The right to Protest

SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2001
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6,372
I know we have our right to free speech. And I know we have the right to protest. But with this war, it has made me disgusted with how the protestors perform and behave.<br /><br />But my personal thoughts on this matter is that if you protest, then you should be a registerd voter. If you didn't vote to voice your opinion, then you shouldn't have the right to march in a protest. Then this would set an age limit on participation of organized protests.<br /><br />To me if you are going to protest something, then writing to your elected officals would be more of the proper way to voice your opinion (providing that you are a registerd voter).<br /><br />Does this make sense? or am I still asleep?
 
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miloman

Lieutenant Junior Grade
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Nov 3, 2002
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1,181
Re: The right to Protest

ss mayfloat I cant agree more with you. But isnt it our right to protest against something we disagree with. Dont get me wrong I think whats going on in Iraq is the right thing and I think these protesters need to have thier head examined.
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Joined
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Re: The right to Protest

Milo,<br /><br />With the war in Iraq, our voters are the ones who put in the elected officials that made the choice to do whats right.<br /><br />To me if you voted, you should have the right to have your protest heard by any means to let others know. But to be underage or a non-voter, your opinion to free speech is there. You wouldn't get arrested for saying you hate the president or hate the war. But at the same time, that person that did not exercise his right to vote should not be covered by any means of the media.<br /><br />If you allowed the rest of the nation to control the outcome without being a participant, then you should not be a whinner about the outcome. I guess what I'm trying to put forth is only a registerd voter should have his word heard, a non-voters word can be spoken, but doesn't have to be heard.
 
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muskyone

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 17, 2003
Messages
814
Re: The right to Protest

it's the ones that block roads and busnesses that get me going what right do thay think thay have to disrupt things like that abunch were aressted in minnieapolis and the mayer wants them to pay restution for it like 700$ each
 
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marty_scher

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Mar 30, 2002
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208
Re: The right to Protest

Freedom of speech and the right to assemble are granted to Americans at birth, not when they reach legal voting age.<br /><br />It would be very unlikly anyway that every anti-war protester did not vote for President Bush.<br /><br />The anti-war groups are protesting something they do not agree with, which is totally their right.<br /><br />It would be unfair to limit their rights, simply because one does not agree with their views, or feel that they are being un-patriotic.<br /><br />Freedom is mostly what this war is all about anyway.<br /><br />Marty
 
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neumanns

Lieutenant Commander
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Mar 1, 2003
Messages
1,926
Re: The right to Protest

Muskyone... It was our governor that asked judges to sentance protestors to restitution in the neighborhood of $200 to help cover costs of arresst. This seems Quite reasonable to me because if they had protested in a reasonable way they would not have been arrested in the first place. However it has not gained much footing because creatures without backbones thought this was limiting there right to protest.really wished it would have caught on myself. another interesting note is Govs wife is a judge.
 
SpinnerBait_Nut

SpinnerBait_Nut

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Re: The right to Protest

This is the way I look at it.<br /><br />If you voted then you have a right to bit*h.<br /><br />If you did not vote, then you should shut up. <br /><br />No use griping about things now if you did not vote.<br /><br />Thats the strongest words you can use is the voting polls.<br /><br />Yea I know, freedom of speech and all that, but come on, they are getting a little carried away.<br /><br />If they don't like the war, thats their right, but causing disturbances and the such has got to end and I hope they arrest every one of them.
 
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muskyone

Master Chief Petty Officer
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Messages
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Re: The right to Protest

i knew it was on of them just think if jess was still gov all heck would breack losse
 
JB

JB

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Re: The right to Protest

I don't mind so much people telling me what they are FOR, and why. <br /><br />What raises my hackles is people shouting criticisms, names and insults without a clue about what they are FOR. The same goes for bashing by label, rather than what individuals have done.<br /><br />That is why I am at least mildly annoyed by the French bashing and Canuck bashing going on in other threads.<br /><br />I think the Canadian and French governments should support what the US and UK are doing, but I recognize that they do agree with our goal: Get rid of Saddam and his gang.<br /><br />I am angry about what a small group of radical Canadians and small groups of French and Germans have done, but I also know that the French, Germans and Canadians are reasonable and civilized people for the most part.<br /><br />I don't blame them for the crazies' behavior any more than I blame all whites for what the KKK has done.
 
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NOSLEEP

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Re: The right to Protest

I guess your right JB<br />People can get carried away at times.<br />I know I do.<br />The French and Canadian governments do not agree<br />with the U.S. goal of removing Saddam by any means<br />other than sanctioned actions of the U.N.<br />What the governments say and what they do, are <br />separate acts. I prefer to watch what men do,<br />rather than listen to what they say. To see what<br />they believe.<br />Perhaps you can tell us what the French and<br />Canadians are for.
 
