NEXT_at_CNN

From: der Mouse <mouse_at_Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
Date: Mon Dec 13 13:35:48 2004

> Supreme Court decisions in this country [presumably the USA]
> thankfully disallow prior restraint from the government, let alone
> from private companies.

This reveals an apparent misconception. Restraints on government are
often (I'd almost say "usually") more severe, not less so, than on
other entities like individuals and private corporations. (This is
because government is in a position of much more abusable power. Or at
least that's the theory; how true it remains in today's system is
arguable.)

For example, the USA government is forbidden most forms of censorship,
but private entities are not; a newspaper is perfectly free to censor -
to not print - any story, letter, or whatever that it cares to, for any
reason it pleases. (There are exceptions, but they are fairly narrow,
and from what I understand do not apply to individual cases, only to
patterns of behaviour.)

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Received on Mon Dec 13 2004 - 13:35:48 GMT