Posted on 01/12/2016 12:08:14 PM PST by Zakeet
A federal appeals court on Monday tossed out a veteran's conviction for wearing military medals he didn't earn, saying it was a form of free speech protected by the Constitution.
A specially convened 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the First Amendment allows people to wear unearned military honors.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
The 9th Circus says you Freepers should no longer condemn people who pretend to be war heroes ... like the Royal Idiot!
I have to say they are correct. It is freedom of speech.
If their deception was designed to get them some personal gain, then they can be charged with fraud. Otherwise, they are just playing dress up and that isn’t illegal.
John Kerry, please check it at the White House lost and found.
Geez! I am going to run to the Army surplus store right now! ;-)
Nonsense. Fraud is not free speech.
Figures, More stupidity from the 9th Federl Cicus Court in CA.
I agree.
Some of them seem to be pathetic. It is obvious even to people like me who have not been in the military. These, I sort of feel sorry for.
Others are professional con men who lie about just about everything in order to gain an advantage. These are beneath contempt.
I guess that means I can put on a police uniform. And start driving a squad car. I’m just expressing myself.
It’s also freedom of speech to use hate speech against Jews and Christians but it is hate speech against the mussies.
I’m going to put on some medals I did not earn, run into a movie house and yell “Fire!”
That should effectively tie-up our entire Federal Court System for the next thirteen years.
So then we can imitate police?
Would it be freedom of speech if I claimed to be a police officer, if I wasn’t?
And:
Soldiers
Doctors
Fireman
First Responders
DEA Agents
FBI Agents
Capital Police
How Absurd.
Go ahead and wear that MOH with your Civil War Campaign Medal. No one will stop you. I hope decent people will at least publicly shame these morons.
“I have to say they are correct. It is freedom of speech.”
I personally think that implicit in the right of Congress to raise an army and navy is the right to protect military valor. If people are allowed to lie about such things, it becomes harder for the government to recruit soldiers. So I would think that this should be an exception to “free speech”, just as the military draft is an exception to the 13th amendment prohibition on involuntary servitude.
“So I would think that this should be an exception to ‘free speech’”
Pass an amendment then.
Did this guy even serve and have the right to wear a military uniform? If not, I would think there is something in the US Code about that. If so, it's still FRAUD because any wannabe benefits in some way by his Stolen Valor. If not direct financial gain, then free drinks, meals, false admiration, etc.
Every municipality and State has laws against wearing LEO uniforms and/or medals not earned. If we ever needed another Fedgov law, this is one I would agree with. Guess I should add a Navy Commendation medal to my DD214. There's always Photo Shop (/s).
In my opinion don’t need an amendment. Congress right to raise an army gives Congress the right to criminalize stolen valor. If they pass a law that is phrased in that manner the courts will uphold it.
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