Posted on 09/14/2010 6:19:55 AM PDT by kristinn
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has expressed a willingness to ban protesters from burning the Koran as the modern day equivalent of shouting fire in a crowded theater.
The Supreme Court has ruled burning the American flag in protest is protected speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Breyer spoke to George Stephanopoulos on ABC's Good Morning America today:
But Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer told me on "GMA" that he's not prepared to conclude that -- in the internet age -- the First Amendment condones Koran burning.
“Holmes said it doesn’t mean you can shout 'fire' in a crowded theater,” Breyer told me. “Well, what is it? Why? Because people will be trampled to death. And what is the crowded theater today? What is the being trampled to death?”
Breyer is promoting his new book, Making Our Democracy Work.
Breyer was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1994 by President Bill Clinton.
Well let him run for a legislative seat if he wants to create law. Otherwise, he should shut up.
We may have already crossed the line into a post-constitutional America where the supreme law of the land is whatever at least 5 SCOTUS Justices decides on any given day.
“U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has expressed a willingness to ban protesters from burning the Koran as the modern day equivalent of shouting fire in a crowded theater.”
Apparantly to get a similar law vis a vis out nations’ flag, the next time soime hippy sets it ablaze, the same needs to be done to hippies everywhere.
In short order our flag will be similarly protected.
That’s the long way. the short way is to seek an injunction against Koran burning on whatever grounds they think will sustain an injunction. Besides, the rule of law is passe in the Obama era.
It is OK to curtail speech we agree with, so long as they are also open to curtailing speech we disagree with?
How about “Congress shall make no law”?
I don’t entirely disagree with you, but I don’t think you read what I wrote.
Contact info for the court; remember folks to keep it civil or face the draconian forces. (I’m not kidding; remember who called Pastor Jones. . . .)
U.S. Mail:Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543
Telephone:202-479-3000
TTY:202-479-3472
(Available M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern)
Where to Send Questions or Comments:
For time sensitive or urgent questions please contact the Public Information Office at the following number:
202-479-3211, Reporters press 1
For general questions that are not time sensitive, email: Public Information Office
Contact the Public Information Office by US Mail:
Public Information Officer
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543
Other Helpful Telephone Numbers
Clerk’s Office: 202-479-3011
Visitor Information Line: 202-479-3030
Opinion Announcements: 202-479-3360
His logic is incorrect. Yelling fire in a crowded theater is dangerous because the rational impulse is to save your life by running out of the theater. Burning a Koran may be offensive, but it is not a threat to someones life. So the irrational reaction of wanting to kill people who had nothing to do with the Koran burning is not an analogy to the theater example. How can you be on the supreme court and not see that?
So... let me see if I’ve got this right; it’s perfectly okay to burn the American flag, but... we’re not supposed to burn the koran????
Sorry, Breyer, but you’re a moron.
A ban on Koran burning is absurd.
Is the government going to enter every house and see who has a Koran? Are they going to check every bonfire or fireplace?
well maybe......
Muslims were already exempted from ObamaCare’s mandate weren’t they?
Frickin’ retard.
Saudi Money.
Only if he’s also open to banning flag burning!
[Sarcasm] Now, now! How could you? Don't you know the purpose of the First Amendment was written specifically to protect the burning of Bibles, American flags (burning anyone else's flat is a "hate crime"), and use of the "f-word?" Really! You "rednecks" think you own this country, don't you"? [Reminder: did you catch the SARCASM tag?]
You obviously don't understand the meaning of "equal treatment." This means creating a dichotomy in which the American majority is forced to act as the "host" and members of "outgroups" are to be treated as "guests." The "host" is required to put himself out and allow the "guests" to walk all over him. In cultural parlance this means the majority's sacred symbols must constantly be subject to desecration and ridicule (to prove this country doesn't belong exclusively to them) while the sacred symbols of the "guests" must be protected from the same desecration (to prove this country belongs to them as much as it does to those "redneck bigots").
Similarly, the religious symbols of the majority must be systematically excluded from all public space (to prove this country doesn't belong just to them) while the religious symbols of the "guests" must be prominently displayed in every public space (to prove that this country belongs to them just as it much as it does to those awful rednecks).
Now do you understand the meaning of the phrase "equal treatment???" [/End Sarcasm]
bingo!
If there was ever an example of the sort of thing that was explicitly intended for protection under the First Amendment, this Koran business is it.
Breyer shows himself to be a shallow Eurostatist who does not understand the Founding Fathers at all.
I guess Christians need to be more violent about protecting our religion... then they’ll be more respectful. /sarc
Same thing I was thinking, but I’d leave the Sarcasm tag off.
Is it too much to ask for a little consistancy?
I have a phrase I use to describe their goals in this area -
The only reason any entity desires to remove your ability to resist force is that that entity, at some time in the future, intends to use force to impose its will on you.
If our own government were to tell me I couldn't burn a koran, I'd burn one every week while praying for liberty. If everyone did it, they couldn't catch us all. In fact, burning the koran would become another ritual of remembrance - A remembrance of the Declaration of Independence.
Burn a koran day would become a national holiday for real, and the patriots would see to it that it was.*
We, as Americans, are EXTREMELY tolerant. We will allow ourselves to be pushed....for awhile.
Then like a giant Clifford-size pit bull we push the tiny puppy back with great force when we've had enough.
Warning to Islamic puppies: you're out-gunned, out-smarted, and out-Godded. Your 1 billion is a fly speck compared to the intelligence, technology, military superiority and wisdom of the West.
Stay in your own 9th century portion of the world.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.