Posted on 06/28/2012 9:54:34 AM PDT by ColdOne
The Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act today, saying that the First Amendment defends a person's right to lie -- even if that person is lying about awards and medals won through military service.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Word fail me.....
Well, the first amendment is pretty clear...
I agree with this decision. We don’t want the government telling us what we can and can’t say, even if we say something untrue or unpleasant or objectionable.
Also, free speech counters free speech. The correct response to stolen valor is full court press shaming of the individual.
Long live 1A!
Today is turning out to be a day have long dreaded. Will buck up later today or tomorrow. My promise.
6-3 ruling. Let me guess..... Roberts = Souter. I am sick today
So are laws against perjury now unconstitutional?
And is it OK to lie about whether I’ve bought health insurance?
Or should I just be honest and refuse to pay the healthcare tax on the grounds that I am symbolically speaking out against the tax?
So many questions...
You may henceforth refer me to Space Admiral now.
I agree with the ruling also. The man committed fraud. I would think he could be prosecuted in that regard if he rec’d money on false pretenses. Who knows? But we don’t need a law to force people to tell the truth. How stupid. It’s like burning the flag. I guess it is free speech. Sorry...1st Amendment allows quite a lot that we have to accept, but that’s why it’s important to uphold it. Good ruling. Who voted what here?
Without lying Kenyan pot smokers couldn't become President. Without lying many Supreme court nominees would never be confirmed. Without lying most congressmen would never be elected.
Our entire system depends heavily on a person's right to look their opponents in the eye and tell the biggest fattest whopper they can.
Obama can go for that MOH for personally killing Bin Laden with his bare hands now.
So...... If one of these clowns can lie and say “I earned these medals.”, does that mean I can lie and say “He fell down the stairs.”?
LOL
Looks like the side that lost wasn’t able to make a case that this was akin to fighting words or hollering “fire” in a crowded theater where there is no fire. But enlisted personnel take this stuff seriously and it will be a major bummer to morale when any idiot can go pretending in public — as many doubtless will — that he is “the very model of a modern Major General” when he wasn’t even in the service.
And, on second thought why stop there. I can say I'm a Cherokee Indian Constitutional Law Professor or something.
“We dont want the government telling us what we can and cant say, even if we say something untrue or unpleasant or objectionable.”
There’s a huge difference between “untrue” and “unpleasant or objectionable.”
Government regulation restricting the right to lie is the whole basis for laws about contractual agreements, fraud, perjury, etc., etc. The First Amendment was intended to protect unpopular speech, especially against the government, not to protect deceit.
Our society is breaking down, in large part because THERE IS NOW NO SHAME when it comes to lying. The Supreme Court is also upholding lying in its recent AZ immigration ruling by allowing the current administration to refuse to enforce immigration law despite Obama swearing to enforce the laws of the land. The Supreme Court is also upholding lying by ruling that a law specifically described as “not a tax” when passed by Congress, is, in fact “a tax” and therefore Constitutional. If Kennedy thinks this is a tax, shouldn’t the correct ruling then have been “And since you didn’t pass it as a tax, it is unlawful.”?
Catchy, but not lofty enough. I am now to be referred to ONLY as The Honorable, Undisputed, Intergalactic Supreme Emporer of All Things Living and Not, Past Present and Future.
I should probably register that title somewhere before OAssHat tries to take it.
You can lie, but Congress can now tax you for lying, for being honest, for being silent, and for posting.
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