Comments section from a local paper. I'm considering forwarding

[Critters2]

one of these to the Secret Service. Am I over-reacting? (Haven't done so yet.)

http://mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/comments_display.php?id=378613

[dem629]

1. I did something similar about five days before the President was sworn in. (updated)

The Secret Service was very thorough and kept in contact b/c I had the person's real name already so they wanted to know all kinds of stuff. I later found out that they tailed him for about a week until the inauguration was over. And I'm talking about following him to work, the grocery store, etc.

I should add that the threat I discovered was very clear and direct.

In this case, I would say make sure you're doing it because you truly feel there is a threat, not just because you don't like what the person said.

[Critters2]

6. Wow, dem629, good for you.

And yes, I may be just reacting in that I don't like what he said. Don't know who he (assuming it's a "he") really is, either.

[Chulanowa]

2. I won't say no

But it's just one lone mook on the internet.

Go with your conscience. I don't think it would hurt anything to forward strider's comments.

[timtom]

4. Let me see if I understand here...

Strider is Canadian?

And he/she advocates violent overthrow of our government?

Am I reading this wrong?

[Critters2]

5. Not Canadian. Lives in Illinois.

But, yes, apparently, advocating violent overthrow of our government.

[timtom]

9. Where in the HELL were they six years ago????

THEY supported the choices that brought us to this sorrowful state!
Rah! Rah! Bush! I wanna have a beer with the dude!

Isn't it always the way??? We clean up THEIR horrendous mess and they feel disenfranchised?

Beyond contempt!

[uppityperson]

3. Is it the "full pysical force on the white house" one?

That poster has a good imagination. Seems rather deluded and narcissistic also

[Critters2]

7. That's the one. nt

[uppityperson]

8. Advocating violent overthrow of USA gvt is reportable

[Chulanowa]

10. Maybe we should let him bang his head against the White House a few times

It's mostly marble, it can take the beating. And the White House should be okay, too.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

11. report them

every time these assholes cross the line, they need to be reported.
it's not an infringement on free speech, either to do so.
"fire in a crowed theatre," etc. etc.

[Hannah Bell]

12. I think you've misremembered the history.

"Holmes, writing for a unanimous majority, ruled that it was illegal to distribute flyers opposing the draft during World War I. Holmes argued this abridgment of free speech was permissible because it presented a "clear and present danger" to the government's recruitment efforts for the war. Holmes wrote:

'The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic. <...> The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent.'

Holmes wrote of falsely shouting fire, because, of course, if there were a fire in a crowded theater, one may rightly indeed shout "Fire!"; one may, depending on the law in operation, even be obliged to. Falsely shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater, i.e. shouting "Fire!" when one believes there to be no fire in order to cause panic, was interpreted not to be protected by the First Amendment.

The First Amendment holding in Schenck was later overturned by Brandenburg v. Ohio, which limited the scope of banned speech to that which would be directed to and likely to incite imminent lawless action (e.g. a riot). The test in Brandenburg is the current High Court jurisprudence on the ability of government to proscribe speech after that fact."


I believe non-specific advocacy of revolution, even violent revolution is, in fact, protected speech. I would not, myself, inform the authorities simply because someone is mouthing off in a general way over the internet.

[depakid]

13. "Hope to see a few ACORN vehicles overturned"

It's impressive that people are on about ACORN.

Just goes to show the persistence of propaganda and the impact of the far right monopoly on the public airwaves.

[AspenRose]

14. They're like parrots

*squawk* ACORN! ACORN! *squawk!*

[Hekate]

15. It's amazing (and sickening) how thoroughly ACORN got demonized by Palin. All they ever did...

... was register people to vote, am I right?

Hekate

[depakid]

16. They're community organizers who've done a lot of good work over the years

Voter registration is just thing that they're being demonized for- but it's surely that got the far right's attention, because it enfranchised folks who aren't ever likely to support their sorry candidates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Community_Organizations_for_Reform_Now