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COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A South Carolina man is accused of threatening the life of Gov. Nikki Haley on Facebook, but he claims he was only making a point about free speech.
When 26-year-old Nathan Shafer heard about the arrests of 19 Occupy Columbia members outside the State House last Wednesday, he did what lots of people do when they get angry -- he vented about it on the Internet. He saw Gov. Haley's Facebook post about the arrests and Haley's comment that she "appreciate[s] freedom of speech," and that's when authorities say Shafer crossed the line.
"I hope someone murders you before I do," Shafer said he commented on the post. "How's that for freedom of speech?"
As a civilian, if someone made that threat aganst me on fb or anywhere else, I would take it literally too and rightfully be concerned of my safety. The "..before I do," part is the most worry-some, it implies that the poster has an actionable plan or initiative to act on his feelings, and was not just simply "venting" or joking. And the "..how's that for freedom of speech," part still doesn't make it clear that his threat was a joke used just to make a point, there are plenty of crazies who actually believe that the First Amendment protects their real threats on another's life that they have every intention of carrying out.
And common sense dictates that you never threaten the life of a politician, especially a governor, joking or not. Like common sense says you don't joke about a bomb at an air port or on a plane!! But no one said OWSers and their supporters have common sense!!
That SOB earned any jail time he gets from playing that game. It has been against the law to make that kind of comment in public, and FaceBook is really public, about public officers.
He couldn't have been trying to push his freedom of speech since the law has ben around plenty long for someone as old as he is to know about it.
That depends on what your definition of "is" is.......
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Like common sense says you don't joke about a bomb at an air port or on a plane!! 
