First Amendment
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.*For me and my simple mind that seems pretty straight forward. I am addressing the part that says, "prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech."
In other words you can say anything about anything. Now having said that I realize we have made a few rules that overrule my anything about anything. For example the ruling you can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater. The basic "theater" ruling was ruled to prevent harm to people who may be injured trying to exit the facility during an emergency. This is to say to you can't have freedom of speech for the purpose of inciting panic. That makes perfect sense to me.
Now comes the "politically correct" crowd. You can't call a fat person fat (except me, I don't care, I am). You can't call a homosexual a homosexual because he/she is, you must call them "gay" (?). You can't say I wanna beat the snot out of you because you just PO'd me by calling me a dumb Conservative. Now I can't even say I really don't want Muslims or illegal Hispanics in our/my country. Well at least that's the way it is in the Netherlands. I invite you to read this article about Geert Wilders Clik here. Mr. Wilders is on trial in the Netherlands for hate speech. Yes, that is right "hate speech". According to the article, and you should read it, really, what an eye opener, Mr. Wilders stated "I've had enough of Islam in the Netherlands: let not one more Muslim immigrate." He is also purported to have "I've had enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: Forbid that fascist book."
The population of the Netherlands.....TIME OUT! A lady just called the Rush Limbaugh show and complained to Rush Limbaugh they were upset with him for calling barrack hussein obama a Jackass. She said it was insulting......................to the jackass and hard working and trusty animal since the beginning of time. LOL. Back to your local program.
in the Netherlands is approximately 16.5M. Approximately 1.6 million Dutch voted for Mr. Wilders. Now if I did my math right that equals about 10% of the population. if you make the assumption every man, woman and child votes. If you make the assumption only 50% of the population votes....well double the 10%.
Where am I going with all this. Here! This country is all ready in the grasp of the politically correct. We have no smoking laws, we have no cussing laws, kids can't ride a bike without a helmet, they can't play physical games on the playground and parents won't allow teachers to discipline their child when they misbehave. We have bullying rules and must us the term "people of color" or be scorned. For those of us who grew up saying yes mame, no sir and c'mon boys let's go! We walk in fear of being called out by a fellow employee. We can't say we are Christian or fear being called a Bible Thumper and trying to force our religion but it's all right for Muslim women to not have to remove their face veils to have a drivers license picture. I grew up in a loving home and calling a female "hon" was comonplace. If I do that at work, watch out, I might offend someone.
With laws being passed and the politically correct crowd squealing louder than a pig caught in a barb wire fence it is only a matter of time before some Conservative is hauled of to court for saying something offensive like
America, like it or leave it!
Please save you penny's as I expect the "thought police" will be picking me up shortly and I will need bail money! Really! read the article it will scare the bejeebies out of you!
Pops
Refs:
*Cornell University
11 comments:
The take away quote for me from that article was, ""We are not for getting Mr. Wilders in prison. We are for correcting him," Rabbae said"
Yeah, right. And if it can't be done in a courtroom maybe they'll try reeducation camps.
We're already on the road the Dutch travel, look to the DHS memo that spoke of "right wing extremists" and the groups where they'll find willing recruits (Disclaimer time: I belong to all but one of the groups, even thats up for grabs if "veterans" include anyone serving prior to the present wars.)
For further proof, look to how that pastor in Fla. was treated for threatening to burn the Koran. Nut case or not, like him or not, he had a First Amendment right to do it. Yet everyone up to El Presidente came down on the man, not on his possible attackers, but on the man himself. His right was just as valid as that of the Islamofacists who are trying to build a mosque (oops, I meant cultural center) on Ground Zero in NYC.
Want further proof? Look at whats happened to Molly Norris, the originator of "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day". She had to go into hiding because the Feds warned her there were folk mad at her. But just go poor mouth any Christian/Jewish leader and see what happens. Besides a collective yawn.
But those of us pushing for free speech will be noted as enemies of Truth, Social Justice and the New World Order's Way.You can bet your sweet patoot we're either on somebody's list or will be soon.
See you in the camps comrade, bring your shovel.
There is something insidious about the term "hate crime." It seems a bit subjective to me. Who defines "hate?" The constitution sure doesn't
Oh, you haven't heard? People now have he right not to be offended.
Pops,
Let me point again to my ambivalence. I was against the publishing of a defamatory Danish cartoon earlier about Allah,the cartoonist who showed poor judgment in doing it, but was entitled to it.
Here, I think the Dutch politician once again showed poor judgment, for which an apology is in order. Apparently, those who are bringing him to trial are not seeking to imprison him. There are other things like economic boycotts and helping to fund political opponents short of the action described in the article short of the action they took. Probably, that would have been my preferred route, if I were them.
As to folks who love or like their country. I think that liberals like me are very patriotic in our way. But, the way we are sometimes portrayed in the conservative media is how Jefferson Davis might have described a Lincoln supporter.
Which reminds me of what the English observer Col. Arthur Freemantle said in the movie Gettysburg in evaluating both sides of the conflict after noting that most of them had a common English heritage:
" ... (S)ame songs, stories, myths, legends, different dreams.
Different dreams. So very sad."
Jeff
Pops, I have several cans of pennies and I will gladly donate all of them if you are arrested. If I'm not careful, I know I'll also be arrested....I'm NOT politically correct either. But I'll just use the time to rest a bit before I work on converting all the jailors and inmates....Grin. Shalom
Subvet, MRG.
Exactly my point! We are going down that slippy slope!
AJ, I choose not to be offended! Thanks for reminding me!!!
Jeff,FP,
An excellent comment! I agree with you right down the line. Now would you agree it is in poor taste to build a Mosque within 100 yards of the world trade center?
So far I remain out of jail however, Spitfire and MRG hang on to those pennies one never knows when the Gestopo will come knocking at your door.
Pops
Pops,
About the Islamic Recreational Center on a side street in an old Burlington Coat Factory two blocks away from ground zero. Ain't going to happen.
Jeff
jeff,
That may be true, "it ain't gonna happen" but, which side are you on? I couldn't help but notice you did not call it "Ground Zero". Should I read something into that?
Pops
Pops,
Read my comments under Tom Friedman's article on my site. I think they have a right to build it and probably will, but the choice is up to them.
My earlier comment was inartfully expressed. The "ain't going to happen" referred to a position that we have already litigated and to which I had expressed my opinion.
Jeff
Jeff
Jeff,FP,
Will read your comments.
Pops
AJ,
Not exactly what you mean about hate crimes and insidious. Would you care to expand on the comment.
Pops
Hi Pops,
While editing my comment (I always think of something else), I unintentionally deleted your remarks on the Chile blog entry, please feel free to repost. Sorry.
Jeff
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