Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Has anyone ever read the book 1984? I am just waiting for the 'thought police' to start mobilizing. Kind of weird.
Wondering if this is just business as usual in pandering to Muslims. We saw it with the 'flying imams'. Remember they were kicked off the plane for doing suspicious things, like praying on the floor of the plane, speaking in Arabic (refrencing Osama Bin Laden), etc. They turned around and sued the people who reported it to the flight attendents as 'racism'. I think it was a purposeful plan to see if they could get people to legally have to shut up about suspicious behavior and pave the way for future terrorist attacks. Luckily it didn't work. They actually just recently are moving to pass legislation in the Senate to prevent people who report suspicious activity of any legal action. A little off topic, but it shows the willingness of our justice system to bend over backwards for a small but influential minority. Interesting.
Has anyone ever read the book 1984? I am just waiting for the 'thought police' to start mobilizing. Kind of weird.
Wondering if this is just business as usual in pandering to Muslims. We saw it with the 'flying imams'. Remember they were kicked off the plane for doing suspicious things, like praying on the floor of the plane, speaking in Arabic (refrencing Osama Bin Laden), etc. They turned around and sued the people who reported it to the flight attendents as 'racism'. I think it was a purposeful plan to see if they could get people to legally have to shut up about suspicious behavior and pave the way for future terrorist attacks. Luckily it didn't work. They actually just recently are moving to pass legislation in the Senate to prevent people who report suspicious activity of any legal action. A little off topic, but it shows the willingness of our justice system to bend over backwards for a small but influential minority. Interesting.
1984 was a chilling and depressing tale. It's interesting that, like most science fiction views of the future, some of it was way off base. (like the huge "monoculture" it envisioned--nearly the opposite has happened, as in "multiculturalism")--but parts of it were eerily prophetic--you will remember that the whole book was permeated by the strange phenomena of "newspeak"- the "new" way of describing a situation or event to euphemistically soften the harsh reality. Readers back when the book first came out were probably horrified at this concept, but it is a very accurate description of the surreal world of "political correctness" in which we now are totally immersed. Even on college campuses, which should be bastions of free speech and critical thinking, the "thought police" rigidly censor who may speak, and upon which subjects, on university property. As I said in a recent post, in order to excercise one's free speech, one must first make sure he's speaking on an approved subject, or an approved ideology...bizarre and scary!!
Where exactly is the "crime" here, besides destroying a $10 book? Isn't that petty vandalism, punishable by a Saturday afternoon cleaning up trash alongside the interstate?
It sounds like this poor kid really is being punished for his motives alone, which is indeed indicative of the government attempting to control our thoughts. Scary.
On a related note, I'll never own a copy of the Koran until they start making it in two-ply.
Where exactly is the "crime" here, besides destroying a $10 book? Isn't that petty vandalism, punishable by a Saturday afternoon cleaning up trash alongside the interstate?
It sounds like this poor kid really is being punished for his motives alone, which is indeed indicative of the government attempting to control our thoughts. Scary.
On a related note, I'll never own a copy of the Koran until they start making it in two-ply.
That was one of the few posts that I've actually laughed out loud while reading.
Hate crime legislation undermines the cornerstone of our liberties and chills the expression of opinion. I revile this sort of legislation on so many levels.
Anyone see the double standard? I personally don't think either one should have been charged with anything, it is clearly protected under the freedom of speech. You want to burn a flag? It's offensive to me, but go ahead. Flush a Koran down the toilet, tacky, but clearly not illegal.
I felt very offended about the crucifix put in a jar of urine, but it is free speech, no matter how much I disagree with it.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives the following definitions of the word "speech:"
1 a : the communication or expression of thoughts in spoken words b : exchange of spoken words : CONVERSATION
2 a : something that is spoken : UTTERANCE b : a usually public discourse : ADDRESS
3 a : LANGUAGE, DIALECT b : an individual manner or style of speaking
4 : the power of expressing or communicating thoughts by speaking
I don't see anything in there about dunking crucifixes in urine, burning flags, or flushing Qurans down the toilet, do you? The First Amendment protects the free expression of opinions in speech and writing, and more broadly, it's an absolute guarantee of liberty of conscience. But it doesn't cover everything that anyone may happen to feel like doing.
Just the same, those who have pointed out the unconstitutional nature of so-called "hate crime" laws here are absolutely correct. I can still remember when the term "hate crime" was new, because I was astonished that the media were using it. It sounded exactly like a term out of Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four ("facecrime," "thoughtcrime," "sexcrime," etc.)
Um...... I think this case will be thrown out of court. There's just no cause of action here in my opinion - except maybe if the book was university property and he destroyed it.
Actually, sounds like a first amendment case to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bellinghamite
I don't see anything in there about dunking crucifixes in urine, burning flags, or flushing Qurans down the toilet, do you? The First Amendment protects the free expression of opinions in speech and writing, and more broadly, it's an absolute guarantee of liberty of conscience. But it doesn't cover everything that anyone may happen to feel like doing.
"Speech" in America is VERY broadly defined, and includes symbolic actions.
"Speech" in America is VERY broadly defined, and includes symbolic actions.
Broadly defined by whom, and since when?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
