The “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” case
posted at 11:51 am on March 20, 2007 by Bryan
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Gotta say, I’m on the side of the ACLU in this one:
The Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in an unusual free speech case that found Christian groups and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on the same side of the debate.
The groups have put aside their differences to support a former high school student who was punished for holding a sign declaring, “Bong Hits 4 Jesus.”
When the Olympic torch passed by his Alaska high school in 2002, Joe Frederick and some friends unfurled the banner, whose slogan refers to smoking marijuana. Frederick, at the time an 18-year-old senior, was suspended for the prank.
The ACLU came to Frederick’s defense, arguing that the school violated his free speech rights by unfairly censoring speech based on its content. In the 1969 decision Tinker v. Des Moines, the court found that students maintain their constitutional rights in school and that expression that doesn’t disrupt education cannot be censored.
The only thing that makes this case at all questionable is that the kid was on school property, but when it comes down to it, so what? It was offensive but not disruptive, and I doubt anyone took “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” to be the school’s official stance. This was a case of kids being kids.
If the principal wins, here’s what will probably happen before long. Some Christian kid will say something that a PC principal will find objectionable, and that kid will get suspended from school. This case would back up that call, and free speech would take a massive hit on school campuses.
We already have enough speech codes at universities. A win for the principal here would open up too much room to create more of them at our schools.
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Interesting….
apparently lots more libertarians out there than I thought…
Romeo13 on March 20, 2007 at 11:20 PM
For the record, this thread is - without exception - the funniest thread I’ve ever read here.
The comments are hi-larry-us. All of them.
It’s really to bad I don’t smoke dope … cuz I think it’d be a blast to hang out with every one of you goofs and get really, really stoned.
Jesus would, of course, be invited.
Thank God for beer.
Professor Blather on March 20, 2007 at 11:26 PM
I disagree with my friend Rightwingsparkle people have the right to make an a$$ out of themselves
Happens hourly in the Senate
EricPWJohnson on March 20, 2007 at 11:26 PM
But, is that necessarily a good thing?
.
GT on March 20, 2007 at 11:28 PM
Oops….that was in response to ….
Romeo13 on March 20, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Sorry.
.
GT on March 20, 2007 at 11:29 PM
Okay, funny story. Or maybe not so much.
When I was maybe 15, my grandmother was dying of cancer. (Told you it was kinda not funny).
Back then, nobody’d heard of “medicinal marijuana,” but everybody also knew it helped with the nausea of chemotherapy.
(Sidebar: if you’re really opposed to a licensed physician prescribing marijuana - if that’s the most effective drug to use - then you are a nucking futhermocker, whatever your politics might be)
Where was I? Oh. So one day, my prim and proper mother comes up to me - a 15 year old punk - and says, “Hey, where can I score some weed at your school?”
The sad part? I didn’t have a good answer.
Someday, MY kids will KNOW where to get the weed. Oh, yeah. This stuff matters.
Did I mention how funny this thread is?
What does Ann Coulter think?
Professor Blather on March 20, 2007 at 11:32 PM
Well, she is a Deadhead from way back…
Pablo on March 21, 2007 at 12:23 AM
Professor, you and Jesus are welcome any old time, and it wouldn’t be just any old smokeout, it would be a righteous BBQ!
infidel4life on March 21, 2007 at 1:27 AM
The people at FIRE (Foundation for Individual Right in Education) have got this stuff figured out. Check some of these resources.
http://www.thefire.org/index.php/article/5063.html
smellthecoffee on March 21, 2007 at 9:20 AM
Best drug song: Ray Charles Let’s Go Get Stoned
or America A Horse with No Name or just about all of the Moody Blues….
Oh to be young and foolish….with those fabulous recuperative powers!!!
honora on March 21, 2007 at 10:38 AM
Look up the Tyler v. Poway School District case in the 9th circuit. That is exactly what happened. A kid wore a t-shirt with the saying “Homosexuality is shameful” and was suspended.
bookwurm322 on March 21, 2007 at 8:59 PM
That is just one case among uncounted possibly thousands!
One child in Kindergarten or pre-school, age 4 or 5, sat and bowed his head to pray silently during recess before eating his snack. That child was also suspended.
In other cases individuals and groups of children have been in trouble for religious related “offenses” and also for their political or philosophical point of view.
Conservative thinking children have been dipped in the fires of hell by irate, left wing teachers and students as well. Parents have also been put through the ringer when they discovered that their children were subjected to politically correct indoctrination, such as indoctrination regarding homosexuality, lesbianism, transvestite, transsexual matters and so on.
This is not just a joke, or a case of one kid stepping out of line.
This IS a test case which could bring the Hammer of Thor, or even the wrath of Odin down on anyone who does not toe the politically correct line of thought and speech!
William
William2006 on March 21, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Comment pages: « 1 [2]