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KamaAina

(78,249 posts)
Fri Jul 17, 2015, 04:20 PM Jul 2015

Mother of child with Autism finds offensive stickers on her car (xpost from GD)

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=35521887

Outside her home on Julia Anna Drive sits Eliese Livingston's car, and on the rear window rests a sticker reading, "Autistic child may not respond to verbal commands." It lets others know about the limited communication skills of her 5-year-old son, Kyler.

Tuesday night Livingston discovered someone else left a message of their own on her car, and it made her angry.

"I feel like they were attacking autistic children in general," Livingston said.

Handmade stickers that read "Spoiled Brat" and "Undisciplined" were placed on Livingston's car directly next to her Autism awareness sticker.


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Mother of child with Autism finds offensive stickers on her car (xpost from GD) (Original Post) KamaAina Jul 2015 OP
Jesus. Warren DeMontague Jul 2015 #1
Fixed. KamaAina Jul 2015 #2
The First Amendment dballance Jul 2015 #3
As far as the First Amendment goes, however, mapol Sep 2019 #5
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2016 #4
 

dballance

(5,756 posts)
3. The First Amendment
Fri Jul 17, 2015, 05:08 PM
Jul 2015

One of these days people will learn that the First Amendment applies only to the government and it does not preclude consequences of ones speech.

Yep, the First Amendment allows any person to speak their mind and not be constrained by the US or state governments.

It does not mandate that there should be no consequences for that speech. It does not mandate that private entities cannot take actions against a person for their very public statements.

One has absolutely every right to say what they believe. One does not have any legal or Constitutional protection from the fallout due to one's statements.

mapol

(91 posts)
5. As far as the First Amendment goes, however,
Wed Sep 11, 2019, 10:39 AM
Sep 2019

Yes, the First Amendment does give people the right to express their points of view, no matter how repulsive and repugnant they may be. If we wish to have a democratic society, that has to be the case.

If, however, if somebody engages in rhetoric that is actually a call to go out and hurt or kill one group of people or other, or a single person, then he or she has crossed the line beyond what's acceptable and is no longer free speech.

For example, the point of view: Hey--I want so and so out of here! Or: I can't stand so and so! These are actually points of view.

On the other hand: "Hey--get so and so out of here! Or: Hey! Let's get so and so after school, or at recess! These latter phrases are actually a call to act on a person's feelings, which is not protected under the First Amendment.

Response to KamaAina (Original post)

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