undefined | Better HN

0 pointsprotomyth12y ago0 comments

There is a big difference between what standards you hold yourself to and being imposed upon by an outside entity. Its one thing to realize your wrong and correct, that happens all the time with outside critics. Its another thing to have the outside critics use a broken law system to force you to change against your will.

"How do you separate an incorporated entity from a community?"

An incorporated entity is still a group of people and you shouldn't have to give up your speech rights to get liability protection. So, my answer is the same for a blog as a publisher. You either believe you were right or come to see you might have been wrong. If you believe you are right, but the lack of protection under the law allows others to crush you, then something is seriously wrong.

I think you're mixing the meaning of "private". A lawsuit is a part of the public law system.

0 comments

einhverfr12y ago

> There is a big difference between what standards you hold yourself to and being imposed upon by an outside entity.

And which of these is a local community? I would argue that the local community, generally has far less power over individuals than their employers and therefore such restrictions are likely to be far less intrusive.

For example, if you are a salaried employee and your employer fires you for speech you make on, say, a political cause that goes against your employer's interests, that's quite possible and if that's ok, that is far more threatening IMO to free speech generally than allowing lawsuits in court over defamation. If it is solely an employer's prerogative, then this means it is something that the wealthy upper classes can hold unilaterally over everyone else, without any political constraints.

protomythOP12y ago

> And which of these is a local community?

You lost me. I have no idea what you're trying to get at or maybe I have no idea what you mean by "local community"?

The article says a book was published then a group of people used threats made possible by a broken law system to get the book censored.

einhverfr12y ago

> You lost me. I have no idea what you're trying to get at or maybe I have no idea what you mean by "local community"?

Are we members of communities? Are states "outside entities" any more than employers are? Why or why not? Does it matter if there is a general sense of ownership over the state?

Let's put it another way: Suppose the State of Ohio issues a charter to the New Saigon Initiaitve (name pulled out of thin air) to set up an incorporated, not for profit municipality with full self-governance with all the powers the state can lawfully delegate. Let's say that the charter specifies that all residents shall have an equal share of ownership and an equal say in the running of New Saigon. Suppose New Saigon starts banning books. Suppose the penalty for possessing a banned book is $500 and abatement by destroying or sending the book away, or being exiled from the town (but given an opportunity to sell your residence at market prices).

1. How is this different from a city doing it?

2. How is this different from an employer doing it?

2 more replies

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 pointsprotomyth12y ago0 comments

"How do you separate an incorporated entity from a community?"

I think you're mixing the meaning of "private". A lawsuit is a part of the public law system.

0 comments

einhverfr12y ago

> There is a big difference between what standards you hold yourself to and being imposed upon by an outside entity.

protomythOP12y ago

> And which of these is a local community?

You lost me. I have no idea what you're trying to get at or maybe I have no idea what you mean by "local community"?

The article says a book was published then a group of people used threats made possible by a broken law system to get the book censored.

einhverfr12y ago

> You lost me. I have no idea what you're trying to get at or maybe I have no idea what you mean by "local community"?

Are we members of communities? Are states "outside entities" any more than employers are? Why or why not? Does it matter if there is a general sense of ownership over the state?

1. How is this different from a city doing it?

2. How is this different from an employer doing it?

2 more replies

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse