kyllo.

http://bostonherald.com/news/national/northeast/view.bg?articleid=1233922

Pa. school district sued for spying
Allegedly used laptop cam to monitor kids
By Associated Press
Boston Herald
Friday, February 19, 2010

Undeserved Awards

Undeserved Awards

[An edited version of this letter appeared in
the Boston Phoenix on July 17, 2009 page 5;
Second letter at this link]
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/86631-Free-speechifying/

Dan Kennedy includes "free-speech stories in New England" compiled by [among other sources] "the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)." (DAN KENNEDY, "The 12th Annual Muzzle Awards," Boston Phoenix, July 8, 2009) The subtitle is "A look at the dishonorable enemies of free speech and personal liberty in New England." Why did this prominent media critic fail to reveal that the ACLU itself is censoring stories, expression and speech by its own board members?

No recent phenomenon, this year national ACLU board member Wendy Kaminer published her book Worst Instincts about this multi year abomination. It is a sign of the times that the ACLU is censoring speech and media critics omit reporting the fact.

The last time I researched the issue of truth as a defense to slander, the exception was that if a statement is on its face slanderous, truth is no defense. That would apply to allegations of a loathsome disease, e.g., mental illness or AIDS. Aside from the unscientific nature of mental illness and its arbitrariness, imagine a malicious person following another and telling everyone that the first person met that he was mentally ill in order to discredit and to isolate the person. That is an example of what the law generally describes in the Juan Torruella award [MGL Chapter 231 Sec. 91 states "unless such statements were published in pursuance of a general scheme to defame or otherwise injure the plaintiff."] Broadcasting irreparably harmful speech does not enjoy protection under the US or the MA Constitutions.

In the Boston Police award Kennedy says, "The arrest [of Shepard Fairey] was clearly a publicity stunt, based on old warrants." This is spinning the facts. Police in most jurisdictions do not chase down suspects for outstanding warrants. When a suspect is stopped by an officer, or if the suspect files a complaint with the police e.g., they check for outstanding warrants. In this case Fairey became an object of police attention due to the publicity of the suspect. Clearly this is a deceptive statement by Kennedy.

http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/86261-12th-Annual-Muzzle-Awards/

The 12th Annual Muzzle Awards
A look at the dishonorable enemies of free speech and personal liberty in New England.
By DAN KENNEDY
Boston Phoenix
July 8, 2009

ACLU Discrediting Itself

ACLU Discrediting Itself

Promoting Wendy Kaminer's new book Barney Frank says, "Standing up to your political enemies is easy, fun, and often profitable, [t]aking public issue with your friends and allies on a matter of great principle is [. . .] a far more important service to others." (HARVEY SILVERGLATE, "Sunshine on the ACLU: a mea culpa," Freedom Watch, Boston Phoenix, May 6, 2009) Few people speak publicly. Fewer speak "truth to power regardless of whose ox is gored."

Insiders revealed that Anthony Romero lives with his life partner who is a psychiatrist. These pseudo physicians are notoriously control freaks a characteristic that is contrary to the ACLU's mission.

Silverglate says, "I refused to fully join the public campaign, harboring, as I did, the illusion that quiet inside diplomacy could prevail." Isn't this the same problem faced by citizens who try to correct government abuses? If they run for office and win they become part of the problem. Only if they remain outside of the government can they have any effect. Journalists are more interested in being invited to dinner than exposing malfeasance. See how they treat Ralph Nader?

It is true that "The ACLU's current leadership has done the organization more damage than its critics ever could." They showed me they were operating off of the rails for many years.


http://thephoenix.com/Boston/News/82548-Sunshine-on-the-ACLU-a-mea-culpa/

Sunshine on the ACLU: a mea culpa
Freedom Watch
By HARVEY SILVERGLATE
May 6, 2009