May 23, 2013

September 12, 2012


Prosecuting Stupid Speech (UPDATED)

Here’s a suggestion that will make America a better place: let’s hold the exercise freedom of speech in the United States hostage to the actions of violent barbarians in other country! Mike Barnicle, a regular contributor to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, offered this insightful idea for upholding American ideals in the face of the savagery of the assassination of the American ambassador to Libya yesterday:

Given this supposed minister’s role in last year’s riots in Afghanistan, where people died, and given his apparent or his alleged role in this film, where, not yet nailed down, but at least one American, perhaps the American ambassador is dead, it might be time for the Department of Justice to start viewing his role as an accessory before or after the fact.

[Note: the “supposed minister” in question is cult leader Terry Jones, the Florida buddy of Westboor Baptist Church, who had nothing to do with making the film in question, but is promoting it.]

Leave aside the novel definition of “accessory before or after the fact.” Barnicle is from Chicago, where they are known for, shall we say, unique approaches to criminal law. What he is suggesting is that terrorists and criminals who violate American sovereignty and murder American citizens be given a “heckler’s veto” over the free speech of Americans. In other words, total capitulation to totalitarian Islam.

Terry Jones is a moron, and the movie in question may or may not be a good idea. But in the United States of America, stupid, inconvenient, and even offensive speech is supposed to be free from government censorship, and while it may be illegal to shout “fire!” in a crowded theater, the “heckler’s veto” has no place. If the murderous thugs of the Middle East don’t like that, our response should be the same as General Anthony McAuliffe’s to the German demand for the surrender of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge: “NUTS!”

UPDATE: If you have 14 minutes that that you don’t mind tossing on the flaming scrapheap of life, you can waste it watching the trailer for the opus that has cretins across North Africa wetting their pants. It’s so bad I don’t think even the folks at Mystery Science Theater 3000 would have subjected themselves to it. All I can say is I hope Battlefield Earth never plays in Cairo, or we might have a full-scale Middle East war on our hands.

UPDATE: Twitchy reports that on an academic who wants to get in on the lynching party directed at the producers of the film. Anthea Butler, a religion professor at the University of Pennsylvania, writes on Twitter:

Good Morning. How soon is Sam Bacile going to be in jail folks? I need him to go now.When Americans die because you are stupid…

And yes, I know we have First Amendment rights,but if you don’t understand the Religion you hate, STFU about it. Yes, I am ticked off.—

And people do to jail for speech. First Amendment doesn’t cover EVERYTHING a PERSON says.—

I am all for free speech, but you better damn well understand that actions have consequences, and what you mock is another persons belief.—

the murder of the Ambassador and the employees is wrong, wrong. But Bacile will have to face his actions which he had freedom—

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11 comments

This joker and others of his ilk believe the exercise of stupid, inconvenient, and even offensive speech is only allowable as long as it is directed against American Conservatives.  Any other use of such speech should be a capital crime.

[1] Posted by BillB on 9-12-2012 at 12:42 PM · [top]

[off topic comment deleted—please refer thoughts on tone to SF bloggers using the Private Message system, since we want to remain on the topic of the post]

[2] Posted by notworthyofthename on 9-12-2012 at 01:07 PM · [top]

A journalist like Mike Barnicle who enjoys the protections of the First Amendment should be the last one suggesting that such protections not apply to others.

[3] Posted by the virginian on 9-12-2012 at 01:53 PM · [top]

Taking Mike Barnicle at his word, we’re 40+ years overdue in tossing the Beatles into the hoosegow for their obvious incitement of the Manson “family’s” Tate/La Bianca murders.

What Barnicle and the rest of the liberal herd don’t seem to get is that they’re saying that if you want respect from the chattering classes, you need to go on murderous rampages at the first sign of disrespect of your cause.

[4] Posted by Jeffersonian on 9-12-2012 at 04:15 PM · [top]

‘Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.’ Benjamin Franklin, ‘Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor,’ November 11, 1755.”

