Freedom of Speech revisited

[somerfrost]

I support freedom of speech but have always felt that it is NOT an absolute, as Holmes pointed out, you can't call "fire" in a crowded theater if there is no fire and I think that "speech" designed to bring harm or pain to others goes over the line. Case in point...I hadn't checked the wackos at Westboro Baptist Church for awhile but i see their site is still up...and they are still picketing at the funerals of fallen service men and women. Just curious, is it just me or do they go over the line?
http://www.godhatesfags.com/

[timmgirvan]

Cloaked by religion,these people are as bad as the KKK. I'll try to limit my responses on this thread in deference to my High Blood Pressure.

[Downthestretch55]

My guess is that these pretenders haven't read Matthew 22:37-40.

Any more than the Bible thumpers read Leviticus 19: 33+34 concerning immigration.
Will all Repubs that want to run on Creation vs Evolution please raise your hand. Three did.
'Nuf said.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

I actually think one of the leaders in the group, Shirley whatever was recently arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor for having one of her children stomp on the flag at one of their marches. She's disgusting and she belongs behind bars.

Is it possible that I'm actually in the mainstream here? Don't get me wrong, these folks have the Constitutional right to get together and spew their hatred in private, they can have their little message board and web site, they can even march in the Hate Day Parade...but when they attend the funerals of fallen heroes of this country to spread their filth...I just don't think that's what the founding fathers had in mind!

[Danzig]

pretty much the only way a child learns to hate--someone has to teach them.


it is a shame that these folks would use this type venue to spew their filth. a time and place for everything, a funeral isn't it!

[hi_im_god]

"you can't call "fire" in a crowded theater if there is no fire"

i understand not yelling "fire!" in a crowded theater. there could be extremely stupid people who hadn't noticed there was no smoke or flames. they might overreact and endanger people so busy rolling their eyes at the overused metaphor they have the popcorn knocked out of their hands.

how does everyone feel about yelling "movie!" in a crowded fire? is that constitutionally protected free speech or over a line that could get me in trouble with the authorities? might the same really really stupid people stop trying to escape and sit down for the previews?

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by hi_im_god

"you can't call "fire" in a crowded theater if there is no fire"

i understand not yelling "fire!" in a crowded theater. there could be extremely stupid people who hadn't noticed there was no smoke or flames. they might overreact and endanger people so busy rolling their eyes at the overused metaphor they have the popcorn knocked out of their hands.

how does everyone feel about yelling "movie!" in a crowded fire? is that constitutionally protected free speech or over a line that could get me in trouble with the authorities? might the same really really stupid people stop trying to escape and sit down for the previews?

I think it was PT Barnum who once said, "nobody ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the American people"...so proceed at your own risk!

[hi_im_god]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

I think it was PT Barnum who once said, "nobody ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the American people"...so proceed at your own risk!

h l menken said that.

here's another (circa 1920):

The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by hi_im_god

h l menken said that.

here's another (circa 1920):

The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.

Cool! Yep, he forsaw the coming of George Bush!

[skippy3481]

Somer i think you are in the mainstream here. I think all people regardless of religion, think these people are supreme whack jobs. It's just sad they have to do it cloaked in religion.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by skippy3481

Somer i think you are in the mainstream here. I think all people regardless of religion, think these people are supreme whack jobs. It's just sad they have to do it cloaked in religion.

Yep, same as extremist Muslims who resort to terrorism, or extremists of any religion (although I've never seen bands of Buddhist monks rampaging about or Wiccan death squads)