Free Speech for all... except KKK

[Double Trouble]

The future of free speech looks bleak judging by the posts in this thread.

Everyone is happy to agree with 'free speech' so long as it's speech they agree with. As soon as you deny that right (and the right to unimpeeded assembly) to one group (ANY group), you've taken that right from everyone.

Speech that everyone agrees with does not need to be "protected". It's the very speech that is controversial, or even hated by the majority that needs to be protected. That's what a free country is all about, not just the right to follow the majority and only state the opinion endorced by the majority.

As much as I dislike them, the KKK is no different than any other groups and there should not be any shenanigans (changing the waiting period) to keep them from exersizing their rights. What if it was a gay group that wanted to assemble in a small very conservative town?? If the mayor pulled the same stunt, we'd all be saying how evil and bigotted the mayor was. Same thing, I disagree with the speech, but EVERYONE should have the same rights to expression and assembly, not just those that agree with you.

 

[Elledan]

<<Who are you, the thought police? Joining ANY group is in no way criminal.>>

Wrong. When you join a group which is clearly based on hatred and racism, you obviously agree with those ideas.

Or would you say that if somebody joins a right-wing group which supports the ideas of Hitler (Nazism) and even worships Hitler isn't a criminal? In my view, such a person is way beyond committing a 'thought-crime' since he/she shows everyone which views he/she supports.

 

[poop]

Heh, I posted this topic, and my @home connection was dead most of this weekend (hooray).

In any case, I have a hard time believing what I have read in this thread. Granted, it is society's [legal] right to protect itself if threatened by immenent violence. But creating a law in order to stop a rally? That is unacceptable to me.

The KKK is generally a bunch of ignorant, scared white men. They spew filth and generally piss people off. This does not mean that they are not covered under our right to free speech and assembly. This right is UNIVERSAL to all Americans. This means that the right extends to all, whether you agree with them or not. This right allowed the civil right's movement to take place. I would say a vast majority of southerners did not want rallies in their towns saying that all men are truly equal. Where they allowed to stop the rallies because the views did not fit public opinion? No, thank goodness.

This extends to the KKK. How can we expect to live freely in a country that oppresses unpopular opinion?

And Elledan mad one of the most disturbing posts I have ever seen on this board. How can you truly support the notion that certain ideas are criminal? That is no only absurd, but extremely frightening that you would hold such an opinion. This is the sort of idea that leads to genocide (Hitler, anyone). Also, your idea of Guilt by Association? Ever heard of Due Process? Hell, have you ever heard of something called the constitution of the USA? There was this guy in history you would get along with pretty well. His name was Stalin. He killed 30 million of his own coutry men. Mostly because they disagreed with him.

Unlike a large portion of the others in this thread, I VALUE my rights as a citizen of the United States of America. I value them enough to fight for those rights, and to express outrage when these UNIVERSAL rights are denied to others. I applaud the ACLU in this case. They are civil enough to realize there is a higher principal at stake here. This is not about hate or the KKK. This is about our rights as citizens.