Rules of the Road

Glenn Reynolds has signed the petition. (So have I.) Patrick has not.

Given this new piece of news today, I'd say the blogosphere is in for some heavy-duty legal attacks -- both by the government and by large corporations.

I understand Patrick's moral and legal stand on not signing the petition. I'd rather take the Kim du Toit approach to conflict, and have a whole arsenal of weapons at hand, rather than just moral and Constitutional rights. (Clearly neither have any effect on the Court system these days.)

My mother always says you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Diplomacy can be a great weapon, if it's used correctly. Wrapping yourself in righteousness and the American flag can be a good weapon too, if, you have sufficient, positive media attention. Carrying a big legal stick and having sufficient cash to pay for it would be an even better weapon.

Here's my question for the big guns -- right, left and center -- should we all be considering forming some kind of a non-profit organization to collect money to be used in cases where a blogger is currently being overwhelmingly outgunned for exercising his/her first amendment rights simply because they lack the cash to mount an adequate defense?

The Cat Fanciers' Association and the American Kennel Club have legislative defense funds. Why shouldn't bloggers have a legal/legislative defense fund, for cripes sake?
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