On Twitter @bigenya pointed me to a tweet via @clickmomukhamo (sorry can’t direct link to his status, it is protected) that perhaps there should be a Blogger’s Defense Fund similar to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Here’s a snippet from Novellist and Comic Book Writer Brad Meltzer on what the Comic Book Fund does:
A Special Message From Brad Meltzer
No one likes these letters. But that doesn�t make them any less important. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund needs our help. As I write this letter, their experts are preparing to testify on behalf of Christopher Handley, a private collector who faces up to 20 years in prison for possession of manga that the Federal Government has deemed obscene. If convicted, Handley’s case will set new precedent that would make it easier for the government to prosecute private citizens for possession of art, and make art even more vulnerable for prosecution. As special consultant to the defense, the CBLDF is fighting to stop this from happening.
Handley�s case shows why it’s important that we support the CBLDF. For more than 20 years, the Fund has been going to court to defend retailers, creators, and now, readers who are singled out by prosecutors because of comics. They arrange and pay for the best counsel, an expense that would bankrupt most of us. When you contribute to the Fund, you’re helping real people and safeguarding our First Amendment rights.
Because of your support, the Fund makes a difference. Your donations helped them march to victory in their defense of Rome, GA retailer Gordon Lee. For nearly three years Gordon was fighting a prosecutor’s office that grossly overcharged him at the start of the case, and proceeded to cause multiple delays, including throwing out and refiling charges a year and a half into the case, and creating a mistrial when the case finally went before a jury. Over $100,000 was spent to defend Mr. Lee.
Without our support, the CBLDF can’t perform this important work. Please join me in supporting the Fund by taking this opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation. There are lots of ways to do this – you can sign up for membership, donate a piece of artwork or a rare comic book from your collection, or buy premiums from their website. And cash donations are always appreciated, of course.
If you’re a creator or publisher, you can also donate some of your time to the Fund by signing for them at conventions and events, donating signed copies of your work, or something even more creative. If you’re a retailer, why not host a CBLDF fundraiser at your store or sign up for retail membership?
However you decide to help, now is the time. The Fund is standing up for our rights as readers and creators. We need to stand behind them with our financial support so they can keep doing their important work. Please make your contribution to the CBLDF today.
Sincerely,
Brad Meltzer
With all this hoopla on the Golf Affair and the rising power of blogs and new media, perhaps it is the exact moment when we bloggers— bloggers from all walks of life get organized.
What do you think?
Popularity: 2% [?]
Im for an ad-hoc, as-the-need-arises type of fund-raising. With a ready fund to dip into for ‘bloggers’ defense’, some bloggers might be tempted to get careless with their facts.
If a blogger is in trouble with the libel law, issue a call and the rest of us can determine whether the help being asked for is merited.
(Im for decriminalizing libel, btw. Turn libel cases into civil cases, not criminal cases.)
What is blogging anyway? Is it literary art or journalism? If there is a suit filed then we can see. The courts will have to determine that.
A Lithuanian court has ruled two years ago that bloggers aren’t journalists and thus aren’t eligible for privileges and protections given to journalists.
Abangan.
How about establishing a Philippine chapter for EFF?
Also, re: Are bloggers journalists? CNN reported a last week about something similar ;) will have to find that link again.
that handley case is interesting. i wonder if the philippines has an obscenity law also. my guess is that it doesn’t.
What you raised reminded me something I read a few months back on The Blog Herald: the Media Bloggers Association here and here.
Of course, again, I can’t begin to imagine the trouble it would spell if this is done locally.
@ia,
good point.
@GabbyD
Don’t give Congress any bright ideas, please?
jeq has a good point. If you go pre-need you have to have a set of criteria, a very good one since bloggers are a motley sort. Baka naman may resentment kung ang iba pagbigyan at iba hindi. And someone can always cry class bias when fund doesn’t go to someone from a poorer status.
The issue is how it is going to be funded? by fund raising…paypal donations?
Even Brian Gorrel with millions of viewers did not get as much from donations.
Membership fee?
How many political bloggers are there in the Philippines?
Would you think the bloggers blogging about cooking, families, pets would join?
Do you know how much money is involved when sued in court…do you know how long is the case litigated with all the postponements from both sides. Baka ma-raise lang ay enough for the first hearing.
Who is going to handle the funds raised? will there be a legal entity which is going to be formed so it could accept donations?
You are opening a window of opportunity for fraud and corruption.
Where there is money, there will always be the temptation to mishandle it especially if there is no audit.
The reason why many libels do not prosper is because there are out-of-court-settlements.
The reason why there is what is so-called professional liability insurance is because a corporation does not like to drain its cash from very expensive suit against the directors/officers due to some corporate related decisions.
The reason why many USA journalists and or newspapers are not afraid of the libel cases is because they are covered by a liability insurance.
Bloggers are not journalists although most of bloggers feel they are.
Do you have an alternative to protecting bloggers, Cat?
Sorry but I don’t give a crap about Gorrel. I don’t give a crap about people who post pictures of their pets and regurgitating showbiz tsismis from tabloids. What sane person would give money to that?
What I do care about those who genuinely try to question issues like Valley Golf and government corruption. If it starts encroaching on freedom of expression, then I would gladly give and ask other people to support it.
It’s about choosing battles. Even the above article said they choose which cases to take. Associations ask for dues from members. Members agree to follow certain rules and regulations – people who do real leg work in reporting instead of just ripping off other websites, people who do original recipes who actually do it for a living and can actually cook the stuff they post, people who post well thought out opinions and encourage discussion instead of knee-jerk reactions and squelching debate, people who genuinely try to create content instead making blogging as a quick way to make a buck. In exchange, members expect their associations to support them if they run into some issues – like libel accusations, copyright infringement, harassment etc.
my example of Gorrel is about fundraising thru donations. Read my comment.
The only protection for the bloggers is to avoid libelous statements, nothing more.
for copyright infringements, there are organizations where to complain. I’ve been a victim of plagiarism and all I did was to write those addresses.
if i read your comment right, you are for the membership fee. Will that be enough? As i have said how many bloggers are you talking about?
if the bloggers are really serious about this liability insurance thing, then they can work on this instead of providing cash flow for those who are into legal entanglements which amount may not be sufficient for the lawyrs’ fees.
as to how, then the table is open for discussions.