[5] Posted by Dave B on 9-12-2012 at 04:47 PM · [top]

David Fischler:

UPDATE: If you have 14 minutes that that you don’t mind tossing on the flaming scrapheap of life, you can waste it watching the trailer for the opus that has cretins across North Africa wetting their pants. It’s so bad I don’t think even the folks at Mystery Science Theater 3000 would have subjected themselves to it.

My personal scrapheap is now no more than a pile of charred ruins.  There is nothing left for me to do but sift through the ashes.

I think the movie might be a lot better if they had been able to film it on location.  Putting Ian McKellen in there somewhere might have helped too.  But perhaps production costs were high enough already and who am I to judge.

The full version should be released only to drive-in theaters.  Then people who do experience bladder control problems while watching it won’t be embarrassed as long as they stay in the car.  Depending on how funny the whole thing is, this could benefit Jewish and Christian viewers as well.

[6] Posted by episcopalienated on 9-12-2012 at 05:05 PM · [top]

The story behind this cinematic masterpiece keeps getting better.

In an even stranger twist, NPR’s Sarah Abdurrahman noticed that every specific reference to Muhammad or Islam in the movie’s trailer appears to be dubbed over what the actors actually said. Without the lines that insult Islam, the trailer “reads like some cheesy Arabian Nights story,” Abdurrahman writes. In a statement given to CNN, the cast and crew of the film said they were “grossly misled” about the movie’s purpose and said they feel “taken advantage of.” One of the film’s actors told Gawker that the cast was told they were acting in a movie called “Dessert Warriors,” and had no idea it would be altered to have an anti-Islam message. She said the film’s director, whom she now plans to sue, said he was Egyptian.

Has someone gone and ruined what might have been an entertaining film about warriors fighting over what’s for dessert?

It does raise an obvious question where these cutthroats in Egypt and Libya are concerned.  How could anyone with a brain in his head become incensed over this picture?

[7] Posted by episcopalienated on 9-12-2012 at 06:14 PM · [top]

Mike Barnicle has perhaps the ultimate defense against inciteful speech: as a proven plagiarist, he uses the works of others without permission or attribution, but ostensibly only after the works he is stealing have proven not to incite violence.

http://articles.cnn.com/1998-08-19/us/9808_19_barnicle_1_globe-columnist-mike-barnicle-matthew-storin-resignation?_s=PM:US

[8] Posted by paradoxymoron on 9-12-2012 at 08:16 PM · [top]

Wait a sec! Isn’t Anthea Butler disrespecting my beliefs? Can’t . . . control. . . .the . . . .rage! ANTHEA BUTLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIONS THAT I MAY COMMIT IN RESPONSE TO HER INTEMPERATE WORDS. (And. . .I didn’t build that.)

[9] Posted by paradoxymoron on 9-12-2012 at 08:26 PM · [top]

Jeffersonian:

Taking Mike Barnicle at his word, we’re 40+ years overdue in tossing the Beatles into the hoosegow for their obvious incitement of the Manson “family’s” Tate/La Bianca murders.

Funny you should mention that.  Last night I watched an excellent documentary about the Tate-La Bianca murders, The Six Degrees of Helter Skelter.  I think you’d enjoy it.

It quotes John Lennon’s famous lament to Rolling Stone magazine: “I don’t know what Helter Skelter has to do with knifing someone.”

Poor Mr. Barnicle is clearly having a struggle with understanding the relationship between cause and effect.  I’d say let’s not put ideas in his head, but Mr. Lennon is now safely beyond his rhetorical reach, although he might try to go after Paul and Ringo. LOL

[10] Posted by episcopalienated on 9-12-2012 at 09:53 PM · [top]

All you had to say was “MSNBC”.  They are beyond hope.  A TV-based liberal rag.  I have no respect for anything they do.

[11] Posted by B. Hunter on 9-17-2012 at 12:10 PM · [top]

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