Activist Blogger: The Josh Wolf Story

Although relatively short, filmmaker Donna Lee's documentary tackles some pretty heavy-duty First Amendment issues while telling the story of blogger Josh Wolf, ostensibly an anarcho-socialist activist operating far out of the mainstream. After filming a minor scuffle in San Francisco in 2005 between local protestors and police, Wolf was visited by FBI agents wanting to confiscate the tape to see if there was any incriminating evidence. Wolf knew there wasn't anything of value on the recording, yet he stood up for his First Amendment rights as a journalist at a time when the draconian Bush regime was pulling the levers of anti-terror politics, a policy position that naturally filtered down to the local levels of state and city government. So, Wolf wound up spending a ridiculous seven months in jail for contempt of court. The interview subjects here, many either local San Francisco journalists or activist bigwigs, engage in an entertaining debate about what constitutes a “journalist” in legal terms and whether or not Wolf should have been compelled to hand over any sources or potential criminal evidence to the meddlesome government agents. Recommended. Aud C, P. (M. Sandlin)