Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Irresistable Cheap Irony

Brian Doherty | 3.20.2003 9:54 AM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia refuses to allow TV or radio coverage of an event at which he is given a Citadel of Free Speech award.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: About Those White Devils

Brian Doherty is a senior editor at Reason and author of Ron Paul's Revolution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired (Broadside Books).

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Hide Comments (13)

Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.

  1. Anonymous   22 years ago

    I found this line from the article interesting:

    ``The Constitution just sets minimums,'' Scalia said. ``Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires.''

    Replace the word "most" with "some" and scratch out the word "way", and then maybe it's a true statement.
    And it says nothing of the rights we are supposed to enjoy, but no longer have because of tortured interpretations of our rights and over-reach of the feds into state matters.

  2. Warren   22 years ago

    The All-Knowing-Robed-Ones on the bench wiped their ass with the constitution many years ago.

    Has there even been one federal judge who's opinions have conformed to the actual text in the past half century?

  3. joe   22 years ago

    Amendment IX

    The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

    Here's an amendment that appears to be at odds with Scalia's comment. Which of the rights that I enjoy, that are not minimally set by the constitution, are also not minimually guaranteed by the ninth amendment? What good is the ninth amendment?

  4. RV   22 years ago

    What exactly is "ironic" about this? Free speech is not equivalent with media coverage. The justice was, and is, free to state his opinions on topics various and sundry. So are journalists in this country.
    He merely stated his preference that there be no media coverage at the event. What's the big deal?

  5. David   22 years ago

    Ditto what RV said...the anti-Scalia forces are giddy over this supposed "irony," when in fact there is none.

  6. Sir Real   22 years ago

    There are (innumerable) reasons to doubt Scalia's principles and sanity. Could we focus on them instead of this?

    (personal favorite- gays don't deserve civil rights protection because they're "wealthier and more influential" than heterosexuals... )

  7. joe   22 years ago

    Freedom of Speech, like Democracy, is more than a legal and administrative phenomenon. It is an ideology, a system of belief that the airing of ideas, their consideration, their refutation, and their defense is a positive good for society. Freedom of speech isn't a right that individuals have in opposition to society, but one that benefits society.

    Scalia's actions don't violate the text of the First Amendment, but they violate the spirit.

  8. Diana Hsieh   22 years ago

    So by failing to set up a system of cameras and micophones in my house for transmission to all through the web, I'm violating the spirit of the First Amendment?

    So by whispering something to my husband in a lecture rather than asking a public question, I'm violating the spirit of the First Amendment?

    Instead, how about reconizing that part of the genuine spirit of the First Amendment is the right *not* to transmit our thoughts to others unless we so choose?

  9. Sean   22 years ago

    Diana,

    Only criminals have the right to remain silent. If you haven't done anything wrong then what would you want to be quiet about?

  10. joe   22 years ago

    Diana, the man's not commenting to his spouse on a play they're watching. He's receiving an award from a political group for his political activity on political issues. Would we not benefit from hearing this distinguished thinker (*retch*) comment on this issue?

  11. Lefty   22 years ago

    Here is a portion of the "About Us" section of the City Club's website. They encourage a give and take style and routinely broadcast their programs. My guess is they are regretting Scalia's selection.

    "A Free Exchange of Thought

    Established to encourage new ideas and a free exchange of thought, The City Club is the oldest continuous free speech forum in the country, renowned for its tradition of debate and discussion.

    The City Club firmly believes in the free expression of all ideas and the benefits of an open exchange. It is non-partisan and does not take positions on issues. All speakers must answer unfiltered, unrehearsed questions directly from the audience.

    Each Forum is an hour long program. The program starts with a brief introduction followed by a 25-30 minute address by the speaker. Spirited, insightful and often challenging questions from the audience fill the final half hour of the program.

    Today the distinctive sound of the gong can be heard across America on hundreds of radio outlets that bring The City Club's Friday Forum to listeners in more than 40 states from Maine to Alaska. The Friday Forum is broadcast locally on WCLV 104.9 FM, Cleveland's affiliate WVIZ/PBS Ideastream, cablecast on Adelphia and selected shows are televised nationally. Through our partnership with Webcast Group, City Club Forums can be viewed online."

  12. Jaws   22 years ago

    Christ. I'm not sure some of you know what "irresistable cheap irony" means.

  13. Graziano Laura   21 years ago

    EMAIL: draime2000@yahoo.com
    IP: 62.213.67.122
    URL: http://www.enlargement-for-penis.com
    DATE: 01/26/2004 05:59:40
    Only the hand that erases can write the true thing.

Please log in to post comments

Mute this user?

  • Mute User
  • Cancel

Ban this user?

  • Ban User
  • Cancel

Un-ban this user?

  • Un-ban User
  • Cancel

Nuke this user?

  • Nuke User
  • Cancel

Un-nuke this user?

  • Un-nuke User
  • Cancel

Flag this comment?

  • Flag Comment
  • Cancel

Un-flag this comment?

  • Un-flag Comment
  • Cancel

Latest

How the NCAA Helped Trump Score Big on Transgender Issues

Billy Binion | 7.2.2025 5:34 PM

Under the 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' Car Companies Won't Be Fined for Failing To Hit Arbitrary Fuel Efficiency Goals

Joe Lancaster | 7.2.2025 5:15 PM

The 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Keeps Most of Joe Biden's Energy Subsidies

Jeff Luse | 7.2.2025 4:44 PM

Florida Plans To Deputize 9 National Guardsmen as Immigration Judges To Increase Deportations

Autumn Billings | 7.2.2025 4:08 PM

The Tax Bill Rewards States for Higher Rates of Food Stamp Fraud

Eric Boehm | 7.2.2025 3:25 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2024 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

r

Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This modal will close in 10

Reason Plus

Special Offer!

  • Full digital edition access
  • No ads
  • Commenting privileges

Just $25 per year

Join Today!