Conspiracy to incite riot vs free speech [View all]

[Jessy169]

Regarding the video "Innocence of Muslims," that ridicules the Prophet Muhammad, portraying him as a fraud, a womanizer and a child molester.

There has been some discussion on DU articles asking what, if any, crime(s) may have been committed by the person or persons who are ultimately found to be responsible for the offensive video that triggered all this mess. Some here on DU have argued the point that no matter how offensive the video may be, it is nothing more than an expression of "free speech" and therefore must be tolerated.

My point of view is that the video as posted on YouTube was done so with the full intent of inciting a violent reaction.

IF it can be proven that there was intent to incite riot or violence, then we can forever flush the point of view that this video is just an expression of "free speech" and one that must be tolerated, even by a society that has no previous experience in "reglious tolerance" or centuries of development in "free expression". Instead of "free speech", we can call this video what it really is: a federal crime.

From a simple search on Yahoo for "conspiracy to incite riot" -- note that the language includes the definitive phrase "instigates others to riot" -- all caps are mine for enunciation:

Under federal law, a riot is a public disturbance involving an act of violence by one or more persons assembled in a group of at least three people. Inciting a riot applies to a person who organizes, ENCOURAGES, or participates in a riot. It can apply to one who urges or INSTIGATES others to riot. According to 18 USCS § 2102 "to incite a riot", or "to organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on a riot", includes, but is not limited to, urging or instigating other persons to riot, but shall not be deemed to mean the mere oral or written (1) advocacy of ideas or (2) expression of belief, not involving advocacy of any act or acts of violence or assertion of the rightness of, or the right to commit, any such act or acts.”

Some might argue that the video is an example of "mere oral or written (1) advocacy of ideas or (2) expression of belief...". I disagree. The video is NOT an expression or advocacy of ideas or belief -- it is smear, a hit job, a video created with the sole intent of greatly aggravating and inflaming passionate anger.

My guess is, the individual(s) who are involved in the creation and posting of this video to YouTube are in a world of legal trouble now, as well they should be. But one final point: The hater(s) who are behind this video have an army of right-wing Muslim-hating thugs on their side. Prosecuting the perpetrators of this video will galvanize those thugs, most of whom are borderline insane at the best of times, and fully armed. Big trouble is brewing not just in the Middle East, but here at home too. I hope that I'm just being paranoid.