Corporate rights abound

Corporations having rights may sound like a strange concept, but since the mid-1800s corporations have been recognized as having the same rights as “persons” under the law. Although it’s being talked about at a national level, corporate “rights” are all around us here in Spokane.

Recently, the Yellow Book Association – a trade association corporation – sued the city of Seattle, claiming that its “free speech” First Amendment rights were violated by the city’s opt-out registry for phone book delivery. Such a suit has a chilling effect on all municipalities who may want to do the same, let alone those who want to ban the distribution of phone books outright.

Every year, the city of Spokane is sued by development and other corporations asserting their corporate “rights.” It’s time to declare that rights are for people, not for corporations – something that the Community Bill of Rights (envisionspokane.org) will do on the November ballot.

Thomas Linzey

Spokane