Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
From: dennis.l.erlich@support.com
Subject: BRINKEMA DECISION
Message-ID: <9509041713.0O76V01@support.com>
Organization: L.A. Valley College Public BBS (818)985-7150
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Date: Mon, 04 Sep 95 17:13:34 -0700
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mgarde@ix.netcom.com (Maureen Garde)

>Let's take, for example, Ron Newman's web site (or for that matter, the
>web sites of a number of regular posters on a.r.s.).  Aren't these web
>sites publications, just as surely as if they had been copied and
>handed out on street corners?  More so, because these sites inherently
>are accessed by more people.  Are not these people functioning as
>journalists just as surely as the reporters for The Washington Post?
                               
    Yes, yes.

>In fact, I would venture to say that if you counted up all of the
>people who have accessed the web sites of Ron Newman, Rev. Modemac,
>David Dennis, et al., to obtain information about "COS v. the "Net" it
>would amount to a greater number of individual readers than read The
>Washington Post article for which the COS sued.  Even if you just
>counted those who hit those pages after the Arnie Lerma raid, to get
>information about what was going on.
>
>And so, ladies and gentlement of the jury, I would suggest to you, and
>ask you to find, that Ron Newman, Rev. Modemac and the whole lively
>crew are entitled to the same constitutional and legal protections as
>those reporters from The Washington Post.  They are acting in the
>public interest, to inform the public.
             
    Toadly true fact.

>How does this apply to Arnie Lerma?  
 
    Go on and tell us.

>Although he was not maintaining a
>web site (unless I am mistaken), he too was performing a journalistic
>function in speaking out on a.r.s. and elsewhere about COS.  Perhaps
>not in the same static way as a daily newspaper or a web site, but a
>journalistic function just the same.  How do you distinguish Arnie
>Lerma's regular posts on COS, making statements, responding to others'
>posts, from a radio talk show host, whom no one would have trouble
>classifying as a journalist.  (I don't think.)
                      
    One is on radio and the other isn't?  <just guessing>

>If there is a difference, or if my argument makes you squirm but you
>don't know why, is it because Arnie and Ron Newman and all the others
>don't get *paid* as *professional* journlists, like the Post guys?  But
>I ask you, should a non-profit, public interest journalist have less
>protection than the Post journalists merely because he does not get
>paid?
    
    Hmmm.  Let me think ...

>I say not.

    Oh.  Me too!
    
            +--------------------------------------+
           Rev. Dennis L Erlich  * * the inFormer * *
      dennis.l.erlich@support.com  +  inForm@primenet.com
                           "tar baby"