Heckler’s veto C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 10/19/2011

Heckler’s veto

C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S

Jonathan De la Cruz

10/19/2011
Wikipedia advises that a heckler’s veto occurs when an acting party’s right to freedom of speech is curtailed or restricted by the government in order to prevent a reacting party’s behavior.

Originally coined by University of Chicago law professor Harry Kalven, the common example of a heckler’s veto is that of demonstrators (reacting party) causing a speech (given by the acting party) to be terminated in order to preserve the peace.

Although used in the context of “freedom of speech and assembly” as a basic right provided for under most constitutions including ours, the idea of a “heckler’s veto” can also apply to P-Noy and his adherents’ latest tactic in the Marcos burial issue.

After P-Noy emphatically advised out of the blue that former President Marcos will not be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNB) or even anywhere else with state honors under his watch his spokesmen have gone to town invoking all kinds of justifications to support this lamentable proposition. They are practicing a kind of “heckler’s veto” on this decidedly highly emotional issue and are succeeding, for now, in putting a closure to it..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20111019com4.html