Freedom Fighters-FR mentioned in Liberal paper

badger herald ^ | 05/09/02 | Kate McDonald

[ElRushbo]

Freedom fighters

by Kate MacDonald, Staff Writer May 09, 2002

One of the most influential and monumental First Amendment battles of this new millennium is being fought in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The unhappy marriage of print media and the Internet has finally reached an impasse. Free Republic bills itself as a "loosely organized group of grassroots Americans who support the constitution and look for honesty, integrity and honor from those in government." Nice PR. Really, this staunchly conservative activist group's popularity and fondness for a good battle have turned quite a few heads on Capitol Hill. Active members, who call themselves FReepers, include Dr. Alan Keyes, Gary Aldrich, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Congressman Bob Barr and Matt Drudge. In its fifth year, the Free Republic has grown to over 60,000 members with chapters all over the country. The crux of their movement is Freerepublic.com, a massive forum-driven website where the pseudo-militant grassroots conservatives can convene to pontificate at the virtual podium on the devious workings of government and media.

There is no noise on the Internet, but these ranters are screaming loudly enough to garner the reproach of more than easily offended liberals. The FReepers frequently use examples from current media to facilitate their arguments. Their practice of posting entire articles lifted from news sources all over the country has infuriated commercial media.

Crying theft, unfair competition and intellectual property rights, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times have filed suit against Free Republic.

What a delicious irony, that a group of enlightened and loquacious defenders of constitutional privilege are now entangled in this trenchant imbroglio calling into question the very principles their movement was founded upon.

The Free Republic calls their media adversaries "elements of the socialist propaganda machine" and claims that the practice of posting articles is tantamount to "gathering in our virtual town hall where we virtually pass around newspaper clippings."

The newspapers claim their copyrighted material is produced at great expense to them. They post these materials online, and the ad revenue from their websites is necessary to sustain their operation.

As both sides are armed with strong and persuasive rhetoric, the issue is exacerbated by the fact that Free Republic is a nonprofit movement. All of its funding comes from private donations. Therefore, there is soundness in the Freepers' assertion that they are not stealing the articles for commercial gain but rather passing them around to educate and illuminate each other on issues of immediate relevancy.

The district judge disagreed and ruled erroneously in favor of the Post and the Times, saying that Free Republic is a commercial enterprise. Free Republic is appealing to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and will likely have its arguments heard in September. In the meantime, the group is barred from allowing its members to post full-text articles from The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times.

The FReepers are calling this legal fight no less than a "life-and-death struggle." In fact, this description is the truth. If this battle falls in favor of the commercial media, the Free Republic will die. With its principled dedication to the First Amendment called into question, the group is being forced to defend it absolutely. If it fails, then the fundamental foundation of the group's movement will have been destroyed. No structure can stand without a foundation.

The fight that Free Republic is embroiled in is broader and farther-reaching than just the relatively small group of people involved. The U.S. Constitution is the foundation upon which our democracy is built. Its first and foremost amendment is being challenged in the name of monetary gain.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals must recognize that to rule in favor of the commercial media in this case will weaken and debase the words supporting this country. Chipping away at the foundation doesn't bode well for any American: conservative, liberal, or purveyor of socialist propaganda.

Kate MacDonald (kmacdonald

[Constitution Day]

Drudge is a FReeper? Last I checked he hated us and removed the link to FR from his site.

PL,

I think that's true.
I don't know the story on why he hates FR, but I wouldn't have found this site had it not been for Drudge Report.

[aristeides]

The Ninth Circuit is the most left-wing of the U.S. courts of appeals, but it tends to be quirky on libertarian issues. Its leading leftist, Reinhardt (now a senior judge,) wrote the opinion allowing the civil suit in the Randy Weaver case. A combination of leftists and rightists formed the majority in the en banc opinion allowing criminal prosecution of Horiuchi. Free Republic is more likely to win in the Supreme Court, but I wouldn't count us out in the Ninth Circuit.

[TigerTale]

Active members, who call themselves FReepers, include Dr. Alan Keyes, Gary Aldrich, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Congressman Bob Barr and Matt Drudge.

Right. Someone please point me to the profile pages for Dr. Keyes and Ms. Coulter.

[McGavin999]

Great article, this woman should be proud of her intellectual honesty, I know I'm proud for her. FreeRepublic has such a wide spread base now that the WP and the LAT have made a serious miscalculation. Instead of seeing article after article from those two sources (great free advertising) most people notice that the papers are seldom represented here. As a result, many go away with the impression that they are not worth reading.

Whether the articles are left or right, the very fact that they are debated here makes them relevant.

[mykdsmom]

Thanks for the ping.

MKM

[sleavelessinseattle]

From your keyboard to God's Ear! Maybe the new Justice Department top down directive regarding the 2nd Amendment, will be accompanied by a general caveat about what this government is supposed to work for...which is US!!! Educational Use only...I mean do they want to close the periodical section of the Libraries, too?

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Don't be so sure about the 9th circuit court of appeals. They hate conservatives and free speech. Marilyn Hall Patel? Isn't the famous commie/hater of napster from there? I know she's a SF judge, but she's a stinker.

I have no faith, none whatsoever in the 9th circuit court. And I live in SF. My only hope is the Supreme Court who I'm sure WILL come down on our side.

[maxwell]

Wasn't too sure were she was going at first

Yeah with that whole pseudo yelling and screaming thing...

[sistergoldenhair]

Great find!

[kattracks]

BTTT

[kiryandil]

Crying theft, unfair competition and intellectual property rights, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times have filed suit against Free Republic.

While they happily steal government documents to boost their bottom line.

[Constitution Day]

You're welcome!

BTTT

[kiryandil]

The newspapers claim their copyrighted material is produced at great expense to them. They post these materials online, and the ad revenue from their websites is necessary to sustain their operation.

Amazing that these newspapers are the only ones making money from ads online.

Actually, it's the sale of access to their archives to public libraries, universities and high schools that's hauling in a lot of bottom line.

And the theft of government documents, like the Pentagon Papers and the recent nuclear report lifted by the LA Times, also bring in some great cash.

The government ought to take a page from their playbook, and copyright all government documents.

After all, newspapers weren't copyrighted till 1909.

[WIMom]

I'm a pseudo-militant mom! Yes!

[Constitution Day]

The sad part is that if FR loses it will be a loss for all Americans not just us.

I don't agree with that at all.
I think Jim Robinson and FR have unleashed an unstoppable conservative force.

FR as we know it might cease to exist, but I think one day we'll read about Jim and this site in the history books.

Just my $0.02.

CD

[callisto]

You don't think that if FR loses that the case wouldn't be used a precedent and applied in multiple ways thereafter to other first amendment cases? If FR should lose, God forbid, but I believe every newspaper that publishes on line will be seeking the same monetary damages from every other website that has used their material.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I was going to post a crack about "pseudo-militants," but I changed my mind when I got to post #2. I'll just bow to the master and move along.

[colorado tanker]

No doubt they are raving liberals on the 9th Circuit. But they are also crafty. They should realize that stomping on F.R.'s free speech rights would come back to haunt liberal groups as much if not more than conservatives. I do agree that I feel much more confident about the Supreme's ability to interpret the law, however!

[knak]

A pseudo-militant bump!

And another!

[Razz Barry]

The newspapers claim their copyrighted material is produced at great expense to them. They post these materials online, and the ad revenue from their websites is necessary to sustain their operation.

I didn't know news could be copyrighted. I guess I'll go to jail for clipping my grandmothers obituary, and mailing copies to my cousins.