3rd Circuit Court Tosses Child Online Protection Act

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Yesterday, "We Don't Need No Stinkin Judges" addressed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) nerve on the Senate floor declaring no one cares about judicial confirmations. "I'm telling you, . . . I can't ever remember going home and somebody saying, 'Could you guys [confirm] some more judges? ...Frankly, judge[s] [aren't] a big issue." The following post addresses a Federal Circuit Court yesterday ruling that a law to protect children from sexual material on the Internet is unconstitutional.

Today's news potential highlights "why" Sen. Reid doesn't consider confirming "conservative" judges is a "big issue" With Reid's 51% unfavorable voter approval rating in Nevada in October, few of his constituents are talking to Reid - maybe shouting but not talking. Who does talks to Reid? Maybe Pelosi and the other liberals, Planned Parenthood, the NEA, and lobbyists for gambling, pornography, or maybe those seeking the reduction in the "age of consent." No wonder Reid doesn't want any more of Bush's conservative judicial nominees confirmed to the circuit courts.

CitizenLink: The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals sided with a lower court Tuesday, ruling that a law to protect children from sexual material on the Internet is unconstitutional. A day earlier, the same court threw out a $550,000 indecency fine levied against CBS for the infamous 2004 Super Bowl halftime show.

The Child Online Protection Act (COPA) was passed by Congress in 1998 but was never enforced due to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union. The law makes it illegal to post material that is harmful to children on the Internet for commercial purposes. The 3rd Circuit called the law “overbroad and vague,” saying Internet filters are a less restrictive way to protect children. The 3rd Circuit has once again come to the aid of online pornographers,” he said. “In effect, the court said we can't protect our children from online filth if the law might make some adult seeking his porn 'fix' uncomfortable.”

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Tags: 3rd Circuit Court, ACLU, CBS, children, CitizenLink, COPA, Harry Reid, judicial activism, pornography To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!