Freedom of speech the way of the past?

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Lets spice things up a bit. Was freedom of speech the first casualty in the War on Terror?

Come on, I was just joking!

[Lurch]

Do you really believe stuff like this when you post it, or is it just to 'spice things up'? As much as I hate Bush, he has every right to say people that disagree with him are unpatriotic, or that Kerry would give every terrorist a gun and a map to your house. He'd be wrong, and I'd like to think people see through this, but how is it a restriction on freedom of speech?

I find it hard to believe anyone can believe freedom of speech is seriously an issue in the US - how many anti-Bush websites can you find in 10 minutes?

[Lanny_MacDonald]

What part of "spice things up" did you miss there Sparky?

Oh, but care to comment on the guy that got 37 months in prison for telling a bad joke? And I won't even touch on the campaign and how Bush's people have beat down protestors and made sure that his appearances have been sanitized for media consumption and make it appear that he is adored everywhere he goes.

[CaptainCrunch]

I was wondering if anybody had any links to Richard Humpries "joke" in a bar. Any information on the T-Shirt business.

I'm reading through the Voxfux stuff right now. Pretty inflamitory stuff, but I find it funny that the mainstream video, and I'm not talking about Fox news here has not picked up on this story. If it was such a big shot to freedom of speech it would have hit the air. So I don't really buy it. It sounds like a whole ton of self promotion.

With the Richard Humphries thing, is it a situation like joking about having a bomb while going through an airport. Because that defense has been used before. Its illegal to threaten anyones life even in a joking manner, and if your caught you are going to prison. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech Lanny.

If I was in a bar and A cop overheard me joking about killing you Lanny, or how funny it would be to plant a bomb in your basement, even if its a joke its uttering a threat.

I don't know anything about the T-Shirt thing so I'm not going to comment on it.

I also find it funny that the links to the articles about these incidences don't work.

[Lurch]

What part of "spice things up" did you miss there Sparky?

Clearly none. The question was do you really believe this stuff, or, as you pretend to say in your original post, is it just to spice things up. Throwing it out under one guise does not make it so, which is what I asked, Sparky.

I would comment on the 'joke' and prison but the link in the article does not work, nor do many of the others, leading me to doubt the context in which they are presented. Call me naive, but I somehow believe there is a little more to the story than implied. If you somehow feel your political stance is placing you in danger due to the lack of free speech,

As for 'sanitizing' Bush's appearances, do you not notice the same occurring with Kerry. I don't doubt both sides want to make their guy look popular - part of the game, no? As for assaults, have not heard that one yet, but don't really doubt it. It's hardly new for someone going into 'enemy territory' to get beat up by an idiot. It happened during the playoffs, so it's hardly surprising is it given that people should probably take an election just a little more seriously?

I apologize if I came off rude - I don't think I did, but hey. I just blew up at a guy here in the office when he gave me 'proof' Bush had fixed the election and if he wins Florida that will 'confirm' the story.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Burning Bush

Burning Bush

Blog

[Lurch]

So, how do you explain that no one ended up in jail for publishing the joke? It seems entirely too likely that there is a little more to it than what the 'interview' with the accused suggests. Where is the interview with the prosecutor to explain the other side.

[CaptainCrunch]

I have to agree with Lurch here, if Bush is coming to that down, and a threat is utterered even in a joking sense the guys going to jail. I'd like to see what the prosecutor has to say on this.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally posted by Lurch@Oct 28 2004, 05:01 PM
As for 'sanitizing' Bush's appearances, do you not notice the same occurring with Kerry. I don't doubt both sides want to make their guy look popular - part of the game, no?

I can't say that I have. I did get to see the Kerry supporters man handled by Tempe's finest during the debates. They got squshed pretty good behind some barricades as a security vehicle went through. The Bush group on the other side did not get the similar treatment. Mind you, the Bush supporters were not engaged in a lively verbal battle with the cops either (the cops out here are all pro-Bush and wear that on their sleeve, against the wishes of the departments I might add) so that might explain why the barricades got moved in the direction and the way they did. Payback is a bitch I guess.

It is pretty well documented that the Bush campaign only allows people into rallies that are die-hard Bush supporters (Sean Hannity types) and does not welcome those Republicans that do not share that same level of enthusiasm.

Teachers denied access to rally

A lot of stuff

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@Oct 28 2004, 05:22 PM
I have to agree with Lurch here, if Bush is coming to that down, and a threat is utterered even in a joking sense the guys going to jail. I'd like to see what the prosecutor has to say on this.

Seems pretty extreme to me. Of course it would be nice to know the full details, but it does seem pretty extreme that the guy would be jailed for three years for such a comment. Maybe over night or a couple of days while Bush was in town, but three freakin' years? Come on. That's over kill!

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally posted by Lanny_MacDonald+Oct 28 2004, 05:29 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Lanny_MacDonald @ Oct 28 2004, 05:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-CaptainCrunch@Oct 28 2004, 05:22 PM
I have to agree with Lurch here, if Bush is coming to that down, and a threat is utterered even in a joking sense the guys going to jail. I'd like to see what the prosecutor has to say on this.

Seems pretty extreme to me. Of course it would be nice to know the full details, but it does seem pretty extreme that the guy would be jailed for three years for such a comment. Maybe over night or a couple of days while Bush was in town, but three freakin' years? Come on. That's over kill! [/b][/quote]
It might be extreme but its in line with any kind of uttering threat.

The guy in the airport who jokes to a customs agent about a bomb in his luggage would get the same.

Put it in context with Mike Danton who got 7 years for trying to setup a hit.

Uttering threats especially towards the president is a felony offense.

I'm not arguing either way, but no judge is going to lighten a sentence cause he joking as a defense. If so, when I shoot somebody on the street, I can merely say I was joking as a defense.

Its the same as using ignorance as a defense, it dosen't count

do you have any info on the T.shirt thing?

[TheCommodoreAfro]

So what does Eminem get?

Not really a fan of his, but it's pretty powerful stuff, and the rage sorta goes to the heart of the whole thing about divisivness. In any event, some interesting takes on speech in this one, and a whole bunch of taboo stuff is thrown together here.




mosh?Mosh

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Originally posted by CaptainCrunch@Oct 28 2004, 05:38 PM

It might be extreme but its in line with any kind of uttering threat.

The guy in the airport who jokes to a customs agent about a bomb in his luggage would get the same.

Put it in context with Mike Danton who got 7 years for trying to setup a hit.

Uttering threats especially towards the president is a felony offense.

I'm not arguing either way, but no judge is going to lighten a sentence cause he joking as a defense. If so, when I shoot somebody on the street, I can merely say I was joking as a defense.

Its the same as using ignorance as a defense, it dosen't count

do you have any info on the T.shirt thing?

You make a good point. I have taken that to heart and agree, the guy deserves what he got. I think the sentence was a little steep, but he should not have made the joke about the President with the President due in town.