First Bloggers Amendment

In light of “questions” by both Lindsay Graham (since clarified) and Dick Durbin as to whether bloggers are entitled to First Amendment protection, I thought these two videos might be worth watching.

Floyd Abrams (btw, father of Dan Abrams, television legal commentator and proprietor of Mediaite and related websites) on The First Amendment in Five Minutes:

Second, Matt Drudge, via The Fix, Matt Drudge was right:

No one — and we mean no one — lacks an opinion when it comes to Drudge and the Drudge Report. The combination of the controversy surrounding Drudge and his legendary reclusiveness makes it difficult to have a conversation about his influence on the culture of web journalism that doesn’t devolve into a shouting match within seconds.But, Drudge did — and does — have an impact. So, it’s worth going back 15 years this week to a speech Drudge gave at the National Press Club in which he outlined his vision of the future of journalism.Turns out, Drudge was right about where journalism was heading.“We have entered an era vibrating with the din of small voices,” he said in the speech. “Every citizen can be a reporter.” Later, he added: “The Net gives as much voice to a 13 year old computer geek like me as to a CEO or Speaker of the House. We all become equal. And you would be amazed what the ordinary guy knows.”

Tags: Constitution, Dick Durbin, Free Speech

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