JB

JB

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Re: The right to Protest

Well, I can't speak for them.<br /><br />I do think they sincerely believe that the Saddam problem could have been solved by diplomacy, not unlike Neville Chamberlain believed the Hitler problem could be solved by diplomacy.<br /><br />I also think they are as wrong as Chamberlain was.
 
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miloman

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Re: The right to Protest

Jb as much as I tend to agree with you on many of your points I dont know Sadam has to go thats a given. Could sanctions have done it? No I believe. I think that the events infront of us were inevidable. I think that the sanctions should have been allowed for a while longer at least for America to curry favoritism and general world support. but the end result would have been the same. As far as Canada, I think that at this point our government should come forward and enlist some form of support. You have to understand a country as vast as ours has 2000 full time serviceman with antiquated machinary and antiquated training. How could we support it and what would we have done. There is no way we could have provided any military support. At the end of the day protesting is good for society, but a protestor should be willing to wear the other shoe if not how could he protest against something he knows nothing about. I feel for the Americans away from thier families and the ones who have lost thier lives protecting my part of the world and I go to sleep because of them
 
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Skinnywater

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Mar 7, 2002
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Re: The right to Protest

This topic has already been debated by men much wiser then those on this forum.<br /><br />Amendment 1 <br />Congress shall make no law restricting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.<br /><br />You'll note that this doesn't have language allowing protest to impede my rights. <br />It doesn't have language to restrict those rights.<br />You'll note is has very strong language to lay waste your question. <br />"shall make no law restricting"<br />"prohibiting the free exercise thereof;or abridging the freedom"<br /><br />It's all fair to be laying harsh words on the protesters on thier stance on this war. <br />There has been plenty of these words here on this forum. Such as remarks for these protesters to leave this country if they don't agree with your opinion. It's certainly with in your right to say it.<br /><br />However, here's one back at you.<br />If you have a problem with the good old 1st ammendment, maybe you should write Vladamir Putin to see if you can locate to a suburb of Moscow.......comrade.
 
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DJ

Guest
Re: The right to Protest

Skinnywater,<br /><br />What are you trying to say? I have a great respect for 1st. ammendment rights.<br /><br />However, the 1st amendment gave no one the right to impede commerce, gov't business or did it give the right to destroy property. Speech is one thing, destruction is another.
 
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Skinnywater

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Re: The right to Protest

I wrote previously,<br />"You'll note that this doesn't have language allowing protest to impede my rights." <br />My previous statement would fall into your statement of destruction.<br />So would the original words below.<br /><br />And it says,<br />"the right of the people peaceably to assemble"<br />Peacably being the key word.<br /><br />About a week ago on another similar topic, there was the strong language by many that demonstrated the lack of respect for opposing view, not neccesarily by SS. <br /><br />Sorry if my post wasn't as clear as I thought it was.
 
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SCO

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Messages
1,463
Re: The right to Protest

JB, I'll feel better about the French people when I hear some French outrage at the defacement. Maybe it's happening, and I haven't read up on it. This is in large measure a reaction we are having to what appears to be French anti Americanism and I think it serves a valuable purpose, pointing out that they are letting us down though we were faithful allies to them. I think a little French guilt and attitude adjustment is in order, though I suspect will not be forthcoming. I've heard the Canadians with like minds as has NOSLEEP, have made their voices heard. I appreciated that support.
 
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KennyKenCan

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Joined
Aug 26, 2002
Messages
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Re: The right to Protest

Amendment 1 <br />Congress shall make no law restricting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people PEACEABLY to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.<br /><br />The key word here is "peaceably".<br /><br />Peaceably does not imply that you can block streets and interfere with everyday life and take the police away from their assigned tasks of protecting us, the protestors included, from the terrorists who do not value life and are willing to kill themselves and YOU .<br /><br />I can't believe these protestors don't get it until the Empire State Building in NYC or the Space Needle in Seatle, WA or the Sears Tower in Chicago are destroyed.<br /><br />Then they would be the first ones to complain that they are not being protected and would demand that Pres. Bush be held responsible, when it is they who are responsible.
 
SpinnerBait_Nut

SpinnerBait_Nut

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Messages
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Re: The right to Protest

The police are taking care of them in Ca.<br />Shooting them with rubber bullets.<br /><br />I say load them all up and ship them to Iraq and let them protest in front of our troops and see how long it lasts.
 
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