Re: dissent

[Kestas <Kestutis.Kveraga@dartmouth.edu>]

At 18:21 10/19/2001 -0700, you wrote:
>Actually, in Iran one's free to express anti-Israel sentiments to one's
> heart's content.

I'm not talking about what the sentiment is for or against - I'm talking
about free speech, which is allegedly protected by the Constitution in this
country (at least in the public domain).   

>Didn't see the article, Kestas, so I'm curious -- did the article specify
>what Butch actually said?  

No, it's pretty much what I said - something like " expressing anti-Israel
sentiments on a show whose host was Jewish". I deleted the post with the
URL in it, but it should be in the archives. It was in the Boston Globe, I
think.  

> And by "charged with harassment", do you mean
>criminally? 

Yes, from what I understand. That's what I don't get. If the guy had been
calling a private citizen at all hours of the day and night and harrassing
him or her, that's one thing. But we're talking about a call-in radio talk
show. You'd think that having listeners call the show (even repeatedly and
annoyingly) and disagree with the host, whatever the issue at hand may be,
would be  deemed legal behavior, given the nature of the enterprise and the
Constitution. 

>  Was there a libel suit?  Or did someone just express the view
>that Butch was harassing the host?  Just wondering what the rules are --
>it's OK to say anything one wants, as long as one doesn't criticize anyone
>else for what they say?

I don't know.  This has nothing to do with Celtics anymore, and I'm leaving
for Florida early tomorrow morning. We can resume this discussion off-list
in a week, when I get back from vacation.