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Los Angeles Times Op-Ed: 'Innocence of Muslims' doesn't meet free-speech test
Los Angeles Times ^ | 09/18/2012 | Sarah Chayes

Posted on 09/18/2012 6:37:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

U.S. 1st Amendment rights distinguish between speech that is simply offensive and speech deliberately tailored to put lives and property at immediate risk.

In one of the most famous 1st Amendment cases in U.S. history, Schenck vs. United States, Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. established that the right to free speech in the United States is not unlimited. "The most stringent protection," he wrote on behalf of a unanimous court, "would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic."

Holmes' test — that words are not protected if their nature and circumstances create a "clear and present danger" of harm — has since been tightened. But even under the more restrictive current standard, "Innocence of Muslims," the film whose video trailer indirectly led to the death of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens among others, is not, arguably, free speech protected under the U.S. Constitution and the values it enshrines.

According to initial media investigations, the clip whose most egregious lines were apparently dubbed in after it was shot, was first posted to YouTube in July by someone with the user name "Sam Bacile." The Associated Press reported tracing a cellphone number given as Bacile's to the address of a Californian of Egyptian Coptic origin named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. Nakoula has identified himself as coordinating logistics on the production but denies being Bacile.

According to the Wall Street Journal, when the video failed to attract much attention, another Coptic Christian, known for his anti-Islamic activism, sent a link to reporters in the U.S., Egypt and elsewhere on Sept. 6. His email message promoted a Sept. 11 event by anti-Islamic pastor Terry Jones and included a link to the trailer.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 911ii; christopherstevens; enemedia; firstamendment; freespeech; islam; latimes; muslims; ruling; schenck; wagthevideo
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To: SeekAndFind

If you’re in a crowded theater and notice a fire up in the projection booth, what do you do?


21 posted on 09/18/2012 6:48:36 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (The United States of America apologizing to knuckledragging, cavedwelling Neandethals. Whodda thunk!)
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To: allendale

The first debate has to be the turning point.
Mittens must turn into an ultimate warrior.
Mitt needs to ignore the moderators’ questions and march to his own drummer.
Example:
Q: Are you concerned that your gaffe about criticizing the President of the United States of America’s Mid-East policies caused the rape and murder of US citizens abroad may make you an accessory to murder?”

A: The Mid East policy of the unknown person who has gained control of both the Presidency and the Media is to unite the moon worshiping inhabitants under the banner of the Muslim Brotherhood which was spawned seventy years ago by none other than Adolph Hitler.
Obama is a fraud and is the enemy of the Constitution and plans to make all Americans either subservient to his evil god or dead. Either way it does not matter to scum such as this impostor that now threatens all that is good and decent in the world.
The current regime has declared war on freedom, on free enterprise, and on freedom of thoughts and expression. The only thing that Obama and his evil minions, and I do not exclude the moderator, have accomplished in the last few years is proof that Freedom is fragile. WE THE PEOPLE must unite to stop this vile creature from dowsing the last lamp of freedom on the planet. This is the moment in history, that YOU decide the fate of your children and grandchildren.
America has two centuries of being an exceptional
role model of freedom and advancement of all that is good and decent, because when the time of defending our inalienable rights from attack, our ancestors have stood shoulder to shoulder to squash the enemy of good. The enemy of justice. The enemy of opportunity. The enemy of freedom.
My fellow Americans, now is the time to stand up and be counted. The time is NOW to throw out this regime and to right the wrongs of their demented plans.


22 posted on 09/18/2012 6:49:06 AM PDT by RavenLooneyToon (Tail gunner Joe was right.)
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To: SeekAndFind

There’s a difference between a false warning of danger vs. offending someone’s sensibilities knowing that someone may choose to get violent about it.

The closest legal concept she’s grasping for is “fighting words”, and insulting a dead guy to do so is quite a stretch.


23 posted on 09/18/2012 6:49:15 AM PDT by ctdonath2 ($1 meals: http://abuckaplate.blogspot.com)
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To: SeekAndFind

Excuse me? FREE SPEECH TEST?

Sorry, we don’t have to take into account the behavior of the sub-humans who follow a demon-possessed pedophile prophet. We just need to kill them in job lots when they threaten or annoy us. And we need a president who will this.


24 posted on 09/18/2012 6:49:38 AM PDT by Little Ray (AGAINST Obama in the General.)
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To: SeekAndFind

If that’s the case both the editorial staff of the LA Slimes and the NEA should be tried and put to death.


25 posted on 09/18/2012 6:49:51 AM PDT by Doc Savage ("I've shot people I like a lot more,...for a lot less!" Raylan Givins)
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To: SeekAndFind

Man..do they really want to go down that path?


