Fake News for Big Brother

[Thomas Shaddack]

On Tue, 29 Apr 2003, Nomen Nescio wrote:
> Needless to say, nothing could be further from the letter and spirit
> of the First Amendment.

I thought the Constitution applies to personal speech, not to corporate or
government speech...

If I speak for myself, the First Amendment applies.

But should it apply even to corporations? Are such entities considered to
be persons? Should they have "rights"?

I suggest an "eye test". If it is theoretically possible to talk with it
eye-to-eye[1], then the Constitution applies. If it isn't possible to talk
with it without a proxy person - a CEO, a spokesperson, etc. - no "higher
rights" apply.

A non-personal entity should be considered to voluntarily give up its
"right" to existence by an act of knowingly lying. A death penalty - the
entity liquidation - should swiftly follow.


[1] Applies to blind people and people born without eyes as well; the
spirit of what I say should be clear, and whoever would want to nitpick on
such piddly details is a stinkin' lawyer type.