There are so many items of interest pertaining to First Amendment issues at the moment that I barely know where to begin. As I am working on a compilation of these to post on this web log, I thought I would give a quick update about the incredible auction that, thanks to the generosity of 19 amazing authors, has allowed us to keep our doors open, and continue to defend those of us who run afoul of the First Amendment.

Although components of the auction are still underway, Pam Alexander of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won the right to name a character in Stephen King's novel, "CELL," with a $25,100 bid. In total, we have so far raised approximately $75,000, and are goinfg strong.

A few additional items have been added to the auction. Brad Meltzer, Chris Offutt and David Brin joined the original 16 authors, for which we’re extremely grateful. Also, a poster I designed to commemorate the auction and acknowledge First Amendment Project’s appreciation of the authors will be available. One of our advisory board members and Pulitzer prize-winning author, Michael Chanon has agreed to sign (as well as some of the other authors). A limited edition of 25 will be signed and numbered by me too, and made available on eBay soon, for $75.00. Unlimited editions for $50.00 will also be available.

If you were not fortunate enough to have won naming rights with any of the authors, this is an easy way to remember this historic auction, which became the “most watched” item on eBay ever. And of course you will be supporting First Amendment Project who still needs to raise more to address the increasing number of First Amendment violations we continue to face.

Once the auction has concluded, we are going to be publishing a comprehensive overview of how this all unfolded, who won, and what to expect as the authors begin writing and the books are published.

Thank to all who have participated so far, and please help us to make the final round, closing on September 26, as formidable as the first.

You still have a chance for immortality with the following authors: John Grisham, Neil Gaiman, Dave Eggers, Nora Roberts, Rick Moody, ZZ Packer, Brad Meltzer, Chris Offutt and David Brin.

Watch this space for more….

Federal regulators have authorized an unusual radio station to serve the estimated 10,000 evacuees living in the Houston Astrodome, part of an effort to fill the information void left by Hurricane Katrina's disruption of communications services along the Gulf Coast.

The Federal Communications Commission over the weekend granted Houston relief volunteers and media organizers permission to build a 30-watt radio station inside the Astrodome. Government and industry officials said it was the first time they could recall that a domestic radio station had been set up primarily to keep victims of a U.S. disaster informed.

So reported the Los Angeles Times on September 8, 2005. But grass roots organization is no match for bureaucratic mismanagement, especially when it comes to FEMA, according to a report by Village Voice’s Sarah Ferguson.

Amidst “concerns” as bizarre as evacuees stealing radios to the radios being used to play gangsta rap, the activists with Houston Indymedia and Pacifica radio agreed to provide 1 900 readily available Walkman-like radios and were negotiating with Sony, who had already pledged an additional 10 000, when FEMA yanked the plug.

Said councilmember Ada Edwards who represents a district in central Houston:

I’m very disappointed…One of the real challenges of this big tragedy has been access to communication -- open and honest communication. I really hoped this would be an open outlet for people to get information that was unscripted and that would really address their needs…But it seems par for the course in terms of how this whole thing has been rolling out with FEMA and the Red Cross trying to keep tight control and manage the news…It’s really sad when these people feel they have to sanitize all the time.

With the morons at FEMA, Michael Brown's departure notwithstanding, Homeland Security is fast becoming oxymoronic.

Leon County Commissioner Tony Grippa has a lot on his little mind of late, and none of it has to do with making Tallahassee a little safer in the wake of a high category hurricane.

Nope. Bad Ass Coffee, a brand owned by Bad Ass Coffee Co. stands to be victim of a new ordinance to be proposed by Grippa that will amend local ordinances to ban “off-color signs and billboards.”

Jeff Burlew, a staff writer for the Tallahassee Democrat reports that the owners of Bad Ass Coffee, Co., John and Kelly Bagnardi, claim that the ass refers to donkeys that used to haul loads of coffee up and down the mountains in Kona, Hawaii, where the beans still are cultivated.

Although Bad Ass Coffee, Co. is headquartered in Salt Lake City, the “offensive” sign is located in the Cross Creek shopping center in Tallahassee where, according to Burlew, the locals appear more put out by Grippa’s lack of humor than by the sign.

From a legal standpoint, this is a slam dunk. The First Amendment protects this kind of speech, even if it’s commercial. Hooters, the restaurant chain, being a prime example.

Steve Gey, a constitutional-law professor at Florida State University is quoted as follows:

In general, government has no authority to regulate dirty words in public discourse…They're protected under the First Amendment. But there's less protection when they're used in commercial speech.

While naked ladies (or men) can be prohibited from signage, the notion of banning a sign containing the word ass borders the ridiculous. Would Commissioner Grippa cope if Bangkok Airways took out a billboard (or worse, aired a radio commercial)?

What if Dick Cheney decided to run for President and Leon County was plastered with “We Love Dick” signs?

Grippa said he became concerned about the name of the coffeehouse after his young daughter saw it and asked him what it meant. He said children shouldn't be subjected to such words.

Actually, what he should have done, was gently shown his daughter a picture of a mule or a donkey, so she knew what that meant. And then he should have picked her up and pointed to himself in a mirror so she could learn the distinction between an ass and an asshole.

“Go fuck yourself,” screamed an off-camera passer by at Dick Cheney as he went through the motions of the empathetic Vice President, visiting the Gulf region for the first time today. While the obscenity was broadcast over all three networks covering the Veep’s trip, Mr. Cheney could hardly denounce the comment disrespectful. It was the identical utterance he had leveled at Senator Patrick Leahy on the floor of the Senate in his role as president of the Senate, after Leahy referenced Cheney’s ties to Halliburton and their no-bid contract success in Iraq.

Ironically, Halliburton is fairing relatively well in the wake of Katrina, but the bigger story here is whether FEMA is attempting to censor journalists and photographers from providing the public with images of the dead, much like the refusal of the Pentagon to allow images of soldiers returning in coffins from Iraq.

Against the backdrop of rumors that some members of the National Guard have been pointing loaded guns at journalists brandishing notepads, coupled with the refusal of rescuers to allow journalists on boats if they plan on taking pictures, FEMA responded:

The recovery of victims is being treated with dignity and the utmost respect and we have requested that no photographs of the deceased by made by the media.

Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism, a part of Columbia University's journalism school called FEMA’s request and “invitation to chaos.” Larry Siems of the PEN American Center told Reuters:

It's impossible for me to imagine how you report a story whose subject is death without allowing the public to see images of the subject of the story…How is the world going to look at us if we go into their part of the world and we broadcast these images and we do not allow ourselves to look at such images when they're right in our own midst?

While we are currently raising funds for First Amendment Project, in an unprecedented auction with 18 authors, the atrocious response to Hurricane Katrina, government bungling, and a move to accuse anyone demanding accountability of playing a “blame game” (like dissent being equated with treason), we are reminded that in a time like this, freedom of expression remains critically important.