Also was taught to treat all well, and I do. I was also taught to love the Constitution and I believe that it should be strictly followed. I wonder if a school can withhold benefits because of speech. Can they withhold social security benefits from anyone who was a KKK member, Black Panther member, or an NAACP member? Can the government withhold benefits from those who argue against "global warming". Honestly, if they can do it for one group, than the government can do it for any group. That's the slippery slope.
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Originally posted by: O2bnVegasQuote
Originally posted by: Boilerman
I don't believe that O2bn understands protected speech. I don't believe that a state government can legally take away benefits (state subsidized school) because they disagree with one's speech topic.
One either is for free speech or one is not. O2bnVegas, unfortunately is not.
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Originally posted by: O2bnVegas
Well, if that is protected speech, the world is in trouble.
I don't know if protected speech includes racial slurs spoken on behalf of a university fraternity and its selection criteria.
It may be protected in that the speaker perhaps cannot be legally prosecuted for using the slurs publicly.
At the least, the jerks publicly announced their intended exclusions based on race to acceptance in their fraternity.
Probably, certainly, not official on-the-books exclusions, but their intent to do so.
True, Boilerman, I have not thoroughly researched the strict definition of Free Speech (is there one?), or what state governments may or may not do when a person or funded organization is accused of misconduct, whether speaking a racial slur was ever written into the university's mission statement, rules or regulations.
There is a word, "protected", which I believe (again, I don't expect you to agree), may somewhere in law represent the distinction from "free" speech.
I am not an attorney. Are you? Please enlighten us.
As I said, I'm fairly certain that one cannot be legally prosecuted for the singular use of racial slurs in public or otherwise. But, the acts that go with it, not so clear cut.
Those guys spoke as representing the fraternity and the university, unfortunate for all concerned.
Perhaps what they said was a slip of a drunken tongue and did actually disclose that fraternity's culture and rush methods. Loose lips, and all that.
And, true, if racial slurs and other hateful slurs is free speech, I am not in favor of that type of speech at all, never will be, though perhaps it is protected. I am in favor or being able to express an opinion, right or wrong, agreeable to others or not, so that type of free speech, yes, I am for it.
I'm old enough that "free speech" is not something that I ponder day and night, never have.
I also believe I have the right to register my objection to anyone else's speech, with what resources are available to me, such as this forum.
I was taught early to respect others in word, action, deed. If others do not, that is their problem and their burden to defend if called upon to defend it.
I don't have to like or even agree with the right of hate speech, slurs of any kind. And I can speak out against it.
