[Swordmaker]

Reporters get their credentials from the media they work for. There is no government “journalist” license. Anyone I think can start up a news blog and report things or lie or do whatever. The media lies to us all the time. What determines a journalist? Being employed by some media outlet? Look at those supermarket tabloids. You think they’re telling the truth? “Alien Robot Found In Obama’s Bathroom In The White House” - since I wrote it, it’s not factual but if the Washington Post wrote it, it would be.

NO ONE REQUIRES CREDENTIALS TO SAY, SPEAK, PRINT, DISPLAY THEIR OPINION! This is the essential core of free speech!

"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."

This "judge" just turned the 1st Amendment on its head... and said that SOME of the people are different than others of the people... and must meet some kind of "litmus" test to have freedom of speech or the press. All it takes to be a member of the press is a press, or an alternate means of publication! There is NOTHING different about this blogger and the New York Times, ABC News, or any other purported news source. All of them are private sources of opinion and information resting their right to speak and publish on the protection of that RIGHT of the 1st Amendment. This judge should be impeached for suborning the constitution! He clearly is a statist!

[paddybus]

I absolutely agree!

This case really hasn’t been brought up by many people, but I think it is a very dark presaging of what may be to come as blogging and online journalism becomes more of a threat to established interests ..Government/Unions/Corporations/Politicians