Should this be legal?

[Amayakyrol]

The stupid snowman isn't hurting anyone. I routinely see bumper stickers that are more offensive.

 

I'm not condoning his actions, but people need to have a little perspective and chill out. As I said before this is something the HA (if they have one) should take care of. When he starts writing "Die, N-, Die!" in his yard or puts nooses in trees, then he's crossed the line and broken the law.

[DarkNinja13]

When he starts writing "Die, N-, Die!" in his yard or puts nooses in trees, then he's crossed the line and broken the law.

 

Now that I agree with.

[GetOutOfBox]

In my opinion, free speech should mean the ability to intelligently and discreetly discus any opinion whether it is moral or not. I don't believe that it should extend to allowing crazy wackjobs like this guy (apparently he's put up Aryan nations flags over his house, handed out bullet shells to kids claiming he ran out of candy, etc) to mindlessly disparage and threaten another group of people who did nothing to incite such hatred. Racism is a dated, illogical hatred fueled by people to weak to accept responsibility for issues that they blame solely on another "race" (i.e muslims, black people, etc). There is no room for it in today's world, if humans are to continue bettering ourselves, we must leave behind such pathetic and cruel beliefs.

[DarkNinja13]

This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen in weeks :laugh:

I dunno which is funnier.

A snowklansman or people getting all bent out of shape over it.

 

And before any of you call me insensitive, I have been the victim of discrimination/hate/intolerance myself, so if I can be amused by this, so can you.

 

I'm not bent out of shape over it.

 

No sir, I do not think that you are at all.

 

I was referring to the Amber Caldwell that CB refered to in his post who seemed (to me) to be making an avalanche out of a snowball.

[Amayakyrol]

'Muslim' is not a race. If anything, Islam is actually the most racially diverse of the major world religions.

[Vagrant0]

When he starts writing "Die, N-, Die!" in his yard or puts nooses in trees, then he's crossed the line and broken the law.

 

Now that I agree with.

Take a look in the snowman's hands... That is a noose. And technically putting "Die, N~, Die!" in your yard IS freedom of speech just as this is, even if you happen to live facing a public school. If you own the property and aren't employed by anyone who would care, there isn't much that can be done to force you to remove it short of the town taking that person to court (who would also probably rule in that person's favor).

[Lisnpuppy]

In my opinion, free speech should mean the ability to intelligently and discreetly discus any opinion whether it is moral or not. I don't believe that it should extend to allowing crazy wackjobs like this guy (apparently he's put up Aryan nations flags over his house, handed out bullet shells to kids claiming he ran out of candy, etc) to mindlessly disparage and threaten another group of people who did nothing to incite such hatred. Racism is a dated, illogical hatred fueled by people to weak to accept responsibility for issues that they blame solely on another "race" (i.e muslims, black people, etc). There is no room for it in today's world, if humans are to continue bettering ourselves, we must leave behind such pathetic and cruel beliefs.

 

That would be nice in a perfect world. But who decides this is the issue. What is I put up members of our lackluster congress up in effigy, or maybe make a nice hangman out of a few of them. I am sure to get a visit from the Secret Service.

 

To insure freedom of speech then you have to defend ALL speech, regardless of how abhorrent.

 

Personally I find this kind of thing just sick. But tell me he has been arrested for that alone or forced to take it down...then I will fight FOR him because by doing so I fight for my own freedom.

[Chaosblade02]

When he starts writing "Die, N-, Die!" in his yard or puts nooses in trees, then he's crossed the line and broken the law.

 

Now that I agree with.

Take a look in the snowman's hands... That is a noose. And technically putting "Die, N~, Die!" in your yard IS freedom of speech just as this is, even if you happen to live facing a public school. If you own the property and aren't employed by anyone who would care, there isn't much that can be done to force you to remove it short of the town taking that person to court (who would also probably rule in that person's favor).

 

I think you are taking something that was intended to be a really sick joke, a little bit too seriously.

 

I see people doing stuff every day that I find offensive. I don't complain and say they should have their rights taken away, or condone acts of violence against them by another party. Some states have laws, where a home owner can shoot someone that is trying to burn their house down, etc, do similar kind of damage to property, so there are possible consequences for people that might get too far out of hand in taking action against someone like this, who is probably armed to the teeth. I don't think KKK snowman in the front yard is justifiable reason in court for someone to burn someones house down, but given if the particular statute applies, it would be justifiable for the man to reply with deadly force to anyone trying to burn his house down.

 

I say let the man have his free speech, and if nobody ever made a big deal out of stuff like this, then people like this wouldn't have any reason to make KKK snowmen in their front yard. Just someone else looking for 15 minutes of fame.

 

By going out in my front yard and making my own KKK snowman I protest and fight for my own freedom, because I saw them ready to take it away from this man.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Chaosblade02

[marharth]

It should be completely legal. If you want to be a **** *** and do this you should be allowed to.

 

If you are offended by someone doing it then that's also your issue.

 

I honestly hate that "hate speech" is considered illegal. That's stupid, you shouldn't be offended by it at all and if you are that's your issue. You should be able to say anything you want without someone being down your back about it.

 

It might be offensive but who should care? You shouldn't restrict free speech just because something someone says is stupid or mean.

[DarkNinja13]

Now, while we're on free speech, here's something a bit more light-hearted, but somewhat in the same vein.

 

A city councilman in Utah, Mark Easton, had a beautiful view of the east mountains, until a new neighbour bought the lot below his house and built a new home.

 

The new home was 18 inches higher than the ordinances would allow, so Mark Easton, mad about his lost view, went to the city to make sure they enforced the lower roof line ordinance.

 

The new neighbor had to drop the roof line, at great expense.

 

Recently, Mark Easton called the city, and informed them that his new neighbor had installed some vents on the side of his home. Easton didn't like the look of these vents and asked the city to investigate.

 

When they went to Easton's home to see what the vents looked like, this is what they found...

 

 

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz339/DarkNinja_13/Shutter01.jpg

 

http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz339/DarkNinja_13/Shutter2.jpg

 

 

 

The City Council said the vents can stay since there is no ordinances referring to shutter design.

 

Now if you ask me, the neighbour is justified in doing this. Easton was a jerk about the whole thing and paybacks are a *female dog*.

 

Now back to the snowman, I hate to say it, but I think we're getting so thin skinned as a whole, and we've had it pounded into our skulls for so long, that anything even remotely racial seems to get a knee-jerk reaction from us (most of us, anyway) and lots of us respond badly.

 

Another possibility could be that some folks are just looking to get worked up over nothing.

 

Now, here's an interesting caveat: If I were to live in this same town (which has ordinances about upsetting people apparently), and a neighbour had all this religious xmas stuff up in his yard and I were to file a complaint about it - nothing would be done. I follow what could be termed an "alternative religion" and find 90% of christianity's practises to be an affront to my sense of decency and common sense. My grievance would be dismissed by the city and that would be that, as would any complaint filed by an athiest. But knowing I'm outnumbered, I have to bite the bullet and ignore it.

 

Why?

 

Free speech.