This is an interview between Amy Wilson (aka Amy Freelunch), and Svetlana Mintcheva (Libertad Lane) Director of Arts Advocacy at the National Coalition Against Censorship. Svetlana has been involved in forming an in world version of that organization (the Virtual Coalition Against Censorship). Q. There seems to be a lot of acceptance in the SL community that an entity like [...]
After a month of resisting pressure to close its critically acclaimed exhibition, Imaginary Coordinates, the Spertus Museum finally buckled, citing the “risk of alienating its core constituency.” Reportedly, members of the “key audience” were offended by what they interpreted as anti-Israel points of view.
Only 6 years ago, the Supreme Court held that “virtual” child pornography – sexual depictions that appear to, but do not, involve actual children – is protected by the First Amendment, for the same reasons that simulated sex in films like Lolita is protected.
In a highly publicized incident this March, the San Francisco Art Institute cancelled Don't Trust Me, an exhibition by Algerian-born French artist Abdel Abdessemed consisting of video footage of animals being killed by a single blow from a sledgehammer.
Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest producer of pork products, has raised the stakes in its resistance to organizing efforts by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) by filing a lawsuit alleging that the union’s advocacy violates The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), a federal law designed to combat organized crime.
We write regarding complaints about a middle school health teacher who apparently responded to students’ questions in a sex education class about homosexuality, masturbation and oral sex. We understand some parents have called for her termination and that in response the district has put her on paid-administrative leave while conducting an investigation.
Superintendent Michael J. Stuart 2200 Eureka Way Suite B, Redding, CA 96001 [email protected] June 23, 2008 Dear Superintendent Michael J. Stuart, We have been following the controversy involving Principal Woollard’s objections to a recent edition of the student-run school newspaper Shasta High Volcano because of a photo of a student burning an American flag and an editorial defending the [...]
Arkansas Tech University postponed a student production of John Weidman and Steven Sondheim’s “Assassins” – a historical play about presidential assassins – because administrators thought the sight and sound of gun violence in the play could be disturbing in light of recent campus shootings.
In the run-up to this summer’s Olympics, several organizations are shining a spotlight on China’s abuses of press freedom and censorship of the Internet.
Joint Letter Opposing Removal of Award-Winning book The Fighting Ground from Elementary School Library Bay District School Board 1311 Balboa Avenue Panama City, FL 32401 June 18, 2008 Dear Members of the Bay District School Board: We are deeply concerned by your recent decision to ban the book, The Fighting Ground by Avi, from elementary schools throughout the [...]
Help protect the public art program in San Mateo! Public art improves the image of a city, it attracts tourists, helps business, and improves the quality of life. That is why most American cities actively support it by allocating space and resources. An additional boon is that active public arts programs also create jobs for local artists and craftspeople. Yet, [...]
(SPLC) CALIFORNIA — Shasta High School will have a journalism class next year after all, even though the school principal planned to eliminate the course after The Volcano ran a photo of students burning an American flag. Superintendent Mike Stuart said Thursday he plans to give the school funding for the program so it can build enrollment. Read more here.
Four student athletes who were kicked off their high school football team after circulating a petition critical of their coach filed an appeal Friday for the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August 2007 that the players' First Amendment rights were not infringed upon because their efforts undermined the coach's authority, and because their only punishment was being removed from a voluntary extracurricular activity.
In early June 2008, Conejo Valley Arts Council President Pat Johnson called for the removal of two artists’ work from the Conejo Recreation & Park District Building because of complaints about the works’ use of nudity.
In 2007, the U.S. Attorney in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, brought obscenity charges against Karen Fletcher, because of stories, which Fletcher had written and posted on the Internet under the pseudonym Red Rose.