True commitment

It's time for another segment of Is This Headline Real, or Is It From The Onion: Media Banned From Free Speech Event.

CLEVELAND - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia banned broadcast media from an appearance Wednesday where he will receive an award for supporting free speech.

The City Club usually tapes speakers for later broadcast on public television, but Scalia insisted on banning television and radio coverage, the club said. Scalia is being given the organization's Citadel of Free Speech Award.

"I might wish it were otherwise, but that was one of the criteria that he had for acceptance," said James Foster, the club's executive director.

[...]

The City Club selected Scalia because he has "consistently, across the board, had opinions or led the charge in support of free speech," Foster said.

Yes, and he sure did demonstrate his famous commitment to free speech by his actions here, didn't he? Perhaps the City Club might reconsider the award.

Scalia made the same demand on John Carroll University, where he spoke Tuesday night. He talked mostly about the constitutional protection of religions, but also said that government has room to scale back individual rights during wartime without violating the Constitution.

"The Constitution just sets minimums," Scalia said. "Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires."

Well, at least he's consistent in his devotion to individual rights.

Thanks to Tom Spencer, who also has an exhaustive review of Gulf War II: Electric Boogaloo among his recent updates, for the link.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on March 19, 2003 to National news | TrackBack