🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2oeajm$ii6@panix.com>, Clay Shirky <clays@panix.com> wrote:
>In <Co4vBv.IEs@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca> rjwells@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca (Justin Wells) writes:
>
>>What would happen if Canadians, and other non-Americans, started 
>>posting death threats to president@whitehouse.gov?  Clearly this is in
>>violation of *American* law.. probably an outright death threat is in
>>violation of Canadian law.. but there's no doubt some middle ground
>>threat which is fine under Canadian law (what's a president?) but
>>totally illegal in the U.S.A.?
>
>You could do this, of course, but it is hardly a parallel case. You
>would be breaking US law without helping keep information free form
>the dictates of national sovereignty or helping any percentage of the
>US populous aquire information they want but are denied by their
>government.
>
>If you want a parallel case, make sure to break our infomation bans
>when they arise.
>-- 
>Clay Shirky

This is an interesting thread.  You are quite right, however, that the
example given is not a good one because it doesn't bring up parallel issues.
Do the following two examples fit the bill?

Americans are forbidden from phoning Cuba directly themselves.  I think we
can all agree that this limits free speech between those in the USA and
those in Cuba.  Of course, most Canadians respect the right of the USA to
enact its own laws.  But say, hypothetically, that a Canadian company
offered the following service: Americans could phone a number in Canada,
get a second dial tone, and then dial direct to Cuba.  (Without going into
details, this is not fiction.)

Americans are forbidden from listening to certain radio frequencies.  In
fact, shortly it will be illegal to sell radios in the USA capable of
tuning in these forbidden frequencies.  In Canada a private individual can
legally listen to any frequency and radios banned for sale in the USA are
perfectly legal.  Again, I am sure most Canadians respect the American
right to enact laws restricting its citizens.  However, hypothetically
speaking only, what if a Canadian radio distributor assisted Americans who
believe that freedom of speech is the same as having the right to know
everything by selling them radios which tune frequencies forbidden in the
USA?

Hope this helps your discussion.