Freedom of Speech Case

A New Mexico man's decision to lash out with a billboard ad saying his ex-girlfriend had an abortion against his wishes has touched off a legal debate over free speech and privacy rights.

The sign on Alamogordo's main thoroughfare shows 35-year-old Greg Fultz holding the outline of an infant. The text reads, "This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!"

Fultz's ex-girlfriend has taken him to court for harassment and violation of privacy. A domestic court official has recommended the billboard be removed.

But Fultz's attorney argues the order violates his client's free speech rights.

READ MORE

----This case raises questions about the First Amendment. Is it lawful to exercise your freedom of speech at the expense of others' privacy?

----I believe the matter that this case will come down to is whether or not the ex-girlfriend had an abortion (like the boyfriend says) or whether she had a miscarriage (like the ex-girlfriend's friends say). If she, in fact, had a miscarriage, then the boyfriend would be making false statements about another that are injurious to that person's reputation and this is not protected by the First Amendment. However, if she did have an abortion then I believe the boyfriend is protected by the First Amendment.

Source: Yahoo

Posted by: Taylor Raizk

Twin immigration laws create labor crisis for American farmers

This article discusses the new immigration laws passed in Utah, Georgia, and Alabama; similar to the one passed in Arizona. I feel that this is a good example of state and federal government and their involvement in the issue. The states have their own authority to regulate their police powers in checking the immigration status of their citizens, which is what this law is allowing more of. The unintended negative side effect of this law (like we discussed a little in class, but forgot the term) is that farms in these states are losing half, if not more of their workforce. Yes this is freeing up job opportunities for unemployed Americans, like it intended to, but the article goes on to say that only a few percentage are actually taking these vacant jobs. Farmers are having to increase wages, which they can barely afford, and it still isn't enough incentive. Farms across these states are reporting losses in crops. If trends continue like this, and farms continue to decline, how long before exporting these crops to other states become an issue? Is this when the federal government steps in because it's affecting interstate commerce? This article and law are focused primarily on each state specifically, but to me it seems like it could evolve more into an interstate issue if these jobs are continued to be left unfilled

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110606/ts_yblog_thelookout/twin-immigration-laws-create-labor-crisis-for-american-farmers