Death threats against bloggers are NOT "protected speech"

[mandy]

As I type this, I am supposed to be in San Diego, delivering a workshop at the ETech conference. But I'm not. I'm at home, with the doors locked, terrified. For the last four weeks, I've been getting death threat comments on this blog. But that's not what pushed me over the edge. What finally did it was some disturbing threats of violence and sex posted on two other blogs... blogs authored and/or owned by a group that includes prominent bloggers. People you've probably heard of. People like respected Cluetrain Manifesto co-author Chris Locke (aka Rageboy)...

full article: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_pas...this_.html

One of the unique qualities of Internet discourse is its freewheeling, no-holds-barred nature, where passionate arguments are often accompanied by some choice expletives and a virtual finger in the eye.

But what happens when the talk turns ugly, racist and violent?

In recent weeks, some of those who post comments on the conservative blog Little Green Footballs have said they wished that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had succeeded in what the Gitmo prisoner says was a plot to kill Jimmy Carter. And some who posted comments on the liberal Huffington Post have expressed regret that the suicide bomber at a military base in Afghanistan failed to take out the visiting Dick Cheney...

The really gruesome stuff represents a tiny minority of those online. But is there a way of policing the worst stuff without shutting down robust debate?...

full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...18_pf.html

A related post by me - or why this subject matters to me

Another xxxx member, while posting on the board xxxx earlier this year, made 2 violent threats against TulipTools forum administrators, and also threatened to blow up the home of another forum owner.  Two years ago this same individual, an admitted gun owner, posted comments in which he threatened to shoot a competitor and hire a hit man.  Due to this person's documented history of making violent threats, and his admitted gun ownership, we are concerned for our personal safety and we are strongly considering pursuing criminal charges against this individual for the threats against TulipTools administrators he posted on xxxx.