Posted on 06/11/2009 3:52:31 AM PDT by An.American.Expatriate
In recent days, David Letterman has repeatedly made comments about a juvenile private citizen (Willow Palin) on his nationally broadcast television show.
These comments were made with the full knowledge that Miss Palin herself, as well as her freinds and schoolmates, would hear them and were calculated to cause the utmost in emotional distress on the part of Miss Palin.
By using the public airwaves to broadcast these comments, David Letterman has violated Title 18, Part I, Chapter 110A, §2261A Stalking:
Whoever—
(1) travels in interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, or enters or leaves Indian country, with the intent to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate another person, and in the course of, or as a result of, such travel places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, or causes substantial emotional distress to that person, a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115) of that person, or the spouse or intimate partner of that person; or
(2) with the intent—
(A) to kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with intent to kill, injure, harass, or intimidate, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States; or
(B) to place a person in another State or tribal jurisdiction, or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to—
(i) that person;
(ii) a member of the immediate family (as defined in section 115 [1] of that person; or
(iii) a spouse or intimate partner of that person;
uses the mail, any interactive computer service, or any facility of interstate or foreign commerce to engage in a course of conduct that causes substantial emotional distress to that person or places that person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, any of the persons described in clauses (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (B);[2]
shall be punished as provided in section 2261 (b) of this title.
Furthermore, the unstated but inherit implication of further smears and attacks against the minor daughter of the Govenor of the State of Alaska amounts to Extortion - and in a much as these threats are communicated via the public airwaves are a violation of US Code Title 18, Part 1 Chapter 41 § 875 Interstate communications:
(a) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any demand or request for a ransom or reward for the release of any kidnapped person, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(b) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
(c) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to kidnap any person or any threat to injure the person of another, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
(d) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person, firm, association, or corporation, any money or other thing of value, transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication containing any threat to injure the property or reputation of the addressee or of another or the reputation of a deceased person or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
shall be punished as provided in section 2261 (b) of this title.
[1] So in original. Probably should be followed by a closing parenthesis.
[2] So in original. Provision probably should be set flush with par. (2).
Did he SAY it’s OK to do that?
Just because he disagrees with your ‘solution’ doesn’t mean he supports letterman
geez,..............
It’s OK. He didn’t call anyone a nappy-headed ‘ho for goodness sake!
As I said - continue to make the case with DoJ, FBI and the Media ....
So when should we expect your dissertation on John McCain's and Rush Limbaugh's doing just that to Chelsea Clinton?
(crickets)
Nice DUmmie tactic, by the way.
I used to come here because it's where the adults went. So sad to see the decline in this place.
If we're going to exhibit this kind of hysteria over that comment--which I guarantee you has been repeated more by people like the original poster than anyone else, because Letterman's "audience" is barely above cable access--we've already lost the "We're the adult party" argument.
No - he said that going after Letterman for his comments was like being a lib cry baby. Whcih I must then interpret to mean that we should just be okay with it ...
If he means otherwise, he can state so ...
He also has a desire to be stalked. He has taken “man in the street” interviews into residential neighborhoods. He told his audience exactly which town in Connecticut he lived in, and then he’s surprised when fans tried to visit. He then moved to Larchmont, NY and told his audience that.
I agree.
This is emotional child abuse. What looks like some crappy jokes from some old has-been host, looks and feels like verbal abuse to the minor child.
Step into her shoes and see how you feel. It is next to impossible to do because children see and comprehend everything differently.
This is abuse. Letterman should be charged with something or at the very least sued.
Why do conservatives always need to laugh everything off and let it slide.
Most of the time I say let it go, but this was about a young girl. Doesn’t she have any right to be free from harassment and/or abuse.
If anything, we need to at least stand up and defend our children.
Letting CBS advertisers and their ad agencies know is the best tack to take IMO.
prisoner6
I’m always amazed when people claim girls get themselves knocked up.
How did they to do that to themselves?
I thought it required the participation of a female AND a male?
Anyways - Bristol was not at that yankees game, so the joke was not about her.
Letterman is trying to wriggle like a snake.
1) It was about Willow. The fact that she was the only one accompanying her parents to NY was not lost on CBS, Letterman and his writers. He said "Palin's daughter" at the stadium. That's Willow.
2) Whether it was "meant to be Bristol" doesn't make this any better. You call her "not innocent"!? Is it okay to say she should impregnated on the field? WTH?
3) Letterman then an evening LATER made another joke about Eliot Spitzer laying his hands on "Palin's daughter". Again the only one there was Willow. By then he KNEW that Willow was the one in NY. He again on purpose didn't name the daughter, to cover his sorry rear.
4) In his lame non-excuse he further insulted Willow specifically by inferring that her rape would be "promiscuous sex" on her part! And then hurled insult against Bristol, signaling that it's fair to smear her.
And his "invitation to the Palin's" was a pathetic provocation.
5) To top off the travesty he yucked that the "slut joke" was funny and had some deranged guest calling Todd Palin a "tool".
Yuck yuck yuck! Are you slapping your knees already?
Can’t we just smack the twit around a bit?
They joked about the rape and prostitution of Chelsea!? LIAR!
If McCain, rush, or anyone else attacked Chelsea while a minor / before she entered politics - they should likewise be condemned!
NO CHILD should be subject to that type of emotional abuse DIRECTED AT THEM! It is likely bad enough when they must hear the insults and other comments directed at thier Parents. But to attack the child, who can neither defend itself in public - nor answer for any of the actions of the parent is nothing more than an extortionist action intended to influence tha actions of the parent!
Oh, and BTW Dark - the DUmmise tactic is to use personal attacks against others instead of discussing the merits, or lack thereof, of an argument. Based on Letterman’s statemtents, the method of delivery of those statements, and the target of those statements - I believe he has committed and interstate act of child abuse - and should be held accountable.
I concur. I can’t believe it’s taken seriously by this forum either. The idea while I’m sure is well intentioned, is just not practical.
It would probably more effective to Freep Letterman’s advertisers with clips of his comments. It seems to work for liberals. Anyway, it would be good to know if corporate America reacts to pressure from the right as it does from the left.
Now I know there will be some who’ll respond by saying” I don’t want to do what they do.” That is a canard. There’s nothing wrong with complaining about an inappropriate, extremely tasteless and offensive joke.
This is especially true since the comment is really not aimed so much at Palin as much as it is aimed at those who admire her. She is a symbol of a nascent movement that has apparently rattled the liberal intelligentsia to its core.
I’d just kick his a$$.
LLS
Letterman should be given the same treatment that Imus got but we know it won't come from the media.
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