A new British law goes into effect today banning behavior and propaganda that encourages the incitement of violence based on sexual orientation, joining its friends “religion” and “race.” Ugh, there goes Westboro’s entire summer travel calendar.
speech
And Now It’s Illegal In Britain to Distribute “Kill The Fags” Flyers
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Josh
Now if only America would wise up and reign in these jackals on our own turf. These guys and the neo nazi’s and anyone else who demands that Americans accept hatred and violence as natural facets of conversation.
Freedom of Speech doesn’t protect screaming fire in a theater and it shouldn’t protect hate speech and blatant racism/sexism/discrimination.
B
In No. 1 Josh wrote, “Freedom of Speech doesn’t protect screaming fire in a theater …”
The case was actually Schenck v. United States, in which the real issue was whether a person could make public statements against the draft during World War I. The Supreme Court at the time ruled that restricting speech in this case was lawful. You can read a description at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schenck_v._United_States including how the “fire in a theater” somewhat inaccurate paraphrase arose:
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In the opinion’s most famous passage, Justice Holmes sets out the “clear and present danger” test:
“The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent.”
This case is also the source of the phrase “shouting fire in a crowded theater,” paraphrased from Holmes’ assertion that “the most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.”
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Keep in mind that this was before modern building codes. Many theaters at the time were built out of wood with inadequate capacity at the doors. If there was a fire, the last ones trying to get out had a good chance of being fried. As people ran for the doors, it was not unheard of for someone to be trampled to death. So the test was really meant to be a pretty stringent one – falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded theater would very likely result in someone being killed or at least seriously injured. It wasn’t like the theater fire I was in recently – the sprinkler system put it out almost immediately (it was in the projection booth, due to them showing a nitrate print that caught fire when it either snapped or the projector jammed, and the fire was out before it spread anywhere). Everyone calmly walked out the doors after hearing the announcement with the theater empty before the fire department arrived due to more than adequate capacity at the exits and the theater being under half full.
The nitrate print was a beautiful technicolor one with Gene Kelly and Rita Hayward, so having it go up in smoke was a real loss.
JC
You know when civilization started we didnt have issues with faggots and their filth, it is only recently that they have come to be a nuisance. Its 2010 and we STILL have not fixed this problem that has come about. This is why the US government created AIDS not as a disease for gay people but as a cure… It is a solution to our problems. Gay people wish to spread there gayness and seeing as they can not reproduce they attempt to adopt children and teach there homosexual ways. Gay parents raise gay children. If we do not act soon then it will continue to spread indefinately. I do know who Westboro baptist i do not support many of there things America is not doomed.. We need to believe in our country and yes fags AND there enablers are spreading this disease and God is looking down on them but he is NOT going to punish the rest of us for it. And i DO NOT believe we need to pray for dead soldiers. I belive gays should be allowed in the military in their on seperate units. There units should be the 1st deployed to places like afghanistan so we can get rid of our problem.. I dont believe in outright killing but i do think that beatings our appropiate to show that their choice is not right.. AND YES it is a choice it is NOT genetic. I pray so see this filth washed away by non violent means and people WILL see the error of their ways.
Soupy
OMG JC, you are so gay!
JC
@Soupy: @Soupy: I’m not anything close to gay… nice try
Lefty
@JC: Of course not, dear; you just stumbled on to this ambiguously titled site.
You had no control over what happened.
Just as you have no control over your attraction to guys.
Though you try to control it with unconvincing homophobia.
When will guys like you wake up? Straight dudes who surf the internet are busy on straight sites.
But you’re here. Along with the charming and hilarious “Pete” who we had the pleasure of meeting last night.
You guys should hook up.