Marc Randazza, Hero

When I  first stumbled across Marc Randazza, he was misbegotten adjunct professor at brand X law school, rough around the edges and ready to stand his ground against any foe.  He was tough. He was coarse. And that was just the start.

Over the years, I’ve come to admire Marc Randazza enormously, both for the effectiveness of his legal work which, I can say from first hand knowledge as he represents me in the Rakofsky v. Internet case, is exceptional, but even more for his  unrelenting boldness in his support of the First Amendment. As much as we’ve become friends over the years, I have no doubt that he would be the first to rip my lungs out were I to take a position that he disagreed with.  Fortunately, I leave that to the  Feminist Law Profs and the Cyber Civil Rights crowd.

It’s not always easy hanging out with Marc Randazza. He doesn’t mince words, and most of the ones he uses begin with “f” and end with “uck.”  When compelled to use phrases, they tend to include such vivid images, like “circle jerk.”  Surprisingly, not everyone  feels as kindly toward such colorful language as Marc does. But that’s a large part of Marc’s point, that we get all hung up on concealing thoughts behind “nice” or inoffensive language,  

Marc Randazza uses words that make refined folks wince. it’s not an accident.  While he enjoys making others uncomfortable with his language, it’s not without good reason. They’re just words. Get used to them. Get over them. Deal with the ideas behind them, even if the words aren’t pleasing to your eye. 

Writing at the  Legal Satyricon (where I, and not Marco, coined the name for his peeps, Satyriconistas, though he tries to claim it),  Marc Randazza has never been afraid from taking a stand. Some are a bit wacky, but all reflect the strength of his convictions on the First Amendment.  He has no qualms about people disagreeing with him. He’s all about robust discussion.  Take you best shot if you think he’s full of it, but don’t be surprised when he takes his best shot back.  That’s how ideas get vetted, with hard and real argument, and  Marc Randazza is as ready for a fight to defend his beliefs as anyone you will ever meet.

Of course, anyone who shows any guts on the internet is going to make enemies, and  Marc Randazza has his share.  They range from the Happysphere to the tin foil hat club, and the worst of them will show no reluctance in manufacturing a litany of insane complaints.  Then again, his  litany of successes is not only longer, but true.

This is a feature, not a bug, of the internet, as no one who shows the fortitude of his beliefs gets away without making enemies.  The more outrageous the attack, the more important the belief.  It’s a badge of honor to have enemies. Without them, you haven’t done anything worthwhile.

But when it comes time to fight for real, to challenge those whose goal it is to silence the internet, to shut down the speech that makes them feel badly about themselves or to whine about the hurtfulness of someone who disagrees with you, there is no better friend than Marc Randazza.  In a fight, he’s the guy you want standing beside you.

If you believe in the First Amendment, if you feel that the greatest weapon against bad speech is good speech, if you have the guts to stand up for the things you believe in, then look to  Marc Randazza as your role model.  You don’t have to share his love of the vernacular to appreciate his point, and regardless of whether your favorite amendment is the first or fourth (or even the ninth), his fortitude makes him the sort of person who keeps the internet safe and free for all ideas.  And that’s why  Marc Randazza is one of my heros.  He should be one of yours as well.

11 thoughts on “Marc Randazza, Hero

  1. Andrew

    Is this the blawgosphere’s Marc Randazza Day or something? Or, was it just a coincidence that you and Ken @ Popehat also wrote about him today?

    He didn’t link to Marc Randazza’s websites as much as you did, though. Marc Randazza is pretty awesome from what I can tell, though, so maybe you want to add more links to Marc Randazza in this comment about Marc Randazza.

  2. Andrew

    I wouldn’t say it was too much. I just thought you were trying to do some well-deserved SEO work or something, just like all those “marketing experts” say. Except not at all like those “marketing experts” say since Marc Randazza has demonstrated his worth and expertise in his area of law.

    I’d add Marc Randazza links to my comments, but link policy and all…

  3. Dan

    Damned straight. I hope in the spirit of Mr. Randazza’s mastery of the Queen’s English you’ll allow the following paraphrase of Drew Carey’s line: His dick is so big it has it’s own dick, and even his dick’s dick is bigger than your dick.

    He is a hell of a guy, and a hero to anyone who enjoys the freedom to speak freely. Also, per his post today, his wife is smokin’ hot.

  4. Kathleen Casey

    I do love him more since he quit sending me porn first thing in the morning, a lot of mornings.

  5. Larky

    Does Rondazza really have nothing better to do than promote himself? Nobody other than himself really gives a sh*t about him.

  6. SHG

    Randazza isn’t promoting himself. I’m promoting him. Which means I give a shit about him. Which means you’re wrong.

Comments are closed.