Stephen Lendman

Standing tall: Titled "Human Statue of Liberty,"
this image was taken at Camp Dodge in Iowa
and used eighteen thousand men. (Myrtus)

Symbolic speech examples include leafleting, picketing, demonstrating, marching, speaking publicly, flag burning, displaying t-shirts, armbands, banners and placards, sit-ins, as well as camping out in public places.

With some exceptions, all have First Amendment protection. Numerous Supreme Court decisions addressed the issue. Some agreed. Others didn't.

For example, in Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization (1939), Justice Owen Roberts expressed the Court's plurality opinion, saying:

"Wherever the title of streets and parks may rest, they have immemorially been held in trust for the use of the public and, time out of mind, have been used for purposes of assembly, communicating thoughts between citizens, and discussing public questions."

"Such use of the streets and public places has from ancient times, been a part of the privileges, immunities, rights, and liberties of citizens."

While most Justices didn't concur, subsequent opinions endorsed symbolic speech rights. In Schneider v. State (1939), the Court ruled that city ordinances to keep streets clean and presentable didn't justify prohibiting literature and leaflet distribution to willing recipients.

In Kunz v. New York (1951), the Court held that mandating permits to speak publicly on religious issues was unconstitutional.

In Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham (1969), the Court ruled for petitioner Shuttlesworth's right to lead orderly 1963 civil rights marches. Doing so violated a city ordinance requiring permit permission. Calling it unconstitutional, the decision stated it was denied to censor ideas, not obstruct traffic.

Various High Court decisions ruled that speech, including camping out in public places, is subject to time, place and manner regulations such as traffic control. However, protected speech must have alternate ways to communicate without undo restrictions.

More »

Stephen Lendman

With pressure building on Europe and America, something's got to give. Progressive Radio News Hour regular Bob Chapman says Germany's Angela Merkel and France's Nicolas Sarkozy search for solutions that don't exist.

Nothing's agreed on to be implemented. Austerity weakens failing Eurozone economies. French and other banks are selling bonds. Yields are rising. So isn't economic, financial and political uncertainty.

Europe's in disarray. Germany printed Deutsch Marks just in case. It "has to come to terms with cutting loose six loser countries. That means leaving the euro and perhaps the EU. We see no other choice in this unnatural" union.

"The future of the euro zone is sealed." By fall 2012, "there will be six less participants." Europe's economy will have negative growth, worsening in 2013. Other Eurozone countries will be forced out. In two years or less, "the euro is history." No one knows how bad things will get. They do know today's crisis won't end soon.

New Greek and Italian governments can't resolve intractable issues. Of concern is how much more austerity can people take before exploding.

At the same time, Eurozone and US leaders are whistling past the graveyard. Perhaps they didn't notice bond market contagion affecting highly-rated countries like Austria, the Netherlands and Finland, indicating worsening crisis conditions.

More »

Craig Murray

This is Matthew Gould, second from right, British Ambassador to Israel, who was pictured speaking at a meeting of the Leeds Zionist Federation that was also the opening of the Leeds Hasbarah Centre. The Leeds Zionist Federation is part of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, motto “Speaking Up for Israel.” A collection was made at the meeting to send packages to members of the Israeli Defence Force.

On 29 May 2011 The Jerusalem Post reported:

“British Ambassador Matthew Gould declared his commitment to Israel and the principles of Zionism on Thursday”.

Remember this background, it is unusual behaviour for a diplomat, and it is important.

The six meetings between British Ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould and Minister of Defence Liam Fox and Adam Werritty together – only two of which were revealed by Cabinet Secretary Gus O’Donnell in his “investigation” into Werritty’s unauthorised role in the Ministry of Defence – raise vital concerns about a secret agenda for war at the core of government, comparable to Blair’s determination to drive through a war on Iraq..

This is a detective story. It begins a few weeks ago, when the Fox-Werritty scandal was first breaking in the media. I had a contact from an old friend from my Foreign Office days. This friend had access to the Gus O’Donnell investigation. He had given a message for me to a trusted third party.

More »