SCOTUS and the First Amendment

[Dark_Grey]

I want to parallel two different stories here. The reason should be self-evident by the end

WashPo

Supreme Court unanimously reaffirms: There is no ‘hate speech’ exception to the First Amendment

Quote

From today’s opinion by Justice Samuel Alito (for four justices) in Matal v. Tam, the “Slants” case:

[The idea that the government may restrict] speech expressing ideas that offend … strikes at the heart of the First Amendment. Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express “the thought that we hate.”

Beautiful

Meanwhile, in Germany...

NYTimes
Germany Raids Homes of 36 People Accused of "Hateful Postings" Over Social Media

Quote

BERLIN — In a coordinated campaign across 14 states, the German police on Tuesday raided the homes of 36 people accused of hateful postings over social media, including threats, coercion and incitement to racism.

Most of the raids concerned politically motivated right-wing incitement, according to the Federal Criminal Police Office, whose officers conducted home searches and interrogations. But the raids also targeted two people accused of left-wing extremist content, as well as one person accused of making threats or harassment based on someone’s sexual orientation.

German Police are raiding homes based on Facebook posts. Not even for something as innocuous as pot, these are Facebook posts. The thought-Police has arrived - literally.

Take a moment today and be thankful America has Federally protected freedom of speech: it's often emulated but never duplicated.

[+and-then]

If that starts in the U.S., remember the sage advice of G Gordon Liddy.

[aztek]

i've been saying it for years, Europe is a perfect example not to follow.

[The Silver Thong]

I hate rotten appels damn it. Oh Oh someone is knocking at my door.  Freedom of speech is mandatory in any democracy, we lose that we lose everything.  Germany should be ashamed.

[Farmer77]

 

Just now, Dark_Grey said:

I want to parallel two different stories here. The reason should be self-evident by the end

WashPo

Supreme Court unanimously reaffirms: There is no ‘hate speech’ exception to the First Amendment

Beautiful

Meanwhile, in Germany...

NYTimes
Germany Raids Homes of 36 People Accused of "Hateful Postings" Over Social Media

German Police are raiding homes based on Facebook posts. Not even for something as innocuous as pot, these are Facebook posts. The thought-Police has arrived - literally.

Take a moment today and be thankful America has Federally protected freedom of speech: it's often emulated but never duplicated.

I hate to be "that guy" but you cannot make Facebook posts containing  " threats, coercion and incitement to racism" here in the US.....ok maybe the racism part but not posts with coercion and threats. Look at what happened during the BLM shooting spree last year.

Seems I recall many on this board applauding people getting arrested for their anti police FB posts 

 

[The Silver Thong]

33 minutes ago, and then said:

If that starts in the U.S., remember the sage advice of G Gordon Liddy.

Too late it has started.

[preacherman76]

What happening in Germany, and all across Europe is horrible. And I mean really, what's the end game here? Once those muslim numbers are big enough, they are going to kill the liberals first.

[Dark_Grey]

1 hour ago, Farmer77 said:

I hate to be "that guy" but you cannot make Facebook posts containing  " threats, coercion and incitement to racism" here in the US.....ok maybe the racism part but not posts with coercion and threats. Look at what happened during the BLM shooting spree last year.

Right but is that due to Federal rules or Facebook's private rules?

[CrimsonKing]

1 minute ago, Dark_Grey said:

Right but is that due to Federal rules or Facebook's private rules?

I actually don't think it was either until some serious backlash started happening...

[Farmer77]

Just now, Dark_Grey said:

Right but is that due to Federal rules or Facebook's private rules?

Thats the government. 

Facebook Threats Against Trump Lead to Edwardsville Man's Arres ....kind of a no brainer but , free speech is free speech 

Police arrest man after alleged terroristic threat on Facebook , more directly what we're talking about 

Blue Ash man sentenced in Facebook coercion case So theres the coercion part 

Georgia woman allegedly threatens white police on Facebook, lands in jail so here we have inciting racism and threats which now means everything you are railing against Germany about is happening here in the US of A 

 

[Dark_Grey]

6 minutes ago, Farmer77 said:

Thats the government. 

Facebook Threats Against Trump Lead to Edwardsville Man's Arres ....kind of a no brainer but , free speech is free speech 

Police arrest man after alleged terroristic threat on Facebook , more directly what we're talking about 

Blue Ash man sentenced in Facebook coercion case So theres the coercion part 

Georgia woman allegedly threatens white police on Facebook, lands in jail so here we have inciting racism and threats which now means everything you are railing against Germany about is happening here in the US of A

The first two links are debatable. The second two links I agree with the sentencing. There are some circumstances where it is necessary to be proactive, even with social media

[Farmer77]

Just now, Dark_Grey said:

The first two links are debatable. The second two links I agree with the sentencing. There are some circumstances where it is necessary to be proactive, even with social media

I don't necessarily disagree with any of that......ok I admit it  im just bored and looking to stir up ****  

[+and-then]

4 hours ago, The Silver Thong said:

Too late it has started.

No, not yet.  Sure, there are social consequences but citizens aren't being ARRESTED for their speech, no matter how disgusting and hateful it is.  Ever heard of Westboro Baptist?  In Canada, you guys are on the way, legislatively, to be arrested and fined, even imprisoned for SAYING things that offend Muslims.  So-called "hate speech" against Muslims could actually land you in a cell.  Mind you, I'm not talking about actual incitement, like calling for violence.  Just using offensive terms when speaking of them.  I believe the verbiage includes all religions but my guess is that you won't be seeing too many cases of people in the dock for disparaging Christians and Jews.  A line needs to be drawn around this crap and SOON.

[Alaric]

The 1st Amendment is backed by the 2nd... there's a good reason why the Founding Fathers put those two first.