Big brother continues to get into our face. We now have a case relating to out of control licensing as it relates to “free speech” in violation of the First Amendment. I just received the following Press Release from the Institute for Justice, IJ. IJ is the Arlington, VA based nonprofit civil liberties law firm who, among other cases, represented Susette Kelo at the US Supreme Court in that infamous Fifth Amendment, Kelo vs City of New London, property rights dispute. I am a member of their “grass roots” Castle Coalition.
INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE
HOME PAGE: WWW.IJ.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 16, 2010
Tour Guides File Major Federal First Amendment Lawsuit
Seek to Vindicate the Freedom to Speak in Washington, D.C.
Arlington, Va.—May city officials in Washington, D.C., throw local tour guides in jail for up to 90 days for engaging in unauthorized talking?
This is the question the Institute for Justice (IJ) seeks to answer in a federal lawsuit filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Two area tour guides—Tonia Edwards and Bill Main—are joining forces with IJ to strike down the city’s tour guide licensing scheme as a violation of their fundamental constitutional rights.
WATCH A 2-MIN VIDEO DESCRIBING THE LAWSUIT: www.ij.org/dctoursvideo
“The government cannot be in the business of deciding who may speak and who may not,” said Robert McNamara, a staff attorney with the Institute for Justice, a national public interest law firm with a history of defending free speech and the rights of entrepreneurs. “The Constitution protects your right to communicate for a living, whether you are a journalist, a musician or a tour guide.”
Together, Tonia Edwards and Bill Main run Segs in the City, which provides fun and informative Segway “safaris” in Annapolis, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. There is, however, a key difference between the three cities: In D.C., doing this makes them criminals. Currently, for telling their customers that the National Archives houses the Bill of Rights, Tonia and Bill could be fined and sentenced to 90 days in jail.
The District’s licensing scheme makes it illegal for anyone to “guide or escort” anyone else for hire without first passing a test and obtaining a special license. The prohibition on unauthorized talking covers all of the public spaces in D.C.—including roads and sidewalks.
“This is a very important case because it is about our constitutional right to speak,” said Tonia Edwards. “We have a business license to operate, but the government cannot force us to get an additional license to speak. When we win, we will protect not only ourselves, but the free speech rights of countless other entrepreneurs as well.”
A similar IJ lawsuit in Philadelphia has garnered significant national media attention, including coverage from All Things Considered and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. Founded in 1991, the Virginia-based Institute for Justice is a public interest law firm that fights for free speech and economic liberty nationwide.
Click here for more information, including a one-stop-shopping case backgrounder. IJ is also online at Facebook, You Tube and twitter.
Best,
Christina Walsh
Director of Activism and Coalitions
Institute for Justice
901 N. Glebe Road, Suite 900
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 682-9320
(703) 682-9321 – fax
www.ij.org
www.castlecoalition.org
What a weird unAmerican regulation. Speech is only supposed to be limited by “reasonable time, place and manner” restrictions which “directly advance a legitimate state interest.” This does not seem to be even close. Scary.
“Free speech in DC under attack”……. hmmmm
Are you sure Larry?
Didn’t you meant to say “Free speech in OJ under attack”?
Fiala,
When you behave yourself we have no issue with you. You bring this on yourself.
See you at the forum tonight.
Aha…. “When you behave yourself we have no issue with you.”
Obviously the Mexicans do not understand concept of unalienable rights…. Huh?
O’ I forgot the Mexicans do not even understand concept of law in general.
When you came to this great nation, didn’t you have to study our Constitution?
Did you see something in there about your “unalienable right” to comment on Art’s blog?
Do you seem to remember such an item in the text somewhere? Has your drug-addled mind added that in somehow? Take another look, Stanislav.
Did you see something in there about Pedroza’s “unalienable right” to comment on Art’s blog?
See, I approved that one even though it didn’t make a lick of sense.
Getting closer to 76,000 every minute!
“I approved that one even though it didn’t make a lick of sense.”…… to the challenged one?
Please notice that the First Amendment is for constitutional scholars and omniscient like me to be interpret by.
When you are ready comrade Vern then whistle and I will indoctrinate you into the higher level of the consciousness.
Stanley, Stanley, Stanley
If nothing else you are entertaining. I think