A question for Americans

[doctorjackal777]

I wonder if it's illegal for me to say 'I want to kill the Prime Minister of Australia?' not that I do, I rather like her, but actually having a law that prevents you from uttering a sentence whether you mean it or not. That's getting a little weird.

 

[TurtleBay]

I wonder if it's illegal for me to say 'I want to kill the Prime Minister of Australia?' not that I do, I rather like her, but actually having a law that prevents you from uttering a sentence whether you mean it or not. That's getting a little weird.

The laws have very specific context in regards to meaning. The law is that if you indicate "imminent lawless action" then it isn't protected speech. You need to indicate that you plan to kill the PM of Australia and have it be a credible threat (not sarcasm or kidding around). The supreme court has protected the KKK, and the KKK has killed people in the past, don't underestimate what speech is protected.

 

[Klopy]

Would you mind explaining how those conditions are written in the Constitution when none of the words Defamation, Causing Panic, Fighting Words, Incitement to Crime, Sedition or Obscenity appear in the Constitution?

Ah, I'm sorry. I wrote this while I was tired. Slip of the tongue... Or fingers.

I believe that cases involving these five arose in Court, and the difficult rulings created the exceptions for future reference on similar cases. I do not know where they were actually documented though. If not in the constitution, then I do not know where. Perhaps they are only in the rulings of the cases?

They are true, nevertheless. These exceptions are what I learned in class, and they are what I find online on the subject.

 

[maturin]

Would you mind explaining how those conditions are written in the Constitution when none of the words Defamation, Causing Panic, Fighting Words, Incitement to Crime, Sedition or Obscenity appear in the Constitution?

Ah, I'm sorry. I wrote this while I was tired. Slip of the tongue... Or fingers.

I believe that cases involving these five arose in Court, and the difficult rulings created the exceptions for future reference on similar cases. I do not know where they were actually documented though. If not in the constitution, then I do not know where. Perhaps they are only in the rulings of the cases?

They are true, nevertheless. These exceptions are what I learned in class, and they are what I find online on the subject.

Legal precedent, sounds like.

 

[Cryofthewolf]

Too long. Did not read. (Still responding though.)

I agree with what someone posted above. The government is slowly taking away the right to practice free speech because of all the people being offended lately. I mean, there are people who I would like to see off the streets (Westboro Baptist Church, for one,) but they DO have the right to be there.

If we lose some freedoms it makes it easier to lose others down the line. Although there are jerks out there that use free speech to spread hate (Ku Klux Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, etc.) their right, as well as the rest of ours, deserve to be protected. It is one of the main things that America is all about.

i found your post here very offensive, and i would like you to apoligize. it is in christian tradition to dictate however everyone else lives (see also: gay marriage, ground zero mosque, Adolf hitler.

I will not apologize. I stated what I believe and I stand by it. I shouldn't have to apologize for what I believe anymore than you should. If you have a problem with that take it up with the admins. I have done nothing wrong.

 

[CarpathianMuffin]

My speech is, mainly because it isn't anything terribly inflammatory or upsetting to the status quo.

 

[brainslurper]

Free speech? what free speech? Nope free speech means that as long as you aren't hurting anyone you can say what you want, but considering we are banning a community center just because we are scared of muslims id say freedom of speech hasn't been here for a while.

No one is banning a community center because of free speech, least of all the most notable community center currently being built(the "Mosque" in NYC).

1. It's not being banned, it's currently scheduled to be built and has the backing of the President of the United States of America as well as the Mayor of New York City.

2. The reasons people don't want it built have nothing to do with free speech, but the fact that the planes flown into buildings on 9/11 were flown by Muslims. Agree with that or not, it's a sensitive issue for a lot of people. Ignoring this fact does not make you right, it makes you culturally deaf.

Even for the families of the 9/11 victims they should direct their anger at the extremist groups responsible, not the entire religion. The fact that the mosque issue was even talked about made me reconsider free speech (and i do hope it is made, just to piss off mister telephone mustache man)

 

[OptimisticPessimist]

As compared with many places in the world, where you might be shot for even uttering a complaint about someone, yes we do indeed have free speech. Do we have free speech as per the dictionary definition? Absolutely not.

So you have free-er speech?

Yeah, we have the other other free speech.

 

[ultrachicken]

What's to say the government can't decide that films aren't protected as free speech.

America is democratic, meaning that even if someone managed to get that past the supreme court, the people could just vote in someone who would protect movies again. Or not, if they don't want movies to be protected under free speech.

 

[ultrachicken]

Too long. Did not read. (Still responding though.)

I agree with what someone posted above. The government is slowly taking away the right to practice free speech because of all the people being offended lately. I mean, there are people who I would like to see off the streets (Westboro Baptist Church, for one,) but they DO have the right to be there.

