When Aaron Burr challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel, and killed him, he was not attacking the First Amendment freedom of the press, but rather Hamilton, for defamation of Burr’s character, which had helped to destroy Burr’s career.
What the commentators seem to be saying about the assault on Charlie Hebdo is that not only is what is spoken or published protected by the First Amendment, but those who print and publish vile things must never suffer violent consequences.
People who believe this is attainable are living in a dream world, and may not be long for this one.
Three things which should be brought back -
ReplyDeleteThe duel
The public stocks (and other public forms or corporal punishment) and the public gallows
Lawful Imposition of Exile from a community/county/state
For a number of years I have been advocating for bringing back public comstocks. I'm not too wild about the gallows especially in the public square. Already too many people have blood lust and use of the gallows would only increase disintegration of society rather than compel civility. I find exile agreeable but only if for a certain term. And who decides? Already we see that even an assembly of over 500 elect is too often wrong. The sticking point is who decides and how just shall they be?
ReplyDeleteI'm for the stocks and shaming which can be an effective means among virtuous people. I know, I'm a dreamer...virtuous, whatta laugh.
Exile, sir, is forever. Exile is, in fact, notthing more than a commutation of a death sentence. And should the exile return, then any citizen may summarily execute said sentence without further judicial review.
DeleteExile will need be employed with vigor after the Green, for the alternative will be stacks of corpses accumulating faster than burial teams can deal with them, in every jurisdiction across the former United States...
WE HAVE BEEN WARNED
I disagree with the link's author, he states the terrorists had a right to strike back due to the insult by Hebdo. I'm all for giving him a butt whooping but murdering him and his staff takes it too far.
ReplyDeleteEach of us will be held accountable for the words we speak, write or publish...
ReplyDeleteYou can bet the ball park on that.
Since punishment for committing a crime is often said to be "the paying back of one's debt to society", why not have those who have committed the crime repay society through community works? Just a thought.
ReplyDelete