Sorry Aunt B, Civil Liberties Are More Important
Interesting discussion over at Aunt B’s place.
A noose is a threat. In conjunction with a truck full of Confederate Battle Flags and a white supremacist driving it around? It’s a threat.
Tennessee State Code says that it’s a crime to engage in any activity that “injures or threatens to injure or coerces another person with the intent to unlawfully intimidate another because that other exercised any right or privilege secured by the constitution or laws of the United States or the constitution or laws of the state of Tennessee.”
Read the whole thing.
First off, I am pretty sure that the incident she is writing about happened on school grounds. If that is the case, then this is not a free speech issue. Whether it is considered a threat or not, if the school says no nooses, then the rule is no nooses.
But let’s assume that it is not on school grounds, but merely hanging from a pickup truck cruising downtown. Sure, it’s a pretty immature and crappy thing to do. But does it really constitute a threat? I don’t think so. Sure it is a symbol of bigotry, but a rope is not a threat.
One of the commenters mentioned how you don’t see Nazi symbols in Germany because they are outlawed. By the way, it is also against the law in Germany to say that the holocaust did not happen.
Is that the way we want America to be? God, I hope not. Keep electing modern liberals though and that is probably what you’ll get. After all, do they not admire places like Germany and wish we were more like those countries? The freedom to speak and express yourself, ever how offensive, is sacred in America. You don’t have a right to harm another human being or truly threaten somebody. But in America, you do have the right to be as racist and stupid as you want to be.
Do we really want to infringe on all of our civil liberties, in order to stick it to a small minority of idiots? Some people do I guess. Do you?
If you know that the word “boogers” creates a deep fear and anxiety in a person, then by knowingly and purposefully saying “boogers” directly to that person, then you have harmed that person - you have committed a crime.
Boogers
Happy May Day Kevin. This is big day for you, isn’t it?
Depends on the length of rope, really. A simple noose, constructed of a weak fiber (or even a perfect noose made with only six inches of leftover rope) obviously can’t be used to hang a person. Symbolism can’t hurt you. You should get over it. This world isn’t a friendly place for the weak-minded.
Might be that these easily-spooked people calling for ‘help’ from authority are wielding more power (by proxy) than the punk with the tasteless noose on display ever could. And I worry more about that proxy power than any display of idiocy hanging from a rear-view mirror or stuck to a bumper.
Excellently put.
You can link all you want. Aunt B will not discuss her idiocy outside of her gynosphere.
Heh!
Happy May Day Kevin. This is big day for you, isn’t it?
It’s about caring Glen. That is what makes TF.com special.
Happy May Day Kevin.