Freedom Of Speech Shock !
Oct 2nd 2003, 2:05 am
#1
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Freedom Of Speech Shock !
A high school student has the right to wear a T-shirt to school with the face of President Bush and the words "International Terrorist" on the front, a federal judge ruled.
"There is no evidence that the T-shirt created any disturbance or disruption," U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Duggan said in the ruling released Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, which sued the Dearborn school district on behalf of Bretton Barber.
An assistant principal had ordered Barber in February to conceal the anti-Bush message or go home. Dearborn High said it worried about inflaming passions at the suburban Detroit school, where a majority of students are Arab-American.
But, the judge said, "The record does not reveal any basis for (the assistant principal's) fear aside from his belief that the T-shirt conveyed an unpopular political message."
Attorneys for the school district declined to comment on the case. There was no answer at the district offices Wednesday evening.
"The court's decision reaffirms the principle that students don't give up their right to express opinions on matters of public importance once they enter school," Kary Moss, executive director of the state ACLU, said in a news release Wednesday.
Barber was 16 when he wore the shirt on a day he was scheduled to present a "compare and contrast" essay in English class. Barber had chosen to compare President Bush to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein
At the time, Bretton said he wanted to express his anti-war position by wearing the shirt, which he ordered on the Internet.
"There is no evidence that the T-shirt created any disturbance or disruption," U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Duggan said in the ruling released Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, which sued the Dearborn school district on behalf of Bretton Barber.
An assistant principal had ordered Barber in February to conceal the anti-Bush message or go home. Dearborn High said it worried about inflaming passions at the suburban Detroit school, where a majority of students are Arab-American.
But, the judge said, "The record does not reveal any basis for (the assistant principal's) fear aside from his belief that the T-shirt conveyed an unpopular political message."
Attorneys for the school district declined to comment on the case. There was no answer at the district offices Wednesday evening.
"The court's decision reaffirms the principle that students don't give up their right to express opinions on matters of public importance once they enter school," Kary Moss, executive director of the state ACLU, said in a news release Wednesday.
Barber was 16 when he wore the shirt on a day he was scheduled to present a "compare and contrast" essay in English class. Barber had chosen to compare President Bush to former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein
At the time, Bretton said he wanted to express his anti-war position by wearing the shirt, which he ordered on the Internet.
Oct 2nd 2003, 2:59 am
#2
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Location: Living in Oblivion
Posts: 3,668
About time, they keep ****ing going on about it, its about time the dumbass americans lived up to the hype and actually allowed freedom of speech!
It is all smoke and mirrors, the boy will get Dixie Chicked and some higher court will over turn this decision and we will be back to normal where we have freedom of speech as long as you say what people want to hear! They the press can name active CIA operatives, makes no sense
Patrick
It is all smoke and mirrors, the boy will get Dixie Chicked and some higher court will over turn this decision and we will be back to normal where we have freedom of speech as long as you say what people want to hear! They the press can name active CIA operatives, makes no sense
Patrick
Oct 2nd 2003, 7:58 am
#3
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Posts: 4,082
Yep, and when they get caught in a lie they can always plead the 5th!
Oct 2nd 2003, 9:40 am
#4
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Originally posted by BrigieDarling
Yep, and when they get caught in a lie they can always plead the 5th!
Yep, and when they get caught in a lie they can always plead the 5th!
And after that they can make lots of money on the speech circuit and as consultants.
Oct 2nd 2003, 5:22 pm
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At which point does being cynical become being a realist ?
Oct 3rd 2003, 12:50 am
#6
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Posts: 4,082
Originally posted by doctor scrumpy
At which point does being cynical become being a realist ?
At which point does being cynical become being a realist ?
Somewhere in the negotiation for the copyright meeting.
Oct 3rd 2003, 1:54 am
#7
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Location: East Seaxe
Posts: 73,242
Originally posted by doctor scrumpy
At which point does being cynical become being a realist ?
At which point does being cynical become being a realist ?
Almost immediately.
