Internet discussion board for police shut down

Indy Star ^

[Stew Padasso]

SOUTH BEND, IND. -- An Internet discussion board hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police has been shut down, less than a week after it attracted criticism from the NAACP.

The South Bend chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People claimed that some of the discussions on the board were derogatory and offensive to minorities.

[mhking]

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[FourPeas]

Who needs the First Amendment anyway?

[1L]

Unless the fraternal order of police suddenly became a state entity, the first amendment doesn't apply. Even if it were a state entity, the FA still doesn't apply because there is no requirement that government fund an internet forum as a public forum. Buy a newspaper or start your own internet site. When THAT gets shut down by the state, call me.

[Husker24]

At a news conference, she offered printouts as examples, showing remarks critical of Luecke and of minorities who took part in riots in Benton Harbor, Mich., earlier this summer.

God forbid they were critical of people taking part in rioting.

[gcruse]

Members plan to research legal issues pertaining to the discussion board over the next couple of weeks before deciding whether to reopen or permanently remove it, the note said.

"Now, where is my copy of the Constitution?"
"Oh, you threw that long ago."
"Nuts.  There's never a Clarence Darrow around when you need one."

[dwd1]

May I assume that there was some venting on the forum concerning dealing with certain groups that indicate an attitude of animosity toward minorities...

I guess the question that we need to ask is "Do the officers that express a view let it affect their work?" and "How would the officer expressing a view that indicates prejudice feel if the tables were turned and the person who indicates prejudice toward his group carried a gun and a badge?"

That's why they call it the golden rule....Do unto others....

[joesnuffy]

In a free society
no one has the right
to not be critisized

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, nothing says the officers can't start their own discussion forum - one not under control of, or associated with, the state. There are plenty of forums software packages available, both for purchase and for free, that they could use - and then we can watch the NAACP beat their heads into the wall all day long trying to get it shut down to no avail...

[FourPeas]

It was meant as sarcasm in response to the remark from the article:

"We are not backing down," she added. "We want to make certain that the Web site stays shut down."

Obviously the FOP has the right to close down or even censor postings on their own message board as does the owner of this forum. At the same time, the FOP has the right to host all the racism they wish to (as foolish as it is). I do thank you, though, for the primer on the application of the First Ammendment.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"On Thursday, a note posted on the Web site said FOP members decided to close the board after a lengthy debate. "

**Yeah right...more like 5 seconds of unilateral thought.


"The NAACP had nothing to do with what we are doing," FOP President Ron Nowicki said. He did not specify what the legal issues were but said the FOP has been reviewing them since January. "

This is what scares me. A biased, corrupt, anti-white organization (NAACP) can shut down a law enforcement venture in seconds for any reason they deem fit, and the law enforcement agency/politicians roll over in seconds...and then exhude (sp?)complete cowardice in their explanation and response to the people and the press.

Please don't jump on me for being anti police. I am not, I totally believe in the right of the police to gather and speak freely on-line.

If orgs like the NAACP can exercise such power over the police, how long will it be before they really start influencing more serious law enforcement policy?

[dwd1]

I was here in LA during the riots of 92...It was unbelievable what people are capable of in a situation like that....Though I still think that the rioting we experienced in LA was more about the haves versus the have nots, I think we have to give the officers the chance to express themselves and have a free discussion....i.e. I may disagree with what you say but I served nine years and twenty days to protect your right to say it...

I think the NAACP is wrong...It may give us insight into what police go through every day and what their thought processes may be....We have to remember that this is just a human being that like everybody else, wants to go home to his loved ones at night...

[LibWhacker]

Exactly. They could even set one up on Yahoo or Usenet for no cost. They're far from being silenced.

[Old Professer]

The riots in 92 were just a repeat of the riots of 65; only the grandchildren were involved this time.

Burned the same buildings, even.

[dwd1]

I do believe that I would probably disagree with many views expressed on that FOP Forum but we have to give them the right to express themselves....I would think that engaging them in discussion about why they are expressing a certain view would be a lot more productive than telling them that though they are supposed to serve and protect the public, they have no right to enjoy the same freedoms they are supposed to protect...."We are here to preserve democracy, not practice it! (Gene Hackman's Character in Crimson Tide)

[JZoback]

Burned the same buildings, even.

Is that what they call urban renewal?

[At _War_With_Liberals]

"Unless the fraternal order of police suddenly became a state entity, the first amendment doesn't apply. Even if it were a state entity, the FA still doesn't apply because there is no requirement that government fund an internet forum as a public forum. Buy a newspaper or start your own internet site. When THAT gets shut down by the state, call me."

The fact is that the state funds plenty of other outlets where groups freely express views that are contrary to sometimes a majority of Americans...yet they operate freely.

Either eliminate all of it or eliminate none of it. It is the selectivity and the uneven influence exercised by only certain groups (to censor) which is not right.

[dwd1]

Slightly different...The first riots were based on a misunderstanding....In 92, there was a triggering event that some could argue was more legitimate...After that, however, I would guess that the behavior was equally appalling...I still remember seeing guys hanging out and then, I heard the sound of glass smashing and these men just fell upon that shop like wolves....

Also, I have heard that the 65 riots were more devastating economically because a lot of Jewish people that had brought business into South Central left and took their businesses with them...

Obviously, both showed a self destructiveness that I still do not understand....

[rmvh]

The NAACP is totally corrupt, a trouble maker, and only interested in its power with little true concern for black people on major issues.

For example (and this is all well documented)It has been consistently against school vouchers to enable black parents in DC to have alternative choices for their children who attend these pathetic institutions.....the absolutely worst schools in the nation.....and the highest cost per student to taxpayers...$15,000 per year per child. Why? So they can maintain the support of the equally corrupt teachers unions in the US.

Black children in DC are turned out literally as dumb as tent posts and many are basically illiterate....Where does the money go? Even the black mayor of DC has finally come to oppose the NAACP on this particular outrage

Generally, Blacks continue to not see under the tent and follow their leaders ( the NAACP is a good example)like mindless robots. There are some black leaders who are working to improve the educational opportunities for these children and leave these stupid (like this subject in South Bend) for a later time. The NAACP is is just re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic with this Indiana issue!!.

Where is the black community ourtrage and desire to force the NAACP to address real problems while getting behind the needs of the children.???

[xm177e2]

Who needs the First Amendment anyway?

Maybe you should re-read the First Amendment.

It's no more a violation of the First Amendment for the FOP to shut down this board than it was a violation of the First Amendment for Clear Channel to pull the Dixie Chicks off the air for a while.