God I hate people who have to envoke their freedom of speech to justify their talking points.

[Smith_3]

How long has it been since anyone has been put on trial and convicted for speaking their mind in America? As far as I know that has never happened ever, except maybe during the Scopes trial. Yet, we have people who find it necessary to point out that they have freedom of speech while at the same time spewing the most insane and proposterous bigoted bullshit, as if that would make the bullshit that they are saying any more valid. It seems they are trying to draw away attention from how insane their views are, to make it like the real issue is some sort of abstract fundamental discussion about the principles of our democracy, while the real chances of them facing some sort of penalty by the government in reality are exactly zero. Like their "right to say it" makes them any less a complete and crazy dangerous asshole. It pisses me off. I'm not about to step up and defend these people's "right to say it". I agree that voicing opinions should never have legal consequences, but that's about it and for me that really goes without saying. A person who speaks their opinion in public should bear the full consequences in terms of other people excercising their right to freedom of speech by calling him or her a dickhead.

[cali]

1. yep, it's a common ploy and people on both sides of the political divide

do it.

[Fumesucker]

2. I suggest you put a bumper sticker strongly criticizing the drug war on your car..

And see how long it takes you to get pulled over and your car tossed for "drugs".

No, you wouldn't be prosecuted for the sticker but you would be made to pay for such outspokenness.

[Smith_3]

3. I was more aiming at, for instance, religious right types who complain

about people protesting their homophobic views.

[Fumesucker]

7. But the fact remains that there is some "speech" which will be punished by the government..

Perhaps not directly but you will be made to pay for advocating certain positions in a public manner.

[armyowalgreens]

9. And there should be some forms of speech that can be punished by law.

Speech that poses an immediate threat or calls for a specific or imminent attack on someone or a group of people should not and is not tolerated.

If I tell a crowd to gather outside a persons home at midnight so that we can burn it down and kill that person, that is beyond the protections of the 1st amendment and becomes criminal speech.

[Fumesucker]

10. Should my original example be punished?

And do you think it would not be?

[armyowalgreens]

11. Are you talking about the scopes trial?

[Fumesucker]

14. No..

Put a bumper sticker strongly critical of the drug war on your car and see how long it takes for you to get pulled over and harassed by the cops.

Bumper stickers are a form of speech and criticizing the drug war is not illegal.

Nonetheless you will eventually be punished for such speech, and you will be punished by a government employee.

[armyowalgreens]

15. No, in that example, no one should be punished under law.

It is protected under the 1st amendment and does not constitute any criminal speech.

[Fumesucker]

17. But you and I both know they will be..

Oh, there will be some fig leaf of an excuse made, but you put that bumper sticker on and you will end up paying for it one way or another.

There is some speech that, while technically legal, the powers that be simply will not tolerate.

[frogcycle]

4. "freedom of speech"

is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied terms (inaccurately) derived from the Bill of Rights.

Whenever someone asserts it they demonstrate their lack of comprehension, and the probability that they know that what they are saying is wrong.

ps: it's "invoke." But I defend your right to misspell it :)

[quaker bill]

5. Freedom of speech

means you have the right to be a jerk in the public square, it is not an invitation to do so, or a guarantee that you will be respected for it.

[get the red out]

6. The news media will sometimes cover the most ignorant crap

A pet peeve of mine is when the news media will present the most ignorant crap they can find in an effort to let all voices be heard. Something can be completely worthless and easily disproved, or simply of no value past propaganda and the media will present it as "equal" to perfectly legitimate ideas.

[armyowalgreens]

8. Just because one is allowed to say what they want does not mean people want to hear it.

Sometimes people just don't know when the shut the fuck up. There is a legal limit, and a "common sense" limit. Many miss the latter.

Yeah someone is allowed to go to my campus, ASU, and put up big photos of aborted fetus' but that doesn't mean it makes sense to do so or is the right thing to do.

[H2O Man]

12. I disagree,

but I respect your right to express your opinion. (grin)

[A HERETIC I AM]

13. How long has it been? 79 people were convicted in Montana in 1918 under their sedition laws

"Seventy-nine Montanans were convicted under the state's sedition law for speaking out in ways deemed critical of the U.S. government. Forty-one of them went to prison on sentences from 1 to 20 years and paid fines from $200 to $20,000."

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/When+speaking+out+was+a+crime:+freedom+of+speech+during+wartime+has...-a0155782047

[Echo In Light]

16. One often hears the "Freedumb aint free!" right-wing meme within the same rant