Bong Hits for Jesus, Mescaline for Moses...
Please. Give me a break, OK? This kid wants to exercise his right to free speech on a public sidewalk across from his school's outdoor event, and the fyookin' Principal comes across the street and physically takes down his banner and supends him from school for five days?
Somebody is smoking SOMETHING, but it ain't common sense -- that's for sure!
I should note that this happened in 2002 - it's coming up now because the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear it today. This is not a small deal - its a very big deal - but we'll probably have to wait for summer 2007 before the Court rules on it.
Look, I grew up smoking pot. I can't smoke it any more, maybe I'm too old, I don't know - it makes me crazy now. But one thing I know is this - compared to alcohol, pot could be the most innocuous illegal substance there is - provided you have enough sense not to go driving on the freeway while you're high. Let's not forget that not too many years ago, desegregation was illegal too.
We have kids who are smuggling knives and even guns onto school property - and these school administration schmucks have nothing better to do than try to stifle free speech by taking down banners across the street and arbitrarily suspending kids from school like criminals? Listen, Pal: mistrust authority -- it's a healthy approach.
Here's the thing: "Free Speech" means what it says. We either have free speech, and learn that the benefits of having it outweigh the negatives of what a few people may do with the right, or we don't have free speech at all. That's why both Liberal and Conservative groups support this kid's case.
Liberals mostly because the Far Left is against George Bush, the Patriot Act and just about anything that represents the establishment. But Conservative groups too because they see that if you can stifle "Mescaline for Moses" then you can shut down religious free speech too, and they don't like that one bit.
Shame on you bureaucratic bastards! Get your priorities straight. This is going to the Supreme Court now? Jeesh! What a waste of my tax dollars. However, the very fact that it was just heard by the Court tells me that we're really doing some national soul-searching here about our basic values. I just hope that free speech wins.
Um, hey! I'll take a toke of that... Now, what was I saying?
NOTE: Based on some comments, it appears that some people aren't fully aware of the facts surrounding this case. Wikipedia has a pretty good writeup, and it appears to me to be mostly unbiased.
Somebody is smoking SOMETHING, but it ain't common sense -- that's for sure!
I should note that this happened in 2002 - it's coming up now because the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear it today. This is not a small deal - its a very big deal - but we'll probably have to wait for summer 2007 before the Court rules on it.
Look, I grew up smoking pot. I can't smoke it any more, maybe I'm too old, I don't know - it makes me crazy now. But one thing I know is this - compared to alcohol, pot could be the most innocuous illegal substance there is - provided you have enough sense not to go driving on the freeway while you're high. Let's not forget that not too many years ago, desegregation was illegal too.
We have kids who are smuggling knives and even guns onto school property - and these school administration schmucks have nothing better to do than try to stifle free speech by taking down banners across the street and arbitrarily suspending kids from school like criminals? Listen, Pal: mistrust authority -- it's a healthy approach.
Here's the thing: "Free Speech" means what it says. We either have free speech, and learn that the benefits of having it outweigh the negatives of what a few people may do with the right, or we don't have free speech at all. That's why both Liberal and Conservative groups support this kid's case.
Liberals mostly because the Far Left is against George Bush, the Patriot Act and just about anything that represents the establishment. But Conservative groups too because they see that if you can stifle "Mescaline for Moses" then you can shut down religious free speech too, and they don't like that one bit.
Shame on you bureaucratic bastards! Get your priorities straight. This is going to the Supreme Court now? Jeesh! What a waste of my tax dollars. However, the very fact that it was just heard by the Court tells me that we're really doing some national soul-searching here about our basic values. I just hope that free speech wins.
Um, hey! I'll take a toke of that... Now, what was I saying?
NOTE: Based on some comments, it appears that some people aren't fully aware of the facts surrounding this case. Wikipedia has a pretty good writeup, and it appears to me to be mostly unbiased.
See if the kid can sue the school district for the principles actions.
ReplyDeleteWasn't this young man taking part in a school event? That isn't clear to me. If so, why wouldn't the administrator be obligated to remove the banner that promotes illegal activity? Whether you think pot should be illegal or not, it is and thus I don't think that blatant promotion of illegal activities is appropriate for students attending school functions.
ReplyDeleteHe would have been smarter to write something about the war or that he hated Bush. Would've achieved his "stated" free speech goal just the same.
Re "See if the kid...". He did sue the school district. Its' going to the Supreme Court. Re "he would have been smarter", I disagree. His right to free speech means exactly that- free speech, no matter what he wants to say. If he is on public property and his banner doesn't incite lewd, violent behavior or endanger the public, he can bong all he wants.
ReplyDeleteThere's no such thing as "kinda" free speech.
So, I could scream out "Gartner sucks and Gene Hall does coke on company conference calls" at the next Gartner Symposium and I couldn't be disciplined or restricted from carrying around a banner that says such?
ReplyDeleteOl' Gene couldn't swipe my banner and fire me?
Not sure how this is much different than promoting an illegal activity at a school function.
Free speech is not free of consequences. This young man was not imprisoned or beaten (unless by his dad because he deserved it for being a moron).
By the way, I have never heard of or seen Gene Hall do anything improper...
The kid was on a public sidewalk across the street from a school outdoor function. He wasn't sitting in a corporate conference. He could have possibly chosen something less "controversial" than "Bong Hits for Jesus", but you will see the Supreme Court won't have any difficulty making a decision to confirm his right of free speech.
ReplyDeletePeter, I agree with everything you said 100%.
ReplyDeleteI thought you were just a genius in the aspect of .NET, but this proves you are a genius in several other aspects of life.
Thanks for this article, really, it meant alot to me!