I am sick to death of people that do not understand the First Amendment

So I often read blogs that have LGBT related content, and today I stumbled onto this post: http://pamshouseblend.com/diary/1596...s-at-work-sure

Essentially, this is a response to an e-mail forward from a Christian organization that opposes ENDA (or, the Employee Non-Discrimination Act). And this quoted section here is what really set me off:

Quote:

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Originally posted by some moron

Followed to its logical conclusion, ENDA is likely to result in reverse discrimination -- against anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, especially if they exercise their freedom of speech to say so. Will you add your voice to help stop ENDA?

Essentially, Congress would be establishing a caste system where the "rights" of homosexuals trump the First Amendment freedoms of employers and employees. At the very least, it will force people out of business because owners will be forced to spend huge sums of money on litigation if employees file lawsuits under ENDA.

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I see this argument made all the damn time, and not just with regard to LBGT rights. And it pisses me the fuck off.

Look, you failure, the first amendment does not give you the right to say whatever you want in any context anywhere with no reprecussions. No, it really truly does not. It protects your political speech, and prevents the government from taking action against you because of your words.

It does not currently give you the right to say anything you want at work. For example, the first amendment does not protect you from being fired should you decide to harass your coworkers by telling them how sinful their sex lives are. It already does not do that for you. Your employers are already free to fire you for violating codes of conduct at the workplace. See how ENDA changes nothing?

And I'd bet you anything that they'd gladly throw their stupid notion of free speech away if it was a question of whether or not atheists had the right to harass Christians at work. :roll:

Yeah, it's interesting how the Amendments in the Bill of Rights become simplified into shorthand for sweeping principles:

- The 1st Amendment becomes "I have the right to say/write whatever I want, and even private entities cannot visit any consequences on me."
- The 2nd Amendment becomes "I have an unlimited and unqualified right to own whatever weapons I see fit."
- The 5th Amendment, in all its complexity, is boiled down to "I don't have to give testimony that incriminates me."

But but but, the gov't has flame throwers! Why can't I?

I agree with both Tom and OCS - the way that lay people (myself included, sometimes) will simplify the law is astonishing and often frightening.

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Originally posted by OtakuLoki

But but but, the gov't has flame throwers! Why can't I?

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Actually you can. Only 10 states have laws regulating the ownership of a flamethrower. The other 40 have none whatsoever and you can legally purchase them off the internet for pretty cheap. The only problem is where you can legally throw flame, which is going to be a toughie.

Cluricaun - Expert on owning insane things like cobras and flame throwers. And cobrathrowers (patent pending, all rights reserved)

Can I get on the waiting list for a cobra thrower?

Of course.

I met some tea bag types at a gun show not that long ago who freaked out when I used my camera phone near their booth because I was violating their "first amendment right to privacy". I didn't know which was worse, the mangling of the bill of rights in a place where people freely hand out pocket sized copies of both the constitution and the bill of rights or the idea that even if there were a right to privacy that it couldn't possibly apply, you know, in public.

It's alarming and yet very, very consistent how many failures at life (and, presumably, at civics class) will invoke the first amendment to explain how they have the right to say whatever they want and somehow it's a violation of their rights if one disagrees with them.

Consistent but nonetheless totally fucking irritating.

Quote:

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Originally posted by OneCentStamp

Yeah, it's interesting how the Amendments in the Bill of Rights become simplified into shorthand for sweeping principles:

- The 1st Amendment becomes "I have the right to say/write whatever I want, and even private entities cannot visit any consequences on me."
- The 2nd Amendment becomes "I have an unlimited and unqualified right to own whatever weapons I see fit."
- The 5th Amendment, in all its complexity, is boiled down to "I don't have to give testimony that incriminates me."

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Oh, man. I absolutely LOVE it when some dipshit tries trotting this out online. "YOU CAN'T SHUT ME UP FREE SPEECH BITCHEZ!!!"