Category: Legal

Comic Book Legal Defense Fund joined a coalition of organizations and local booksellers today in filing suit to block a broad Massachusetts censorship law that bans constitutionally protected speech on the Internet for topics including contraception and pregnancy, sexual health, literature, and art.

Signed in April by Governor Patrick and effective yesterday, the law, Chapter 74 of the Acts of 2010, imposes severe restrictions on the distribution of constitutionally protected speech on the Internet. The law could make anyone who operates a website or communicates through a listserv criminally liable for nudity or sexually related material, if the material can be considered “harmful to minors” under the law’s definition. In effect, it bans from the Internet anything that may be “harmful to minors,” including material adults have a First Amendment right to view. Violators can be fined $10,000 or sentenced to up to five years in prison, or both.

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By Alex Goldman

Lars Vilks, a Swedish artist whose depictions of Muhammad have made him the target of threats and an alleged assassination plot, was attacked on Tuesday during a speaking engagement at Stockholm’s Uppsala University. Police used pepper spray and batons on protesters as they escorted Vilks from the lecture hall. Vilks, who was giving a lecture about free speech has said that he would like to reschedule the lecture if Uppsala University would allow him.

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By Alex Goldman

On Monday, Barack Obama selected Elena Kagan, current Solicitor General of the United States, as his Supreme Court nominee to fill the seat on the court left vacant by departing justice John Paul Stevens. While the media has released a torrent of analysis about everything from her educational background to her personal life, The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is, of course, most concerned with her scholarship and advocacy on First Amendment issues. Scholarly opinion on Kagan’s treatment of the First Amendment seem to be split.

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UPDATE: Jeff Smith responds to school board

Twincities.com reports that the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district has voted 10 to 1 that the graphic novel series Bone should not be banned in its schools.

The graphic novel series came under fire earlier this month when parent Ramona DeLay objected to the series’ placement in the school libraries because it contains depictions of adults smoking, drinking, and gambling.

Melinda Martin, the school district’s media specialist told twincities.com:

“It’s important to understand selection from censorship,” she said. “I respect her right to object to the series, but not for her to censor it for the rest. I feel you would be doing a disservice to our district if you remove this book from our elementary schools.”

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund applauds the school district for the fair hearing Bone received, and its decision to keep the series in its collection.

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By Alex Goldman
Of all the comics out there, Jeff Smith’s self-published fantasy epic Bone, recipient of innumerable Harvey and Eisner awards is certainly not one you would think of as the subject of controversy. Yet it was last week when a Minnesota parent petitioned her school district to remove Bone comics from her son’s elementary school library.

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