Posted on 03/19/2007 6:24:09 AM PDT by nancyvideo
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear argument in a Juneau, Alaska, case that might further define the free-speech rights of high school students.
In a 1969 case, the high court ruled that students had the right to wear black armbands during the Vietnam War, but in two others in the 1980s, the court said schools had the right to ban offensive speech, as opposed to political speech, and control the content of student newspapers.
The case scheduled for argument Monday involves Joseph Frederick, a student at Juneau-Douglas High School and his principal, Deborah Morse.
(Excerpt) Read more at rightbias.com ...
The kid admitted to not trying to present any particular message. He was just trying to get attention.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2953653&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312
The school charges that Frederick's banner promoted drug use and had an offensive religious message. Frederick said the language, which he had seen on a snowboard, is meaningless.
The courts have held that we have a right to free speech that expresses our views even it that message might be offensive, as long as it isn't unnecessarily offensive.
This brat was just trying to be offensive to gain attention.
He was being intentionally disruptive.
What's next? Are we going to consider streakers that run out on the field at halftime during a football game to be exercising their free speech?
Taking away his sign, which he admits was meaningless to him doesn't infringe upon his right to free speech. Our right to free speech prevents the government from silencing us when we want to express our opinions. It doesn't guarantee that we will be able to express those opinions whenever, wherever, and however we want, but that we will get an opportunity to express them in.
According to him, he didn't have a message or opinion he was trying to express with the sign, so taking it away didn't infringe upon his free speech.
This is an example of an immature kid acting out to get attention, and then the ACLU deciding it is an opportunity to push their own agenda, so the kid gets an even bigger opportunity to get attention.
That shows that there are corrupt cops in the world.
How would it be different if he threatened to plant counterfeit money on her property? How about hiding some pipe bombs and calling the police.
The fact that he threatened to plant drugs in particular isn't central to what he did.
This doesn't support your assertion that enforcing drug laws is evil, unless you're asserting that all laws are evil because they might be abused.
There are endless counts of officers being caught buying drugs when it is not possible for them to use them because they are tested. What else are they purchasing them for? Who knows how many innocent people are in prison? Everyone should demand the release of all imprisoned for mere possession of a substance.
Endless counts of officers being caught buying drugs, and not part of an official investigation, that don't test positive for drug use, and aren't found to be corrupt cops that are reselling the drugs?
Bull crap!
I used to smoke pot on occasion at one time. I have a number of friends that smoke pot now. I also have a number of friends in law enforcement, including one that spend a couple years working for the DEA.
I'm not going to say there aren't corrupt cops. I'm not going to say that there aren't arrogant idiots with badges that exist. However, they are an extremely tiny percentage of the whole.
However, they are a very small minority.
I know several people who have been arrested for possessing Marijuana. Most just got a ticket that they had to pay. One spent a night in jail because he was out of state at the time and couldn't post bail immediately.
I have dozens of people I know as acquaintances that I know smoke pot.
I've never heard one of them tell me a story of them or someone they know getting unfairly persecuted by the police or the DEA.
I've heard a number of stories of close calls, and a couple stories where people were caught red handed and the officer decided not to cite or arrest them for it.
Would you like it better if the sign read "Students for Jesus"?
That's what I was told when the school suspended my child along with another for fighting on the way home from school.
My kids now attend private school to avoid all this liberal hippie trash we have in Ca.
"I've heard a number of stories of close calls, and a couple stories where people were caught red handed and the officer decided not to cite or arrest them for it."
Undoubtedly, you and your friends are white.
The same thing happened in my home town. Most of my
friends and myself had been caught and released, our
names taken and contraband confiscated. But, had we been
from the neighboring town it would have been a different
story, one often reported in the police blotter. Stats
show that this war is unevenly prosecuted. Although, it
is partially a cultural difference of where people hang
out. If you hang out on the street rather than in homes
you are certainly going to be a greater target of the
enforcers.
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