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October 1997, Week 2

HP3000-L@RAVEN.UTC.EDU

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Subject:
From:
Steve Dirickson b894 WestWin <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Steve Dirickson b894 WestWin <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 13 Oct 1997 14:57:00 P
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<<The Constitution grants the right to free assembly

    so no-one must interfere with that right>>


No, it doesn't. The Amendment I to The Constitution of the United States
of America
 *prohibits*
 *Congress*
 *from making any law*
 that restricts freedom of speech, assembly, etc. etc.

This is a recurring misconception all over the 'Net today: that the
constitution guarantees freedom of <whatever> in person-to-person,
person-to-company, and other relationships not involving the US
government. A private individual or company can restrict, discriminate,
disenfranchise, etc. to the extent that it can get away with it. There
are local regulations, state laws, contractual agreements, and other
items that control the degree to which an individual, group, or synthetic
person can get away with these types of actions, but the Constitution is
completely out of the picture.

And yes, I realize that the posting was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but the
misconceptions listed are rampant enough that an occasional reality check
is worthwhile.

Steve

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