July 24, 2005
The Right to Grieve Unmolested?
If a person hurls racial ephithets at another, it's hate speech.
If a person demeans another because of their sex, it's hate speech.
If a person vandalizes a synagogue, church, mosque, or temple, it's a hate crime.
If a person burns a cross on someone's yard, it's a hate crime.
But what is it called when someone pulls 20 American flags from the yard of a grieving family less than 24 hours after they have buried the young man who died for his country? What is it called when this person then sets fire to them underneath a car, burning it beyond repair? What is that called?
Free speech? Political speech? A precious freedom?
Well, what of the freedom of a family to mourn their loss, unmolested by those who hated the young man who passed for no other reason than the uniform he wore and the circumstances of his death? What of the free speech of the father-in-law who wanted to express his love by placing 20 flags on his own private property?
There is a line, people, a very distinct and unmoving line beyond which actions are no longer a free expression of political speech, but become evil, vile, and comtemptible. Just as there are laws for libel and slander which protect individuals from venomous and unfounded attacks, there must be some enforcement of current laws to protect individuals from attacts of the kind inflicted on the family of Pfc. Timothy Hines. No lawyer from any civil rights advocacy group should be allowed to equate these acts with free speech. In fact, no self-respecting lawyer should sully his hand with the defense of such cowards, aronists, and vandals..
Sadly, however, there will be droves of them. Even more sadly, there will be a judge somewhere who will, in a fit of deluded idiocy, decide that this act was protected political speech.
You've already answered it. It's hate speech. And it's theft. And it's destruction of property, and it's not freedom of speech at all.
"Freedom of speech" is the freedom to burn one's own flag that one has purchased for that purpose, not to torch someone else's property and car and to attack someone who is grieving and trying to honor the memory of their child.
And most liberals realize that.
Posted by: moonbatty at July 24, 2005 11:23 PMBastards,Imean what the fucking fuck posesses some people? Arrgghhh this kind os stuff pissess me off.
Posted by: NeilV at July 25, 2005 09:33 AMThey're no different than the Islamo-Fascist's who inflict their hateful acts upon the rest of humanity. Just because you have a strong belief doesn't give you the right to impose your will upon some one else by force. These perpetrators need to be sent the message that society will not tolerate them or their kind, extending that message to the lily-livered judges as well. It's arson and a crime against all of us. Exposing them and those who tolerat them to the world, that's what I'd call using freedom of speech.
Posted by: Jack at July 25, 2005 10:12 AM