Freedom of expression being practiced and tried to be shot down…Why protest? Freedom of expression, right?
In a protest with an unusual number of high-level signatures, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and each of its five members have fired off a letter assailing a Washington Post cartoon as “beyond tasteless.”
The Tom Toles cartoon, published Sunday, depicts a heavily bandaged soldier in a hospital bed as having lost his arms and legs, while Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, in the guise of a doctor, says: "I’m listing your condition as ‘battle hardened.’ " Toles said he meant no offense toward American soldiers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/01/AR2006020102465.html
Re: Joint Chiefs Fire At Toles Cartoon On Strained Army...
Will the "freedom of expression" European papers (who are barred by law to print dissenting views about the Holocaust though) be reproducing this cartoon?
Re: Joint Chiefs Fire At Toles Cartoon On Strained Army...
They have these europeans and hillybillies held by their nuts! :D
Re: Joint Chiefs Fire At Toles Cartoon On Strained Army...
Silly boys.
That cartoon was published. People did not like it and they said so.
That is called free and open debate. The cartoon did not have a message of hate, but a political commentary. Cartoons with political commentary were an integral part of the campaign against the British in the Revolutionary war.
I am afraid you are somehow unable to distingish our concept of Hate Speech from typical political debate. Let me help you. If I printed "Kill all the Muslims", that would be considered Hate Speech, and would be illegal, as it violates YOUR Civil Rights. If I published an article that said "Most Terrorists are Muslim", that is a political opinion, and is protected speech.
All forms of speech are not protected. You cannot slander or libel an individual. You cannot publish top secret material. The right to free speech is not absolute. The right to political opinion is protected.
Now, carry on.