Re: Free Speech No Defense for Urging Suicide

I don't know if that was the extent or not.  Does that really matter?  Are we 
going to start policing thought and decide how serious I was or how much 
someone's words affected the thinking of someone else?  Don't you see the 
slippery slope that starts us down?  I realize we look at intent in 
charging/punishing crimes but those are discerned from a persons actions, not 
mere speech.  


Speech is speech.  Unless it crosses the line into action, (a threat with 
immediate ability to carry out the threat accompanied by some action indicating 
same), it should be protected.  I'm an absolutist when it comes to free speech.  


Should we outlaw the Koran based on Sam Harris' position that it advocates 
hatred and violence against non-believers?  I know some say it doesn't but that 
is the point isn't it?  


Should it really matter how many conversations the guy had with these folks?  
Did he supply the means for their crime, (this begs the question whether suicide 
should be illegal), did he push anyone off the ledge?  He talked to them.  If we 
start making that a crime we might as well pack it all in now, because you have 
opened the door in this country for the kind of crap that goes on in Canada, 
(sorry Canadians), where pastors are charged with crimes for preaching against 
homosexuality and Ezra Levant/Mark Steyn/Kathy Shaidle(sp?), are penalized for 
saying something negative about Islam/muslims.  


As far as terrorism - the only ones who should be prosecuted for terrorism are 
the ones who commit it, not those that talk about it.  If you prosecute speech 
in that way you are making the crime of one person dependent on the actions of 
another.  That is another frightening scenario.  Which raises the question would 
it have been a crime if the people hadn't committed suicide?

Mike F.  




________________________________
From: Bruce Geerdes <[email protected]>
To: DADL (off topic) <[email protected]>
Sent: Wed, March 16, 2011 1:37:06 PM
Subject: Re: [DADL-OT] Free Speech No Defense for Urging Suicide


On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 12:25 PM, Mike Findlay <[email protected]> wrote:

I want you guys to go rob a bank, right now.  

Is that the extent of this guy's persuasion? That's the kind of thing he was 
convicted on?

How about if I spend some real effect convincing someone to commit a terrorist 
act and he does it. Nothing can be pinned on me?

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