Animal Ethics

APRIL 20, 2010

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that the First Amendment protects depictions of animal cruelty. This does not mean that it protects animal cruelty, which is (and ought to be) illegal in every state.

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Animal Ethics

AUGUST 11, 2010

To the Editor: Re “ Disgusting but Not Illegal ” (editorial, Aug. 2): We disagree with your contention that the First Amendment protects animal “crush” videos. Stevens , the Supreme Court last year overturned a 1999 law banning depictions of animal cruelty on the grounds of overbreadth. In United States v.

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Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 9, 2009

To the Editor: Re “ Animal Cruelty and Free Speech ” (editorial, Oct. The law speaks specifically and narrowly to the distribution for profit of videos that show illegal acts of cruelty actually being performed on live animals (my italics). I was privileged to be present in the court when this case was argued.

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Animal Ethics

OCTOBER 6, 2009

Code, Title 18.48, made it a federal crime to knowingly create, sell, or possess a depiction of animal cruelty with the intention of placing that depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for commercial gain. I don’t think so. Similarly, child pornography is not protected by the First Amendment.

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