25 April 2008
We Still Claim Freedom of Speech
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: Constitution in Peril .
If international treaties take precedent over our sovereign laws, then world courts could begin handing out judgments more in line with communist countries. Our first amendment rights are not respected in many countries. We should not be expected to adhere to the laws of dictatorial governments. The lawsuit mentioned in the article below should be thrown out as frivolous and clearly against free speech. Yet the climate has been created in recent years to placate the Chinese government.
Notice the carefully chosen citizens who came forward with the lawsuit. The court may feel it must soft-peddle with a primary school teacher and beautician. This has the Chinese government written all over it. China needs to grow up. They have no right to demand an apology. Their arrogant government should not be allowed to control Americans.
CNN now sued for $1.3 billion - $1 per person in China
HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Chinese primary school teacher and a beautician have filed a suit against CNN in New York over remarks they say insulted the Chinese people and are seeking $1.3 billion in compensation — $1 per person in China, a Hong Kong newspaper reported.
The case against the Atlanta-based cable channel, its parent company Turner Broadcasting and Jack Cafferty, the offending commentator, comes after 14 lawyers launched a similar suit in Beijing alleging that Cafferty’s remarks earlier this month violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people.
Cafferty said the United States imported Chinese-made “junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food” and added: “They’re basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years”.
CNN said Cafferty was expressing an opinion about the Chinese government, but the Foreign Ministry demanded an apology and accused the network of trying to drive a wedge between the Chinese people and leadership.
The lawsuits come amid a wave of criticism in China against Western news outlets in the wake of recent unrest in Tibet and disruptions to the Beijing Olympic torch relay abroad.
10 Comments so far...
Mac Says:
25 April 2008 at 10:10 am.
At least this is being tried in America. Okay, well New York isn’t always America, sometimes it is United Nations country but I can’t imagine a frivolous suit like this winning. If it does then something is rotten.
Benjamin Says:
25 April 2008 at 10:39 am.
These arrogant leaders in China and stirring their people up against the west. It is true that a lot of people in other countries actually think freedom of speech is wrong. And we are suppose to create a one world government with that kind of problem? Since the UN Charter resembles the old Soviet Union laws more than our Constitution, we have a conflict.
Jesse Says:
25 April 2008 at 1:13 pm.
The big babies.
Nalvy Says:
25 April 2008 at 1:37 pm.
Wow people say horrible thins about us all the time and I dont see random citizens of our country suing those countries for one dollar a person…. honestly now if my freedomof speech gets taken away it is going to take a lot to shut me up… i’ll come back from the other side of the veil and make my opinions known if i have to !!
Hawk Says:
25 April 2008 at 1:39 pm.
That’s the fighting spirit Nalvy.
tony Says:
25 April 2008 at 5:19 pm.
wow some ppl are lame… this should only be laughed at.
avatar Says:
25 April 2008 at 10:57 pm.
The People’s Republic of China does not believe in freedom of speech or freedom of the press–that we’ve always known. What does surprise me is that the PRC has been able to organize many Chinese-Americans to sign protests and generally call for Cafferty’s head for daring to say bad things about PRC leaders. Don’t these Americans read the Constitution or understand the First Amendment? I’m beginning to think Bush really should stay away from the Olympics…
Ghost Says:
26 April 2008 at 12:41 am.
Bush won’t stay away. He is committed to friendship with China and turns a blind eye whenever there are problems. Globalism depends on China and I also think he is actually intimidated by them. It is very sad. I like Bush but I sure don’t agree with all his stances.
avatar Says:
27 April 2008 at 1:11 am.
Bush would actually be the first American president to attend an Olympics held outside the United States, I believe; so it would not be an insult to China or anything if he did not attend. I don’t think the United States should boycott the Olympics, but I also don’t believe the American president necessarily needs to show support for the host country.
China needs us a lot more than we need it. Actually, when it comes to outsourcing industries to China and forcing Americans to compete against underpaid Chinese workers, arguably we’d be a lot better off without China. Our founding fathers believed strongly in protectionism–none of this “globalization” then…
Jesse Says:
27 April 2008 at 1:43 am.
Avatar, I am with you. I think we are going to learn the hard way that our founding fathers were right.
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