Well, I’ve had my fun the last couple of weeks. But with school getting into full swing, I have to get back to work. That means that despite my best efforts, I have to write about something relevant.
While my original intent when I began researching this column was to defend President Bush from the onslaught of liberal slander he has received recently, another topic emerged that needed to have some light shed on it as well.
The story of 20-year-old Mike Marino is interesting to me for several reasons. Before I get ahead of myself, however, let me recount this story reported by Talon News last summer: In May, former Sen. James Abourezk (a democrat) filed a $5 million lawsuit against a Web site operator who included him among a group of “traitors.” The Web site, www.probush.com, lampoons liberals from the entertainment industry and politicians who have been vocal in their opposition to the war in Iraq or critical of President George W. Bush.
Wow, where to begin! This is quite possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. First of all, this is a frivolous lawsuit if there ever was one. Second, if this lawsuit even goes before a judge, then first amendment rights to free speech go right out the window. Third, it documents another case of a liberal who is very good at dishing it out, but can’t stand to take the heat.
Frivolous lawsuits are a huge burden to our society, and something that everyone pays for. Think of the tax dollars that will be wasted on hearing this case. It should come as no surprise that Senator Abourezk is a trial lawyer.
This is the same trial lawyer who sued New York Air for false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress for not letting him off a plane that was delayed three hours on the tarmac. It’s really sad that we’ve gotten to a point where people can sue anyone for anything, and the individual he sues must pay court costs to defend themselves. To make matters worse, taxpayers have to foot the cost of facilitating this type of nonsense.
This should not even be an issue to begin with. Besides the fact the Web site had a disclaimer quoting that the list was just a joke, Marino should have the right to say whatever he wants on the site in the first place.
Talon News quotes: In the Communications Decency Act, Congress recognized the “threat that tort-based lawsuits pose to freedom of speech in the new and burgeoning Internet medium” and sought to protect the “vast democratic forums of the Internet.” Even liberals, like Eric Garris, web-master of antiwar.com, supports Marino. He quotes: “I am appalled by the actions of Sen. Abourezk, someone I used to admire. You may publish my letter to him and list me as an endorser of your battle for the First Amendment against this traitor to American values. Although I disagree with your labeling him a traitor for his antiwar views, I would certainly nominate him as a traitor for filing this lawsuit.”
It is quite ironic: democrats are traditionally more liberal on free speech issues. I guess that only applies when someone is speaking freely about someone else.
This brings me to my final point: Liberals are quick to point fingers and pass judgment, but something as simple as a joke from a college kid becomes a national issue. I am quite interested to see how the Democratic Presidential nominees will react when the primaries are over and the mud-slinging starts to go the other way. If they handle criticism as poorly as Senator Abourezk, then we will hear a lot more one-sided criticism in the next four years.