The fallout of making racial slurs on social media

[Landshark]

This woman posted some nasty stuff about President Obama on her Facebook account.  Called him the N word and said that maybe he'll be assassinated.  As a result, she's lost her Facebook account, lost her job, and may face criminal charges from the Secret Service.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/denise-helms-california-woman-hopes-obama-is-assassinated_n_2104184.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D233231

This is another story from the What The Fuck files.  It's bad enough that she would make comments like that but posting them on a social networking site??  How stupid can you be?

[badger6]

Not sure how they could charge her with anything, she didn't actually threaten anyone. This is nothing but media stirring the pot.

[Landshark]

Not sure how they could charge her with anything, she didn't actually threaten anyone. This is nothing but media stirring the pot.

Actually, they could take that as a threat and charge her accordingly.  Which is why you don't post stupid shit like that on a social media site.

[badger6]

Well, let me rephrase that. They can charge her. They are the government, they do stupid shit everyday and get away with it. Calling someone a name and stating what you hope will happen is very far away from actually threatning someone. Although I think she is an idiot, I see no actual crime.

[mecadonzilla]

Truly, losing her Facebook account is the worst thing ever.

[Spider-Dan]

It is a crime to threaten the President of the United States.  When you say that you hope the President is assassinated, you can expect a visit from the Secret Service.

I doubt her follow-up interview helped, when she said (paraphrased), "I mean, I'm not going to kill him, but if someone else did, I wouldn't be sad."

Oh, and you will all be relieved to hear that although she used a racial slur to refer to Obama, she's Not At All Racist because she Totally Has Lots of Ethnic Friends.

[badger6]

It is a crime to threaten the President of the United States.  When you say that you hope the President is assassinated, you can expect a visit from the Secret Service.

I doubt her follow-up interview helped, when she said (paraphrased), "I mean, I'm not going to kill him, but if someone else did, I wouldn't be sad."

Oh, and you will all be relieved to hear that although she used a racial slur to refer to Obama, she's Not At All Racist because she Totally Has Lots of Ethnic Friends.

Hoping for someone to die is not a threat. Not being sad if someone dies is not a threat. Someone calling me a cracker and telling me that they hope I die isn't going to make me feel threatened because it is not a threat. An insult maybe, but not a threat. What the secret service does has no bearing on the basic meaning of words in the English language. What is wrong with you people ?

[Spider-Dan]

What, you're not going to reach for the low-hanging fruit and insist that laws criminalizing threats to the President are an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment?

I'm disappointed.

[Landshark]

What, you're not going to reach for the low-hanging fruit and insist that laws criminalizing threats to the President are an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment?

I'm disappointed.

I think what Badger is trying to say is that saying, "I hope you die" is a lot different than saying, "I'm going to kill you"

[badger6]

What, you're not going to reach for the low-hanging fruit and insist that laws criminalizing threats to the President are an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment?

I'm disappointed.

There was no threat, how many times does that need to be explained. She actually said in an interview that she wasn't going to kill him, just that she wouldn't be sad if someone did. Additionally, no one said anything about the first amendment. Being a racist isn't a crime. Hoping someone dies isn't a crime. Not being sad if someone gets murdered is not a crime. Spin it anyway you lefties usually do it. People are allowed to call the president names and wish bad upon him, none of that is criminal at this point in time. Quit dick riding Obama's meat stick so much, it makes you look silly.

[Sunstroke]

Being a racist isn't a crime.

As part of my lifelong "Try to understand others, no matter how different they may be" program, I feel compelled to ask... When you typed the quoted sentence above, did you pause at all, or was there any internal reaction...maybe an eye-twitch or something, that might indicate that on some subconscious level, you at least realize how wrong those words are?

[Spider-Dan]

I think what Badger is trying to say is that saying, "I hope you die" is a lot different than saying, "I'm going to kill you"

And what I'm saying is that when you say "Maybe somebody will kill you" to someone whom it is illegal to threaten, you're going to hear from law enforcement.  Note that "hearing from" law enforcement is quite a bit different than what would happen if you said "I'm going to kill the President," which would result in you being arrested and charged with a crime.

[Landshark]

And what I'm saying is that when you say "Maybe somebody will kill you" to someone whom it is illegal to threaten, you're going to hear from law enforcement.  Note that "hearing from" law enforcement is quite a bit different than what would happen if you said "I'm going to kill the President," which would result in you being arrested and charged with a crime.

It's illegal to threaten anyone.   

[badger6]

As part of my lifelong "Try to understand others, no matter how different they may be" program, I feel compelled to ask... When you typed the quoted sentence above, did you pause at all, or was there any internal reaction...maybe an eye-twitch or something, that might indicate that on some subconscious level, you at least realize how wrong those words are?

How am I "different" for pointing out facts. Wait, are you saying that being racist is indeed illegal ? If so please provide me some factual insight because I wasn't aware of that and I guess that I could be wrong.

[badger6]

And what I'm saying is that when you say "Maybe somebody will kill you" to someone whom it is illegal to threaten, you're going to hear from law enforcement.  Note that "hearing from" law enforcement is quite a bit different than what would happen if you said "I'm going to kill the President," which would result in you being arrested and charged with a crime.

Like Landshark said, it's illegal to threaten anyone. Furthermore, if you haven't broken the law there is no need to be "hearing from" law enforcement at all. You are under no obligation to discuss anything with them. Much to the dismay of the Obama minions, this is not Russia or China yet.