Posted on 09/14/2010 5:07:28 PM PDT by jazusamo
You can't burn a Koran in a crowded theater, and Supreme CourtJustice Stephen Breyer suggests that to placate foreign extremists, Koran burning might be banned everywhere else in America too.
In an interview aired Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America,"Justice Breyer, who is on tour promoting his new book, averred that in the Internet age, speech traditionally protected by the First Amendment may have to be weighed against its global impact. George Stephanopoulos asked the justice about the canceled Sept. 11 Koran burning proposed by Pastor Terry Jones, and whether the fact that people riot in Afghanistan over what happens in the United States poses a challenge to the First Amendment or could "change the nature of what we can allow and protect."
~snip~
It's troubling that a member of the Supreme Court would imply that anything that happens abroad in response to the exercise of free speech in this country should somehow inform the high court in assessing the boundaries of the First Amendment. This is symptomatic of creeping internationalism in the thinking of some justices. In this case, though, the suggestion is not simply to follow the lead of foreign courts, but to take into consideration the violent actions of foreign radicals when weighing American freedoms. Justice Breyer seems open to such a balancing test, in which acts should be banned if they offend a small minority of anti-American extremists who respond with irrational violence.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
coincide it with Burn Your Obamacare Card Day, when millions of Americans refuse to buy healthcare...
coincide it with Burn Your Gun Registration Card Day...
Burn Your Carbon Allotment Card Day...
Burn Your Salt/TransFat Allotment Card Day...
The legal principle involved here is this: the Muslims are so homicidally dangerous, we must give up our first amendment rights so that they don’t get mad at us. In other words, there is no legal principle. And the law doesn’t protect us, it kowtows to other people’s concept of “the law”.
Well at least the Wash. Times had the right headline.
Breyer believes flag burning is a fundamental right of free speech.
But not Koran burning. Which is a double assault on the First Amendment, both the freedom of expression, and the establishment clause, by giving a particular religion special government protection over all others.
If The Koran was given special treatment by our government not afforded to all other religions, and that bypassed our constitutional rights as individual citizens, then the very foundation of our country would be dead, and we would truly be the Islamic States of America.
And too....I thought the US government couldn’t establish a religion. In my opinion, protecting Islam and not allowing others to exercise their free speech, would be the US government establishing a state religion.
You nailed it!
Anyone know if he does “medical” marijuana?
I’ve never been a fan of the koran burning because I just dodn’t think it was a good idea.
However I’ll burn it myself as a 1st amendment issue.
I’m surprised it has been labeled as Hate Speech.
Im surprised it has not yet been labeled as Hate Speech.
I just read that the state of New Jersey fired the guy who ripped pages out of the Koran at Ground Zero. They said he “violated his trust as a state employee.”
Incredible. Soon we’re not going to be able to do, say or even think anything in opposition to Islam. And it will be our own government that is enforcing this.
So me thinks Breyer has invested in printing Qurans an knows millions will be bought to burn when he passes such...
I agree...The wife and I were talking about that very thing and feel like you, because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s right but I’d not hesitate to burn one if Breyer’s opinion was accepted by four others on the court.
Incredible is right! The liberal faction is raising its ugly head. He has a case to sue but why should he have to when the First Amendment protects that?
Not if Breyer has his way, although hopefully Breyer’s view is not that of the majority on the SC.
I’m just really stunned that the government (at every level) is turning out in full force to privilege Islam and put it above our laws and customs. I knew it was going to happen, but I just didn’t think it was going to happen this fast.
That’s because Christians and Jews do go all killy wacka over burning the Bible or Torah ...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.