Do you think some forms of Protest should be outlawed?

Question

i.e. censorship of obscenity, protesting at soldiers funerals, burning of the American flag, Slander, disrupting businesses & transportation etc....

Answer 1

It think disrupting business and transportation is sometimes called for. No I do not although protestig at funerals is reprehensible but usually that is done by that so called religious wingnut for noterity.

It is a slippery slope when you start banning protests..already under Bush we have freespeech zones and microwave weapons to burn our skins for when thing in the US get so bad, the crowds will be too big and angry to handle at what we see happening in our country..get out and protest now when it is still easy and you aren't hurt or killed for doing so..and good point to the person mentioning the Boston tea party.

Answer 2

No, by the very definition of who we are and what we stand for has to include everyone. The bill of rights states that we have the right of freedom of speech and unfortunately that includes the people that have poor scruples and are inconsiderate enough to protest at a soldiers funeral. They can however be held back to a distance by the police or even security guards to keep from disturbing the funeral proceedings.

The American flag is a symbol of freedom. The red stripes on a flag symbolize the blood that was shed to keep our freedoms alive. The people that burn the flag is not burning the dead, they are using the flag burning as an eye opener in a protest for something they believe in. It is their right to express themselves. I myself don't think its right but would not go as far as to step on their rights to stop them.

Disrupting business- maybe its a good thing that big business comes to a halt every once in a while, maybe a protest about a company will make the people in charge rethink whatever it is being protested against.

Answer 3

Unfortunately in this country of Freedom, people think that anything goes at any time. History has shown that at times people protesting have lost all sense of reason. Yes, I think that some forms of Protest should be outlawed. Protests that are against humanity, against censorship of obscenity and pornography, against the Nation and government by burning the American Flag should not be allowed. If people cannot respect the flag and the Country it represents they should be living here. Disruptive protests that cause damage to store fronts and homes, where the running of government, businesses and transportation has to be stopped for the few who cannot Protest in a mannerly way should not be allowed. Union Protests that stop the running of businesses and government agencies should not be allowed. Bargaining tables with qualified speakers from both sides with a judge and jury should be the only way to fix those problems, not with violence as some have done in the past. The running of schools, hospitals, water, electricity and garbage should not stop for no reason. If someone has something to say, that's fine, but when they hinder the running of health and school agencies their protesting should be outlawed.They hinder the health of the nation. Such protests affects humanity seriously.
At the same time, brutal police force should not be allowed to stop the protests. Some other method, but not violence should be found to stop such protests. Communication should be encouraged all the times, at schools, governments and businesses so that people that are angry, frustrated will not restort to unruly, bad protesting that affect the Nation as a whole and speak of Unnationality. We need to learn to be one Nation, and respect each other no matter what.

Answer 4

"Outlawed"--no. Contolled-yes. I find the Westboro Baptist Church's protests at the funerals of soldiers particularly disgusting. However, they can be shielded from the grieving family and be forced to stay 500 feet away under existing laws in my state. Pornography involving children is already illegal. A ban on pornography can be used to ban legitimate art, such as nudes, so probably should not be taken further. (Pornography is very subjective, so should not be further controlled.) Burning of the American flag is despicable to me, but a legitimate form of protest that does not harm 3rd parties. There are already laws that outlaw protests that disrupt entry to businesses, so that's probably enough. Besides, commercial speech is the least protected form of speech. Also, if a business is unfair or unethical, I want people to protest.

Answer 5

I think those who burn flags ought to be allowed to do so. I also think that Americans who witness the flag burning should be allowed to stuff the burning flag down the pants of the one who lit it and give him or her a nice warm wedgie!

As far as protesters at a soldier's funeral, that's a matter of free speech. Should friends or members of the family beat the slop out of those same protesters, that should be protected free speech also. I fully support the bikers who show up at these funerals and insulate the family from those morons.

As for other forms of protest being outlawed, I am against any kind of censorship 100%.

Answer 6

I don't think they should be banned, however there is a certain lack of civility by some people who try to get their point across.

For example, why do groups have to protest at a soldiers funeral? To me this shows lack of judgement and total disrespect for our country, the family of the soldier, etc. Before someone does something like this, they need to think before they act and ask themselves this simple question - How would my mother feel if I died (stopping a robbery, in a car crash, by a drunk driver, etc.) and someone from a group protested at my funeral?

It basically is manners and it seems that people with an agenda do not have any.

Answer 7

slander (harmful statement in a transitory form, especially speech)

There are laws regarding slander, slander and libel are referred to as defamation.

In law, defamation is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation. Most jurisdictions provide legal actions, civil and/or criminal, to punish various kinds of defamation.

And yes to make false statements designed to bring harm to others should be against the law. Freedom of speech to voice opinions and ideas should not, there are those who argue that the various forms of protest are in fact freedom of speech.

Laws against the interuption of business could then put an end to workers having the right to picket or strike, why should they be denied to voice their views outside on a public street?

The issue of protesting at soldiers funerals where would the protest be? why would it be? Is the Cemetary considered public or private property? Do people should people have the right to protest on the private property of others? No I think there are laws against trespassing.

Burning the American flag is a very touchy subject why should it be against to law to burn any piece of cloth you may own? So long as no one is in it and the burning does not destroy the property of others?

When a man takes a gun and starts to shoot up a place and or people in it, and he claims it is because he is protesting something or someone associated with that location then the form of protest is already against the law.

When a man walks on the side walk in front of that place with a sign so long as it is fact not libel then isn't that covered under freedom of speech and why should it be outlawed?

Answer 8

No, because it's protected as freedom of speech. As much as we may disagree with what's being said during these protests, it is protected in the constitution. They have the right to say what they feel they need to say.

Hey look at it this way...They make themselves look like fools alot of times when they do protest. Take the morons that protest at soldiers' funerals, for example. They are protesting a dead soldier (and he or she is not going to care anyway...they're dead) whose grieving family cares more about their son or daughter than the protestors or their cause. It just shows that the protestors have very bad taste.

Let them be the fools that alot of times they are, and move on with life.

Answer 9

I hate some forms of protest. But it shouldn't be outlawed. It's part of freedom of speech. As for disrupting business and transportation and slander, it is illegal and they'll be arrested. I find these days protest isn't as effective as it used to be anyways. I think most people just look at them as "crazy" and dismiss the message. With all the forms of media there's better methods today.

Answer 10

According to the Constitution some forms already are. Remember you are permitted the right to PEACEFUL assembly however you can't insult someone then have them beat you to a bloody pulp and claim they violated your free speech.

Every freedom has a responsibility...ask anyone who was ever boycotted for saying something stupid.

If a group is protesting and they commit acts of vandalism then they should be arrested at once, if they assault or spit on a police officer they should go straight to jail do not pass go, if they protest at a soldiers funeral they should have their heads slammed several times in the hearse door....okay maybe a bit strong but they should expect some kind of reprisal because that is just undignified and sacreligious (sp?).