Parental advisory: This column discusses 'speech' (Ann Coulter) TRIPLE XXX

worldnetdaily ^ | 4/24/2002 | Ann Coulter

[bvw]

What part of the Constitution grants the FEDERAL government any power to regulate speech this way? The post-FDR socialistic court's reinterpretation of the Commerce Clause to mean all powers to the Feds, and none left to the States and the People?

[anniegetyourgun]

Ann is so good with brutal truth. Like her, I'm still wondering just exactly what kind of statement kiddie porn is making, and if our founding fathers sacrificed all for it! Child pornography is not speech, it's simply designed to engage the prurient interest of sick adults.

[mrfixit514]

I agree with you completely. Good post.

[TLBSHOW]

BUMP

[lelio]

Without this law, it will be impossible, in practice, to prosecute any child pornography cases
Nonsense. This case was about computer created images, not actual live children.
Child porn laws are here for one reason: to protect children from abuse. What children are being abused in drawings. It might make the user think about doing it, but you can't regulate what you think a picture makes someone think about.

[gorush]

"The post-FDR socialistic court's reinterpretation of the Commerce Clause to mean all powers to the Feds, and none left to the States and the People?"

Amen! And that's why the NEA doesn't teach the Constitution anymore.

[Chad Fairbanks]

We couldn't possibly agree more...

[Lorianne]

I disagree with Ms. Coulter on this. Although I believe much pornography is a hateful and destructive influence in our society, I can't justify scraping the First Ammendment in exchange for (temporary) decency. Not a good trade.

The best way to counter disgusting hateful soul destroying "speech" is with speech of your own. I want the Constitution to be there to protect my free speech rights whenever I fight back against their speech. This is the true power and the ingenious checks and balances our Founders built into the Bill of Rights. We should utilize the power given to us in our Constitution.

I am free to find out who produces porn.. er, excuse me .... "speech" I don't like and to peacefully protest these specific individuals. I am free to protest openly on public right of ways in front of their home, their work, their wife's work, their grandmother's home, their kid's school, their kid's soccer game .... you name it. I am free to publicize which individuals and businesses support and bankroll "speech" I don't like and to inform others. I am free to organize boycotts of said businesses or individuals workplaces ...etc. All within my rights.

So, Ms. Coulter, when MY turn comes the Supreme Court better be prepared to defend MY right to speak. Underestimating the power of free speech is a grave miscalculation.

[TLBSHOW]

To think we even have a discussion about this garbage, shows how far America has fallen in the moral ground leadership of the world.

[Always Right]

Child porn laws are here for one reason: to protect children from abuse. What children are being abused in drawings. It might make the user think about doing it, but you can't regulate what you think a picture makes someone think about.

If you have ever seen the quality of some of the computer generate video games like Dead or Alive 3 on XBox, you can imagine how sick and graphic and realistic this newly protected free speech is gonna become. It's a bad ruling, pornography was never intended to be protected under the 1st Amendment.

[amused]

BUMP

[Always Right]

What I don't understand is how hate-speech laws pass Constitutional mustard, and this pornography laws doesn't.

[anniegetyourgun]

Thanks to both of you. Unfortunately, we have many in this country who are so open-minded that their brains are falling out on such subjects. They would likely defend snuff films or a computer generated slow decapitation of a toddler on video to be as "free speech" as well.

[mikenola]

"On American TV it's taboo to show touching a naked breast, but's it perfectly ok to show someone cutting it off with a hacksaw" (paraphrased from Frank Zappa) :-D

[weikel]

Sorry the majority was right the only grounds to outlaw child porn without running afoul of the 1st amendment is the fact that its a depiction and thus an incentive for an actual crime.

[amused]

Granted it is disgusting material but the "Founding Fathers" also issued the sedition act to prohibit criticism of the government, spitting on an amendment barely a decade old. Many states had similar laws. Political speech appears to be the sole intent of protection by the 1st but even then it was trampled a bit.

I would rather the court hold legal all forms of speech(outside of libel, slander, panic starters or basically what has been held for the last century or so) and community pressure dictate how disgusting and offensive speech is dealt with. One must be careful when abridging any right, for the consequences may not be felt for years afterwards.

[TLBSHOW]

Hate-speech laws are as false as Islam is.

[f.Christian]

Main Entry: 1mus·ter
Pronunciation: 'm&s-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English mustre, from Middle French mostre, monstre, from monstrer
Date: 14th century
1 : a representative specimen : SAMPLE
2 a : an act of assembling; specifically : formal military inspection b : critical examination c : an assembled group : COLLECTION d : INVENTORY

[eddie willers]

Ann is so good with brutal truth.

Yes, she is....but in this case she is wrong.
We get upset when school kids are suspended for drawing pictures of guns, and this brush paints both ways.