Everything Just Stinks When You Pick On The Onion. It's A Play On Words.

This Honorable Court has historically taken an absolutist stand on the question of free speech and the doctrine of fair use, poking fun at a certain Minnesota humorist for not getting a joke, marveling at the prescience of a certain satirical newspaper, and now standing by said newspaper as it takes on the Bush Administration. (This was our no. 5 link today.) When The Onion uses the Presidential Seal of the United States it does so inappropriately, claims the White House, because of all the people who view The Onion as a legitimate news source and who might be confused, y'know, by seeing the Seal on a story about President Bush telling 8.2 million Americans to go out and get a job. Bloggers aren't happy about this. That Libertarian Sandmonkey wrote: "You don't mess with the Onion and stay on my good side. Just ain't happening." UneasySilence sarcastically asks: " I can’t decide what’s money well spent… Tax dollars on the war, or tax dollars to foot the lawyer fees regarding The Onion’s use of the Seal." This court renders a verdict of: neither.

Posted by Philip Ewing at October 26, 2005 10:01 AM

Category: The vast electric lunchroom