10-15-07, 07:36 AM
|
#14
|
Über Mom 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jerusalem, Israel
Posts: 6,147
Downloads: 5
Uploads: 0
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by teddy996
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by The Avon Lady
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by teddy996
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by JALU3
That maybe your opinion of this orator, but he is not a government official, using the government dime, to attack a private person. If you don't like his opinion, one need not listen . . . there are dozens of other radio stations that you can chose to listen to.
|
Too true. Also, these are American senators, elected officials in the highest offices of our government, condemning a citizen for speaking his mind. People scream and cry "free speech" when some jackass gets tazered by rent-a-cops for violating the rules at a privately- funded speaking event, but allow an atrocity like this to occur with no flailing, controversy, or even media coverage. The fact is, members of our government attempted to silence one of our citizens through a blatant act of intimidation in the form of a petition; coming dangerously close to violation of the 1st amendment. The silence from the (usually loud) civil liberties group is shocking. Note the signatures of those running for a presidential bid- including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. |
Politicians are also entitled to free speech, no less than Joe Citizen.
The main difference is that you hope and pray that the politicians elected into office will be honest and of good reputation - oh - and a little intelligence would be nice, too.
Petitions do not violate the 1st Amendment. They are everyone's right, allowed by the 1st Amendment. It's slander and libel that are prohibited by law. Use your free speech to break those laws and be prepared to pay the price. |
Politicians are indeed entitled to all the rights citizens hold. However, these politicians were not speaking as citizens, but were using their government offices to make a statement. (You can view it online at Democrats.senate.gov). I'm all for those guys using their private lives to do what they wish to whomever they wish, as long as no laws were broken. It's their right to do so. But these douchebags used up time in the senate- time we pay for- to condemn a citizen through petition. That's a fine line they're putting their toes on, is all I'm saying, and is the closest thing to a violation of free speech that's come along in awhile. It's also in extremely bad taste. |
I have no problem with this in principle. Imagine if it were true that a famous public personality of popular influence actually did say something so negative about the US military to an audience of 100s of thousand or millions over the airwaves. I would be very proud if my elected representatives opened up their mouths to say the right thing for a change.
My problem is:
1. They were 100% wrong.
2. Of all people to accuse others of harming and insulting our troops, Reid should shut his fat mouth. What a disgusting hypocrite. 
|
|
|