If we lose some freedoms it makes it easier to lose others down the line. Although there are jerks out there that use free speech to spread hate (Ku Klux Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, etc.) their right, as well as the rest of ours, deserve to be protected. It is one of the main things that America is all about.

i found your post here very offensive, and i would like you to apoligize. it is in christian tradition to dictate however everyone else lives (see also: gay marriage, ground zero mosque, Adolf hitler.

I will not apologize. I stated what I believe and I stand by it. I shouldn't have to apologize for what I believe anymore than you should. If you have a problem with that take it up with the admins. I have done nothing wrong.

That was called sarcasm retard. I think even the nazis should be able to voice their opinion in america, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, I don't see the problem. It was the reason america was started, by protestants who wanted religious freedom.

One of the first rules of the internet is that sarcasm does not carry through text.
Think about that next time you insult another user.

 

[brainslurper]

Too long. Did not read. (Still responding though.)

I agree with what someone posted above. The government is slowly taking away the right to practice free speech because of all the people being offended lately. I mean, there are people who I would like to see off the streets (Westboro Baptist Church, for one,) but they DO have the right to be there.

If we lose some freedoms it makes it easier to lose others down the line. Although there are jerks out there that use free speech to spread hate (Ku Klux Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, etc.) their right, as well as the rest of ours, deserve to be protected. It is one of the main things that America is all about.

i found your post here very offensive, and i would like you to apoligize. it is in christian tradition to dictate however everyone else lives (see also: gay marriage, ground zero mosque, Adolf hitler.

I will not apologize. I stated what I believe and I stand by it. I shouldn't have to apologize for what I believe anymore than you should. If you have a problem with that take it up with the admins. I have done nothing wrong.

That was called sarcasm retard. I think even the nazis should be able to voice their opinion in america, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, I don't see the problem. It was the reason america was started, by protestants who wanted religious freedom.

One of the first rules of the internet is that sarcasm does not carry through text.
Think about that next time you insult another user.

it was sarcasm saying it was sarcasm and you fell for the sarcasm in that i was being sarcastic about being sarcastic. retard

 

[ultrachicken]

Too long. Did not read. (Still responding though.)

I agree with what someone posted above. The government is slowly taking away the right to practice free speech because of all the people being offended lately. I mean, there are people who I would like to see off the streets (Westboro Baptist Church, for one,) but they DO have the right to be there.

If we lose some freedoms it makes it easier to lose others down the line. Although there are jerks out there that use free speech to spread hate (Ku Klux Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, etc.) their right, as well as the rest of ours, deserve to be protected. It is one of the main things that America is all about.

i found your post here very offensive, and i would like you to apoligize. it is in christian tradition to dictate however everyone else lives (see also: gay marriage, ground zero mosque, Adolf hitler.

I will not apologize. I stated what I believe and I stand by it. I shouldn't have to apologize for what I believe anymore than you should. If you have a problem with that take it up with the admins. I have done nothing wrong.

That was called sarcasm retard. I think even the nazis should be able to voice their opinion in america, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, I don't see the problem. It was the reason america was started, by protestants who wanted religious freedom.

One of the first rules of the internet is that sarcasm does not carry through text.
Think about that next time you insult another user.

it was sarcasm saying it was sarcasm and you fell for the sarcasm in that i was being sarcastic about being sarcastic. retard

Way to keep it classy.

 

[Cryofthewolf]

Too long. Did not read. (Still responding though.)

I agree with what someone posted above. The government is slowly taking away the right to practice free speech because of all the people being offended lately. I mean, there are people who I would like to see off the streets (Westboro Baptist Church, for one,) but they DO have the right to be there.

If we lose some freedoms it makes it easier to lose others down the line. Although there are jerks out there that use free speech to spread hate (Ku Klux Klan, Westboro Baptist Church, Ann Coulter, etc.) their right, as well as the rest of ours, deserve to be protected. It is one of the main things that America is all about.

i found your post here very offensive, and i would like you to apoligize. it is in christian tradition to dictate however everyone else lives (see also: gay marriage, ground zero mosque, Adolf hitler.

I will not apologize. I stated what I believe and I stand by it. I shouldn't have to apologize for what I believe anymore than you should. If you have a problem with that take it up with the admins. I have done nothing wrong.

That was called sarcasm retard. I think even the nazis should be able to voice their opinion in america, as long as they aren't hurting anyone, I don't see the problem. It was the reason america was started, by protestants who wanted religious freedom.

Ultrachicken is right: It is hard to show sarcasm over the web, and I personally am the worst at picking up on it anywhere. Also, if you are going to name-call like a little child we don't want you here.