Is VFW Post Phone Message Offensive?

WNEP -- Newswatch 16 ^ | Aug 6, 2008 | Norm Jones

[MrB]

“People are free to speak whatever they want. Just like we are free to listen or NOT.”

My take as well - You have no right to be heard, and especially have no right to make ME provide someone who understands your language.

[trisham]

Those are men and women who fought overseas (hence the name of the group) to protect our nation, constitution & society. They, above all, should have the 1st Amendment right to say anything they damn well please!

*************************

Amen!

[astyanax]

I take it Ms. Arthofer doesn’t frequent her local VFW?
And I’d bet she called “Newswatch 16” to inform them of this huge story.
That and to flaunt her ignorance...

[palomonte]

Susquehannah county - where is that ?

Are they a bunch of antipathetic, bitter Pennsylvanians?

[Dagny&Hank]

That message would also discriminate against Scandinavians and Germans who are the racial ancestors of many of us “white” people.

[astyanax]

Is the VFW goverment funded? If it isn’t then the Bill of Rights doesn’t apply does it.
The military is gov't funded.
And you check your Rights at the door...
Am I missing something?

[SJackson]

"Racist. I mean, that's like, this is a free country, isn't it? That's what my understanding is," said Teresa Arthofer of Montrose. She wasn't happy hearing about the message, calling it unconstitutional.... "Does it say English speech? It just says freedom of speech. No where in there does it say freedom of English speech. It just says, freedom of speech," Arthofer added. [Boy!! now there's a whiz kid for ya!!]

Sounds like the town of Montrose still hasn't lost their idiot.

[Core_Conservative]

The VFW is not a Government subsidized agency. It is self funded - so the 1st Amendment DOES apply.

[astyanax]

Is the VFW goverment funded? If it isn’t then the Bill of Rights doesn’t apply does it.
I was actually wondering if Borges really meant that something had to be Gov't funded to have Rights?

[ozarkgirl]

They get their money from dues, bingo, donations, etc. I do not believe they get any government money. Was trying to look it up, best I can tell, they get nothing.

[ozarkgirl]

I was a little confused about the question myself. Hard to figure out the double negatives.

[astyanax]

You misunderstand me.
They are a private organization.
They can say whatever they like on their answering machine.
Just because some clown thinks it’s “racist” doesn’t make a bit of difference.

[Doctor Raoul]

"Racist. I mean, that's like, this is a free country, isn't it? That's what my understanding is," said Teresa Arthofer of Montrose. She wasn't happy hearing about the message, calling it unconstitutional.

Just another comment from Liberal Bizzaro World.

[Question_Assumptions]

Unfortunately, “unconstitutional” has become a euphemism for “,I don’t like it and think it should be illegal,” by people who have never read the document and don’t have any idea what it actually says. I’ve heard people claim that all sorts of silly things are unconstitutional, not only things that the Constitution is silent on but (like this idiot woman) but things that the Constitution clearly says are permitted.

[Retired COB]

I call these sad folks “Offense Whores”, and when I find one, I go out of my way to give them great pleasure and happiness. I try to offend them in every way I can think of.

I like your style.

[lonewacko_dot_com]

The phone message is stupid because it’s counter-productive. Those who oppose illegal immigration need to get a clue and realize that the correct way to do things is to discredit people who support illegal immigration. Just leaving comments here isn’t going to do much good. You have to either get out there and ask politicians real questions (not rants), or you need to go to other sites and leave comments discrediting those on the other side.

For a tangible example, see my comments (”NoMoreBlatherDotCom”) here:

time-blog.com/swampland/2008/08/re_scholarship.html

If you want to have an impact, do things like that. If you just want to preach to the choir, do things like the VFW did.

[SkyDancer]

Nope - why should we have to learn seventeen different languages and 252 dialects just to have someone communicate with us??????????

This is America - not England ........

[jagusafr]

Well, yeah - you don’t check your rights at the door when you enter the military. Military members retain the vast majority of rights that civilians have, and those we “give up” involve readiness and good order and discipline. The VFW isn’t a branch of government, it’s a private entity that’s given special tax treatment as a military fraternal order. There’s simply nothing legally wrong with their voicemail message.

Colonel, USAFR

[RJS1950]

No— illegals, the churches that help them, the politicians who help them, the scumbags who hire them are ALL offensive.

[astyanax]

I agree completely.
It was just a bit of a generalization regarding swapping the Bill of Rights for the U.C.M.J.
And obviously nothing is illegal, I assume the writer is just trying to ignite a “public outcry” of fellow like-minded morons.