-
Sedition Act of 1918
Sedition Act, which forbids Uttering, printing, writing, or publishing any disloyal, or abusive language intended to cause contempt, scorn as regards the form of government of the United States or Constitution, or the flag or the uniform of the Army or Navy -
First Amendment applies to states under due process
Gitlow v. New York, Supreme Court upholds Gitlow's conviction for writing and distributing "The Left-Wing Manifesto"; however, in its ruling the Court holds that freedom of speech and press apply to state governments as well as federal governments.This case is key because it marks the beginning of the Supreme Court applying the First Amendment to state laws via the due process clause -
Scopes Trial on evolution in public schools
occurs in Dayton, Tennessee. teacher John Thomas Scopes is found guilty of violating a Tennessee law which prohibits teaching the theory of evolution in public schools. The case pits famed orator William Jennings Bryan against defense attorney Clarence Darrow. -
Remedy for false speech is more free speech
The case involves Charlotte Anita Whitney, a member of the Socialist Party and former member of the Communist Labor Party. Justice Louis Brandeis writes in his concurring opinion a passage that becomes a fundamental First Amendment principle -
First great press case
Near v. Minnesota, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidates a permanent injunction against the publisher of The Saturday Press. The Court rules that the Minnesota statute granting state judges the power to enjoin as a nuisance any “malicious, scandalous and defamatory newspaper, magazine or other periodical” is “the essence of censorship.the primary aim of the First Amendment was to prevent prior restraints of the press. -
Roosevelt pardons Espinonage and Sedition convicts
President Roosevelt pardons all those convicted under the Espionage and Sedition acts. -
Taxation on large papers injures freedom of press
the Supreme Court overturns a Louisiana law taxing papers with circulation over 20,000 as injurious to freedom of the press. The Court finds the tax unconstitutional because it is seen to be a deliberate and calculated device in the guise of a tax to limit the circulation of information to which the public is entitled in virtue of the constitutional guaranties. -
Speech and Alex Jones
The debate over whether Alex Jones should have been removed from Facebook, Apple and other platforms. there was a protest in Charlottesville, and mr. jones announced that he suspected that many of the attendees were actually “leftist Jews” in disguise, there to discredit white supremacists and incite violence. -
Video of Man Berating Officer Opens Debate Over Recording in Police Stations
a man berating a sergeant inside a Harlem police station last week, the Police Department issued a memo telling officers they can arrest people who refuse to stop recording inside police buildings. it was Aug 15, the memo was intended to provide clear guidance to officers about their authority in an era when smartphones have given nearly everyone the ability to record police activity and share it widely.
