Dog fight videos protected by free speech
The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a law aimed at banning videos that show graphic violence against animals, saying it violates the right to free speech.
From the AP story posted on the Daily Breeze website:
The justices, voting 8-1, threw out the criminal conviction of Robert Stevens of Pittsville, Va., who was sentenced to three years in prison for videos he made about pit bull fights.
.... In dissent, Justice Samuel Alito said the harm animals suffer in dog fights is enough to sustain the law.
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About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
I'm mad
can't quite respond
but I'll do something and likely much more than typing about it
this requires action
Neil, it's a tough call, but I tend to agree with you. The videos are dispicable (and are harmful. But I tend to err on the side of free speech as well, hoping that peer pressure and exposure (and stiffer fines) for these kinds of horrific activities that harm animals will cut down on the materials that promote them.
Videos can be edited. What you're viewing may not be actual animal cruelty but a representation of such. Disgusting as that may be, it is and should be protected under the free speech guarantee.