Supreme Court strikes down Stolen Valor Act

[OakRidgeStars]

Now I can finally add "Seal Team 6 member" to my resume.

---

The U.S. Supreme Court's decision Thursday striking down the Stolen Valor Act says the 1st Amendment "protects the speech we detest as well as the speech we embrace," according to Justice Anthony M. Kennedy.

By a 6-3 decision, the high court said the right to lie about medals and military service, while "contemptible" and worthy of outrage and ridicule, is protected by the 1st Amendment.

To allow the government to outlaw certain speech because it is based on false statements would invite a Ministry of Truth as written about by George Orwell in his novel "1984" about totalitarianism, Kennedy said.

The decision came in the case of Xavier Alvarez, a former member of the Three Valleys Municipal Water District governing board in eastern Los Angeles County.

At his first meeting, Alvarez had claimed he was a former Marine and recipient of the Medal of Honor; in fact, he had never served in the military. After being charged, he resigned from the board.

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... edals.html

[skeeterss0]

so the supreme court jesters have ruled that it is ok to lie and defraud?

OMG the US is becoming the land of Chaos and Tyrany. I need to drop out and get out of this society. It is seriously screwed up from what I grew up believing the US is supposed to be.

[mamabearCali]

So fraud is now legally protected speech......more good news.

[Reverenddel]

I just sold off my portfolio, lowered my 401k contribution to the minimum, and asked about penalties/fees to close out my Roth IRA.

I have one credit card, and had enough to pay it off BEFORE all of this...

I am not buying a truck anymore. Nor property. Nor a home. I refuse to take part in this society anymore. Bare bones for everything, I'm taking my ball, and going "home" .

I'm done.

[OakRidgeStars]

I'm done.

No. You're not done yet.

Remember in November.

[ShotgunBlast]

I don't think you can fight for limited government and support the Stolen Valor Act at the same time.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[donut]

It's a pretty interesting case. While someone can lie without being charged under the SVA, they can still walk themselves into all kinds of cases involving things like fraud, libel, and slander. Most importantly society will judge those people much more effectively. While they can't be charged under the SVA there's nothing stopping word of mouth, and the 4th estate. At the end of the day outing these people in a public forum is more effective than any other course of action. I don't think we ought to send them to jail, that's a waste of resources, just embarrass the hell out of them.

Check this out, and I'm telling you it works every single time. Whenever you think you might be hearing someone tell you some kind of BS (space shuttle door gunner) war story, stop. Stop and think of a movie that you saw a similar scene in. It's where most of these guys get their material from because they have no real imagination for it. If you read the case about Alvarez it sounds like he pulled it right out of "Rules of Engagement". Works every time.

[Reverenddel]

I'm done with being told "This party will do this", or "this party will do that", THEY ARE BOTH LYING SACKS OF CRAP!

I'm contemplating NOT voting anymore. It does NO good, and they keep putting the same hacks from either side of the coin.

I WANT...A NEW... COIN!

Limited Government? Well, if you look at the fees, taxes, fines, mandates, SCOTUS decisions against individuals (Todays, Kelo vs CT, etc), drones spying overhead, PATRIOT Act removing 4th Amendments, bank regulations, and the "I know better than you" politicians? AIN'T ANY LIMITATIONS ON IT!

Welcome to the New World Order, just bend over, relax, and let this happen.

[FredVegas]

I don't think you can fight for limited government and support the Stolen Valor Act at the same time.

Agreed. The bastards who lie about this kind of thing can fall into all kinds of legal problems when trying to profit off the lie. Freedom of Speech covers all kinds of speech, whether I like what they have to say is inconsequential.

[vaeevictiss]

I'm done.

No. You're not done yet.

Remember in November.

come November absolutely nothing will change. You are fooling yourself if you think romney will change anything (in the event he wins). There is no difference between republicans and democrats. they should just change the party names to f*** and more f***.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[ProShooter]

so the supreme court jesters have ruled that it is ok to lie and defraud?

Obama is still living at 1600 Pennsylvania, ain't he?

[VBshooter]

And the damn health care crap is Constitutional??? WTF is is with that?? A President , Congress and now the SCOTUS is screwing us... We hae a lot of fixing to do!! Or we will never survive as a Republic.......

[GeneFrenkle]

Last time I checked, freedom of speech does not absolve accountability for speech. There are other laws and mechanisms that can appropriately handle it.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Kreutz]

This is a sound decision. A few posters said this makes "fraud" legal.

No, lying is not fraud. There are already numerous laws detailing fraud on the books. Lying without seeking to materially gain from it is not fraud.

If Joe Blow wants to make up stories about wearing VC ear necklaces in Da-Nang, so be it. He's a liar allright, but not a criminal.

[Diomed]

So fraud is now legally protected speech......more good news.

Not at all. Lying is lying, fraud is fraud.

You want fraud, here's some fraud for you. I had a passing internet acquaintance with that guy, and he visited my club a few years ago and took advantage of some of the kindhearted members who believed he was a war hero. Hell, some of them probably still believe he's a war hero.

I can tell you about how I have two CMOHs and so many DSCs and Purple Hearts that I use them to prop up my back porch, and that's not fraud unless I'm trying to get something from you.

[skeeterss0]

But if I tell you I'm a war hero and have the Medal of Honor, then you believe me and throw me a parade (thus making others believe the lie). They give me all kinds of kudos and free benifits and gifts. Then I have not commited fraud, I have only lied. I was not fraudulantly trying to get those things, they were gifts showered onto me.

Do you see the problem with shooting down the Stolen Valor Act?

Also once one person is found out to be a fraud, the credibility of the actual war hero is brought into question. Who will believe the actual hero? It's similar to the credibility of Lawyers. Because of the shady ones, the good ones get a bad rep.

[ShotgunBlast]

But if I tell you I'm a war hero and have the Medal of Honor, then you believe me and throw me a parade (thus making others believe the lie). They give me all kinds of kudos and free benifits and gifts. Then I have not commited fraud, I have only lied. I was not fraudulantly trying to get those things, they were gifts showered onto me.

Do you see the problem with shooting down the Stolen Valor Act?

I see a problem with someone not doing their due diligence before throwing a parade.

[davasmith]

Anyone here remember what I wrote a little while back? You know when I heard abunch of crickets and got replies like this is not 1776? Sounds like some people here are waking up and feeling the same way I do. Btw, if you don't vote do me a favor and shut the hell up. I vote so I have the right to bitch and moan and those that don't vote only give precidence to the current situation. Cain/paul 2012? Hell, i'd vote that ticket.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[WRW]

My limited experience has been that a true hero will not volunteer that fact...even to direct questioning.

[Kreutz]

But if I tell you I'm a war hero and have the Medal of Honor, then you believe me and throw me a parade (thus making others believe the lie). They give me all kinds of kudos and free benifits and gifts. Then I have not commited fraud, I have only lied. I was not fraudulantly trying to get those things, they were gifts showered onto me.

Do you see the problem with shooting down the Stolen Valor Act?

Also once one person is found out to be a fraud, the credibility of the actual war hero is brought into question. Who will believe the actual hero? It's similar to the credibility of Lawyers. Because of the shady ones, the good ones get a bad rep.

I can tell you my POS Ford Pinto is made of gold all day long, but until those lies induce you to buy it its simply not fraud.