European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 26, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Pago 4 the stabs and stripes Friday february 26,1988 a we rung reversal removes Legal basis for lawsuits on satire new York a a . Supreme court ruling overturning a $200,000 award won by the Rev. Jerry Falwell against Husker Magazine hat dashed a Legal argument thai could have stifled political satire constitutional lawyers say. The unanimous decision wednesday held that even pornographic parodies about Public figure protected by the first amendment As Long As the satire could not be reasonably interpreted As factual. The decision was greeted with Relief by first amendment specialists. I be been telling my class if that one macs it we re in trouble the first amendment is in serious difficulty said professor c. Thomas dices of he George Washington University National us Center. Falwell had successfully argued in lower courts that he had suffered emotional distress As a result of an and parody in Hustler s november 1933 and March 1984 issues. The advertisement had a photograph of Falwell and purportedly quoted him discussing a actual encounter with his Mother and describing him self As a habitual drunkard. At the Bot Tom in Small print readers a Cre told that the and was not to he taken the jury in the original Falwell suit found Here was no libel but awarded Falwell 5200,000 after finding the Magarine parody had intentionally caused Kim emotional distress. Falwell stood by his arguments wednesday. "1 fully appreciate the deep concerns the court a shown for the sacredness of the first amendment Falwell said in a statement. However i respectfully Dis agree with their ruling. Just u no person May scream Firel in a crowded theater when there is no fire and find cover under the first amendment likewise no sleaze merchant like Hustler publisher Larry Flynt should be Able to use the first amendment As an excuse for maliciously and dishonestly attacking Public figures As he has so often done. I believe the supreme court has Given the Green Light la Larry Flynn and his ilk to print what hey wish about any Public figure at any time with no fear of reprisal Bui first amendment lawyers said Falwell s claim of distress As the basis for a libel judgment invited such chaos in the libel Field that even such supreme court justices As William Rehnquist and Antony Scalia not considered steadfast supporters of press rights could not accept it. The High court also rejected Falwell s Falwell claim that the parody was libellous be cause of the concept of is so ambiguous thai it is just no viable As basis for first amendment standards said Hienei if they allowed that it would have opened an incredible amount of litigation against the Media. Just imagine the number of parodies that cause humiliation Don Gillmor director of the univer sity of Minnesota s Silha Center for the study of Media ethics and Law said the language in Falwell s argument actually dates Back to an 1897 Case in England Wilkinson is. Downs on which held that a statement could be lib Claus if in of Tyne was Cut Csc and outrageous exceeding All reasonable Bounds of decency Lead ing to emotional distress that is severe and is intentionally Gilt or said the High court apparently rejected that theory because it opened up Indef Nilion. Confusion and even Judi Cial chaos and the supreme court just did t want to Deal Wilh in. Even if they did t like the press protections this Doc Trine was just to Complex an alter a "1 think rough and Tumble should be the Rule said . Dick Howard a University of Virginia Law professor. I think the opinion is right Economy ended 1987 with 4.5% growth rate Washington a the . Economy grew at a robust 4.5 percent annual rate in the final three months of 1987, the fastest Pace in almost two years the government said thursday. The Commerce department s Esti mate of growth in the Gross National product the total output of goods and services represented an upward revision from a month ago when the on was put at a 4.2 pier no growth rate. President Reagan boasting about the country s longest peacetime recovery on record had Given a Small preview of thursday Good news during his wednesday night news conference. Rea Gan who is briefed on the economic Fig ures in Advance said they would contain a Little Good news economic expansion at such a rapid clip would normally bring cheers but the lopsided nature of this increase is instead raising concern among Privalo economists that the recovery will weaken considerably in the first half of 1988. Analysts base his forecast on the fact that three fourths of the s42 billion in growth in the october december Quarter came from a $32.1 billion Rise in Busi Ness inventories which came As consumer spending was falling at its fastest Rale in More than seven years. This ominous combination Means that production will have to be Cut Back sharply in coming months 10 work Down the excess inventories. A buildup of inventories and weak consumer spending can trigger a recession but most economists believe that the country will be Able to escape a downturn this year. The rapid Rale of growth in the fourth Quarter was accompanied by Little pickup in inflation. A Price Inden tied id the Gnu was rising at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in the fourth Quarter compared to a 3.4 percent increase in the third Quarter. Top videos by he air cited press the following the most popular Vid cocas so tics As they appear in next week s Issue of Bill Board Magazine. Copyright 198s, billboard publications inc. Reprinted with permission.vtwoc�s5etiesalis 1. Lar a Whf twp 0i�inyl Jim Fondi i it iimmc1 huh wort nit Artnur sur Trok w. To son a muse10 put 1 1. Pm Jbf Dix we Imam Ute 12. Ken of Smarri Elk Tofig a prom ffl1 ii of doctor Pinto unit 1 my in. 1a Miry pop pro in Grauu Bud so fir1 Ibn in woe Cassett 10. Tim s40woi a Suttom Mca 11. So Muff idol a 2 Oun Otom Fortun thu chem 13. Tab my febo.17. In a 11. Tin mo"19 of