26 posted on 09/18/2012 6:51:19 AM PDT by bkepley
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To: SeekAndFind
DEAR LAT....

WHERE WAS ALL OF YOUR ANGST, ANALYSIS, AND LOUD BRAYING WHEN JEWS AND CHRISTIANS...
....AND THE ONE TRUE HOLY GOD AND SAVIOUR...
...WERE BEING MOCKED AND SLANDERED...
AND MOCKED AGAIN????????

...lying...
...two-faced...
...biased...
...unprincipled...
...opportunists...

-- pretending to be reporters & journalists...

*******

Happy Monday (oxymoron)... everyone

27 posted on 09/18/2012 6:52:00 AM PDT by Wings-n-Wind (The main things are the plain things!)
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To: TexasFreeper2009

By Left reasoning “Piss Christ” doesn’t fail the Holmes standard for free speech because no protected group is likely to maim or murder in reaction to it. Moslems, being a protected group, get to define the limits to free speech by what they are willing to maim and kill in reaction to. This, of course, is a total ban on free speech.


28 posted on 09/18/2012 6:52:11 AM PDT by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson)
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To: SeekAndFind
The comments on this article at the LA Times are interesting.

They are almost uniformly critical. The LA Times is going to get an earful about this.

I'll be surprised if they withdraw it with an apology, but it might come to that. Someone may make a threat against the LA Times, just to make a point.

29 posted on 09/18/2012 6:53:45 AM PDT by justlurking (The only remedy for a bad guy with a gun is a good WOMAN (Sgt. Kimberly Munley) with a gun)
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To: SeekAndFind

What about NBC editing 911 tapes to incite violence?

Does that meet the “free speech” standard?


30 posted on 09/18/2012 6:53:50 AM PDT by IMR 4350
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To: SeekAndFind
"Holmes' test — that words are not protected if their nature and circumstances create a "clear and present danger" of harm"

That is not that Holmes test and not even close.

31 posted on 09/18/2012 6:54:36 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: SeekAndFind

First step toward Canadian hate-speech laws.

Let’s f-up the commies this November, OK?


32 posted on 09/18/2012 6:54:54 AM PDT by St_Thomas_Aquinas (Viva Christo Rey!)
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To: SeekAndFind; All
That's why I said last night, this Supreme Court would not necessarily block an attempt by this administration to abridge criticism of a religion.
33 posted on 09/18/2012 6:54:54 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Election night is 50 days away.)
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To: SeekAndFind
But even under the more restrictive current standard, "Innocence of Muslims," the film whose video trailer indirectly led to the death of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens among others, is not, arguably, free speech protected under the U.S. Constitution and the values it enshrines.

Unbelievable that a major mass-circulation daily would take this position. If this isn't protected under the 1st Amendment what is?

34 posted on 09/18/2012 6:56:19 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Amazing that they could stop bashing Christians long enough to write this article?

Pray for America


35 posted on 09/18/2012 6:57:30 AM PDT by bray (If you vote for a communist what does that make you?)
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To: SeekAndFind

The next time the LA Times publishes something I find offensive I will start a riot. That way according to Ms. Chayes the gov’t will ban future items I find offensive.


36 posted on 09/18/2012 6:57:53 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: bkepley

Notice that when it comes to First Amendment Rights, the threat and arguments against exercising it freely almost always come from Democrats.

Who for instance, were the government folks who were threatening Chick-Fil-A for their CEO’s personal opinion?

Who for instance are the ones FORCING the Catholic institutions to pay for contraceptives and abortificents for students and employees?

Who are the ones forcing Boy Scouts to change their policies to accept Gay scout masters?

Just a few examples folks. This article is just another example.

Vote for Dems and slowly lose your constitutional rights to speak freely.


37 posted on 09/18/2012 6:58:04 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (bOTRT)
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To: NoobRep

I couldn't resist.... Not so bad - she looks a lot like Crispin Glover....

38 posted on 09/18/2012 6:59:32 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: SeekAndFind
"Holmes' test — that words are not protected if their nature and circumstances create a "clear and present danger" of harm"

That is not that Holmes test and not even close.

39 posted on 09/18/2012 7:01:56 AM PDT by circlecity
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To: Little Ray
Sorry, we don’t have to take into account the behavior of the sub-humans who follow a demon-possessed pedophile prophet. We just need to kill them in job lots when they threaten or annoy us. And we need a president who will do this.

I thought it was worth repeating. Well said!

40 posted on 09/18/2012 7:03:48 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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