Can NPR deep six deep linking?

Probably not of profound importance to the non-blogging world, but every blogger in the world, almost, has commented on this so here's my take. NPR has joined the ranks of those trying to prohibit unapproved deep-linking (where links go to pages within a web site, as opposed to the home page. So, for example, I am violating their policy by doing this before filling out this.) What's strange is that most opposition to deep-linking comes from sites who fear that they will lose revenue if visitors don't trudge through ad-heavy front pages to get to their deeper articles. Yet NPR doesn't make money from its website, so what's the deal? Their explanation, as reported in Wired News, is revealing:

Still, NPR will continue to require that every site -- whether it's commercial or not, advocates a position or doesn't -- still ask permission. Why? "Because we want to keep track of who's doing it -- so says our law department."

In other words, there really isn't a good reason but the lawyers are found a way to bill hours and CYA at the same time. From my POV, a link is simply a statement about how to download a particular document over the Internet, and should be protected as speech. By making pages available over the Internet, organizations are putting these pages in public view and therefore surrender the right to prohibit others from speaking about, or referring to, them. Making money off of them is another issue, but let's not let the lawyers curb free speech so easily.