Free speech? Not if what you're talking about is illegal and obscene

[aries]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/09/27/D8KDF2H00.html

A woman who authorities say ran a Web site that published graphic fictional tales about the torture and sexual abuse of children has been indicted on federal obscenity charges.

"Use of the Internet to distribute obscene stories like these not only violates federal law, but also emboldens sex offenders who would target children," U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said Wednesday in announcing the charges against Karen Fletcher, 54.

Excerpts of her stories were available to all visitors to her Web site, while others paid to read whole stories, prosecutors said.

Fletcher was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday on six counts involving six stories about the kidnapping, torture, sexual molestation and murder of children 9 and under. The charges carry five years in prison each.

Fletcher, in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, said Wednesday that federal authorities "didn't like my site." She had no other comment on the charges.

In court papers, the FBI said Fletcher told agents she wrote most of the stories and posted contributions from other people.

[Lloyd Danforth]

I didn't realize there were any federal laws concerning the Internet.

[KBCraig]

I didn't realize there were any federal laws concerning the Internet.

What about all those busted as "sex offenders" by the FBI for chatting up a minor, then travelling across state lines to find a police officer waiting for the "tryst"?

Those cases, as well as this, are not strictly "internet" cases. They're just applying long-existing laws about interstate distribution of obscenity.

As despicable as these stories apparently are, they're being banned as prior restraint based on what someone, somewhere, might conceivably do as a result of reading them. *feh*

Kevin

[aries]

I think that freedom of speech includes the freedom to incite people, even very blatantly, to commit illegal acts. You have only become  component if they do it and you are to blame

[Lloyd Danforth]

Either you're responsible for everyone elses actions or they are.

[aries]

Either you're responsible for everyone elses actions or they are.

In general persuading a suicidal person standing on a ledge to jump, you are fairly responsible.