Tom;
The issue here is freedom of two business corporations (or a
corporation and individual in the rare case of the unincorporated
artist significant enough to warrant space on the shelves) to
contract. No one would dream of telling a store they must sell a
particular pattern or wallpaper, or a particular book or movie.
Neither would it be acceptable for the government to tell an artist
that they must make wallpaper, books, or movies to a specific artistic
standard. A store is free to sell (subject to health and safety
rules, etc.) what in their opinion will allow them to maximize
profits, or to choose to not maximize profits where such would
conflict with a more important (to the store) goal (which see Chick
Fil'A which will not open on Sundays). An artist is free to produce
and sell, in one or multiple versions, a work of art for whatever
motivates them. It could be profit, it could be a desire to spread a
message, it could be pure ego.
In the case of Wal-mart, two parties strike a deal for what one will
sell via the other. If either is not satisfied, they are free to seek
other partners.
Regarding Newspapers and such, sure, Wal-mart can tell the Washington
post to produce a stress free fish wrap. The Post is free to stay no
and decline to sell via Wal-mart. They are not free to demand that
Wal-mart carry their fish wrap as is.
For the record, I do not support the notion of corporate personhood.
I think a corporate entity should have no rights other than, and all
rights that adhere to, the individuals comprising the corporate
entity. I don't think you and I together should either loose or gain
rights should we act in concert.
Matthew
On Nov 26, 2008, at 3:25 PM, Tom Piwowar wrote:
Not strictly true. They require artists who wish to sell via their
store to provide edited versions. Nothing evil about it, just a
marketing decision that for them works. No one is forced to make an
edit and Walmart is not forced, nor should any store be forced, to
sell what they do not wish to sell. Freedom is a two way street.
I think you mix up freedom for people vs freedom for corporations. I
think one of the biggest mistakes of the radical right is the belief
that
corporations should have the same rights as individuals. It leads to
individual rights getting trampled because the powers of
corporations are
so much greater.
Allowing Walmart to censor video content is one example. If Walmart is
allowed to do that, what is to stop them from telling newspapers what
stories they are allowed to cover and what their editorials should be?
E.g. "We don't want news about the /war/poor economy/greedy
corporations/
to upset our customers."
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