USA-Foreign law & Constitution-WSJ
03-05-08
Foreign Law and the First Amendment
By FLOYD ABRAMS
Wall Street Journal: April 30, 2008
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120951734327554697.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Today, there are sharp distinctions between U.S. and English law. One difference is that under the First Amendment we provide far more protection for speech that is claimed to be libelous…There is no need for democratic nations to agree upon such matters. The values of free speech and individual reputation are both significant, and it is not surprising that different nations would place different emphasis on each…But a serious problem has surfaced. In recent years, English libel law has come to have a disturbing impact on the right of Americans to speak out.
