Is it now that he can say and/or write what ever he wants, as long as it follows Uncle Sam's views, otherwise he faces charges of being a terrorist? Where is freedom of speech?

US charges Hezbollah TV provider

Al-Manar's Beirut offices were bombed by Israel during the conflict

A US businessman has been charged with offering broadcasts of Hezbollah's al-Manar satellite television station to customers in the New York-area.

Javed Iqbal, originally from Pakistan, is accused by prosecutors of doing business with a terrorist entity.
The Hezbollah Shia militia has been involved in a month-long conflict with Israeli forces in Lebanon and is seen as a terrorist group by the US.
Mr Iqbal's lawyers say his arrest violates his right to free speech.
"It's like the government of Iran saying we are going to ban the New York Times because we think of it as a terrorist outfit, or China saying we will ban CNN," a spokesman for the law firm representing Mr Iqbal told the Reuters news agency.

The charge lurking in the background is material support for terrorism
Prosecutor Stephen A Miller

"America would be hopping up and down crying freedom of speech and freedom of the press," the spokesman said.
A lawyer representing Mr Iqbal said he knew of no other case where a person had been accused of breaking US law by offering access to news outlets via satellite dish.

'Hezbollah mouthpiece'
According to court papers and government documents, the authorities sent an agent posing as a potential customer after being informed that Mr Iqbal was offering al-Manar TV.
Mr Iqbal reportedly offered the agent a television package that included access to al-Manar broadcasts.
Mr Iqbal appeared in court on Thursday and was bailed for $250,000 (£132,300).
Prosecutor Stephen A Miller had argued against granting him bail, indicating more charges were likely to be filed.
"The charge lurking in the background is material support for terrorism," the Associated Press news agency quotes him as saying.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5284980.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5284980.stm)

The charge is for doing business with, and thereby financially supporting, a terrorist organization, not for broadcasting a particular type of content. It's not unconstitutional to prohibit doing business with a particular organization.

"The charge lurking in the background is material support for terrorism,"

It's not a freedom of speech issue.

Mr. Iqbar is being prosecuted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. That act includes these provisions:

TITLE 50 > CHAPTER 35 > § 1702

§ 1702. Presidential authorities

(b) Exceptions to grant of authority
The authority granted to the President by this section does not include the authority to regulate or prohibit, directly or indirectly—
(1) any postal, telegraphic, telephonic, or other personal communication, which does not involve a transfer of anything of value;

and

(3) the importation from any country, or the exportation to any country, whether commercial or otherwise, regardless of format or medium of transmission, of any information or informational materials, including but not limited to, publications, films, posters, phonograph records, photographs, microfilms, microfiche, tapes, compact disks, CD ROMs, artworks, and news wire feeds.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode50/usc_sec_50_00001702----000-.html

It's a violation of freedom of speech and press.

Although I highly doubt that if Hezbollah controlled TV stations that they would allow American 'news' or even American programming on air the whole reason America is suppossedly great is free speech, press etc...

You have the right not to watch.

Now if they used the channel to broadcast instructions like "how to attack a military base" or "jihad 101" then yes you may have a point. But as it seems this is merely an attempt to silence the 'other guy' because you don't like what he is saying.


"Right is only in question between equals. And while the strong do what they can, the weak suffer what they must. "
--Thucydides

It's a violation of freedom of speech and press.

Although I highly doubt that if Hezbollah controlled TV stations that they would allow American 'news' or even American programming on air the whole reason America is suppossedly great is free speech, press etc...

You have the right not to watch.

Now if they used the channel to broadcast instructions like "how to attack a military base" or "jihad 101" then yes you may have a point. But as it seems this is merely an attempt to silence the 'other guy' because you don't like what he is saying.


"Right is only in question between equals. And while the strong do what they can, the weak suffer what they must. "
--Thucydides

how did i know he would bite hook line and sinker into the "freedom of speech" bullshit..

are you blind?? The reason its being stopped is because it would be supporting a terrorist organization...

of course you put your head in the sand on that one.

The reason its being stopped is because it would be supporting a terrorist organization.If that's the case then he is being prosecuted under the wrong law. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act specifically exempts the actions in which Mr. Iqbar has been engaged. Most likely these exemptions were included in the Act because without them it would violate the First Amendment (that is, 'free speech bullshit' to you) and be challenged as unconstitutional.

According to court papers and government documents, the authorities sent an agent posing as a potential customer after being informed that Mr Iqbal was offering al-Manar TV.
Mr Iqbal reportedly offered the agent a television package that included access to al-Manar broadcasts.

Well, daaaaaaaaamn, Cromagnon!!

Surely you understand that our leaders can never allow Americans to be exposed to news reporting that is not biased in favor of Israel.

The illusion MUST be maintained at ALL costs!!

________________________________________

ATTENTION SHEEP! -- PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!

http://www.toppun.com/ProductImages/peace-anti-war/10-Truth-First-Casualty-Civilians.gif

Well, daaaaaaaaamn, Cromagnon!!
Surely you understand that our leaders can never allow Americans to be exposed to news reporting that is not biased in favor of Israel. The illusion MUST be maintained at ALL costs!!
Hey!, I posted the whole article, didn't edit anything!

I've known the kind of freedom of speech Uncle Sam loves, and I as well as my whole country have always being very well informed of what is really going on in the world since forever, but to me since my teen years with your Viet Nam war, the Biafra civil war, and well, just about anything, we knew more about it than the regular guy inside US. The sanitized news broadcasted inside US, is nothing new to me.

Note: We did have our years without freedom of speech, but that was only for our local affairs, foreign news were always loud and clear, and always coming from all sources. What one agency or newspaper didn't tell, the others did. We did have one or two "pro-US" newspapers, but also several others really free from any ties.

Oh!, and I like your last picture....

are you blind?? The reason its being stopped is because it would be supporting a terrorist organization...

of course you put your head in the sand on that one. No the reason its being stopped it because it is telling another side of the story.

BTW I love how you called freedom of speech bullshit...real american you are...

“Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.”
— Neal Boortz

“Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.”
— Neal Boortz

Didn't think I'd live the day to see you quote the great Boortz :lolhit: