Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you have ever published anything anywhere then you are a journalist [View all]Benton D Struckcheon
(2,347 posts)52. Whether you are or whether you aren't,
if what you're doing can be classified as speech, you are protected, far as I can tell:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I had to look at it, and what I suspected is true: they didn't make a distinction between speech and the press. Speech comes first in the list, then the press, and both are in the same clause of the amendment. That would mean they thought of them as the same thing.
So, I don't know if this post makes me a journalist or not. It does constitute speech. Same thing. That law defining a journalist is an absurdity, and has no force: you're protected regardless.
Or would be, if our courts hadn't made such a hash of all this stuff.
Edit history
Please sign in to view edit histories.
Recommendations
0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):
54 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
RecommendedHighlight replies with 5 or more recommendations
If you have ever published anything anywhere then you are a journalist [View all]
aolwien
Sep 2013
OP
In a world in which 6 mega corporations own 90+% of everything on television, radio and publishing
Uncle Joe
Sep 2013
#45
You become a journalist the same way you become a Democrat: you decide to be one. nt
bemildred
Sep 2013
#42
Seems obvious to me, I don't know where people get the idea you need permission. nt
bemildred
Sep 2013
#44