Judge rules it's ok to lie about military service

American Thinker ^ | Aug 18, 2010 | Aaron Gee

[Rashputin]

Judge rules it's ok to lie about military service Aaron Gee Only in the twilight zone or California can a law that was passed to protect people from fraud be declared unconstitutional because "there is no evidence these lies hurt anyone".

A panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided in a 2-1 decision that it's OK to lie about your military service. Their rational was that fibs about one's military service don't actually harm anyone. This ruling contradicts years of precedent where the Supreme Court has explicitly stated that false statements of fact are not entitled to First Amendment protection. The ruling also denies the obvious; fibbing about one's military service damages the people who have legitimately served and been honored for that service, and it fraudulently conveys to the liar an air of respect and honor.

This entire affair reminds one of the old television series "The Twilight Zone". What else can you say a liar is exonerated for lying about his military service, but a man was arrested for praying on a public street? If Rod Serling were alive today, his screenplays would come right out of news pages.

[Rashputin]

This is a special treat for those who have served.

This country cannot get back on the right track until an awful lot of judges are impeached, starting with the two Barry picks. This ruling means we'll be hearing from a lot more of the fake vets democrat thugs roll out when they think a veteran speaking makes a difference.

[Leo Carpathian]

Yep, you can lie your way into the White House.
Liar in chief can become President, whata country!
Lets lie the bastRATs out into oblivion!

[donna]

The despotism of the judicial oligarchy.

[Man50D]

The communists will do anything to dispirit the military.

[Pylon]

I won the medal of honor in the civil war, with Morgan Fairchild, yeah, that’s the ticket.

[wiggen]

Can we go around telling people we’re judges?

[SouthCarolinaKit]

These lies hurt every legitimate member of the military by cheapening their honor. . . but the judge would know nothing about that. Just as allowing illegal aliens cheapens the value of citizenship, that seems to have not penetrated our judiciary either.

[maddog55]

Thank you for your service!!

Got to ask, which side were you on?

[Brytani]

So many people do not realize how bad some of these judges are. They hear about a few high-profile cases and shake their heads but do not realize the extent of absurdity emanating from judges, daily, across the country.

For anyone would wants a real eye-opener, take a read over at National Review. Ed Whelan writes a blog called “Bench Memos” where he has a segment called “This Day In Liberal Judicial Activism” (he’s also done a fantastic job writing about Prop-8). I highly recommend his blog for anyone who wants to know the level of insanity surrounding our judicial system.

http://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos
(This Day......can be found in the archives section)

[sten]

We have no doubt that society would be better off if Alvarez would stop spreading worthless, ridiculous, and offensive untruths. But, given our historical skepticism of permitting the government to police the line between truth and falsity, and between valuable speech and drivel, we presumptively protect all speech, including false statements, in order that clearly protected speech may flower in the shelter of the First Amendment.

so now it's ok to commit fraud. hmmm

i wonder... where's the injury in lying to the government?

maybe this is why so many dems lie / cheat on their taxes... because they view their statements as freedom of speech.

so now it's ok to exercise 'free speech' on my tax return? cool!

[Soul of the South]

Lie about your military service and you are practicing free speech.

Lie about your income and the government (IRS) will destroy you, unless you are a member of the elite class such as our esteemed Secretary of the Treasury.

[Pylon]

The west

[BfloGuy]

He didn’t rule that it was “OK”. He ruled that it didn’t warrant government punishment. Must every immoral act be against a specific law?

[CoastWatcher]

So lying about military service does not hurt anyone.
What about preferences given to veterans in hiring and layoff situations? I guess that when I hire people for my security department or the Police department it is OK for them to lie about being Special Forces. If it is OK to lie about military service who are government employees, is it much of a stretch to lie about other government service?
What the judge really ruled is that it is OK to lie to anyone other than the government, then is warrants government punishment.