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Of course, we all heard the loud caterwauling from the usual cast of suspects about how V V Putin attacked the “free speech” of the Pussy Riot girls. How nasty of those religious believers to want to have them prosecuted! They were just exercising their free speech rights, dontcha know!
Let’s ask a simple question… what would’ve happened if they did likewise in St Pat’s on Fifth Avenue? There’s no question about it… the cathedral clergy would’ve called NYPD and Pussy Riot would be in a holding cell waiting for a night court date on a Disorderly Conduct charge. They wouldn’t have gotten off scot-free, that’s for sure. Opie and Anthony found that out the hard way! They had a contest on their show for the couple who’d do the nasty in the most wild place. Well, one couple did what comes naturally at St Pat’s! The Archdiocese of New York was NOT amused… Opie and Anthony found themselves pink-slipped and on the unemployment line. It was all legal… Opie and Anthony had the right of free speech, all right… but they also had to face up to the consequences of that free speech. In other words, the Archdiocese of New York had the clout to get them bounced, and there was nothing that they could do of it. Hell, they were lucky not to get put in the slam for setting up the affair.
In other words, what happened to Pussy Riot, happened to Opie and Anthony. In both cases, there was reckless disregard for the rights of others. In both cases, the perps KNEW that what they were doing was INFLAMMATORY. In both cases, the powers-that-be got even with the perps in a major way. In both cases, there was deliberate provocation done with “malice aforethought”. In short, such people aren’t exercising Freedom of Speech… they were exercising their Right to be Assholes, which is something else entirely. I think that all people of good sense know when something’s “free speech” (albeit offensive) and when something’s merely recklessly “shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre”. The former is a protected right (indubitably)… the latter is not (also indubitably). I don’t think that decent folks need a course from me to know the difference.
Pussy Riot got what they deserved… Opie and Anthony got off light… and that’s the end of the story…
BMD
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Voices from Russia 
14 June 2014. Just What IS the Standard of Freedom?
Tags: Civil Rights, free speech, Freedom of speech, Human Rights and Liberties, legal affairs, morality, morals, Moscow, New York City, Opie & Anthony, personal reflection, political commentary, politics, poster, Pussy Riot, Russia, Russian, United States, USA, Vladimir Putin
______________________________
Of course, we all heard the loud caterwauling from the usual cast of suspects about how V V Putin attacked the “free speech” of the Pussy Riot girls. How nasty of those religious believers to want to have them prosecuted! They were just exercising their free speech rights, dontcha know!
Let’s ask a simple question… what would’ve happened if they did likewise in St Pat’s on Fifth Avenue? There’s no question about it… the cathedral clergy would’ve called NYPD and Pussy Riot would be in a holding cell waiting for a night court date on a Disorderly Conduct charge. They wouldn’t have gotten off scot-free, that’s for sure. Opie and Anthony found that out the hard way! They had a contest on their show for the couple who’d do the nasty in the most wild place. Well, one couple did what comes naturally at St Pat’s! The Archdiocese of New York was NOT amused… Opie and Anthony found themselves pink-slipped and on the unemployment line. It was all legal… Opie and Anthony had the right of free speech, all right… but they also had to face up to the consequences of that free speech. In other words, the Archdiocese of New York had the clout to get them bounced, and there was nothing that they could do of it. Hell, they were lucky not to get put in the slam for setting up the affair.
In other words, what happened to Pussy Riot, happened to Opie and Anthony. In both cases, there was reckless disregard for the rights of others. In both cases, the perps KNEW that what they were doing was INFLAMMATORY. In both cases, the powers-that-be got even with the perps in a major way. In both cases, there was deliberate provocation done with “malice aforethought”. In short, such people aren’t exercising Freedom of Speech… they were exercising their Right to be Assholes, which is something else entirely. I think that all people of good sense know when something’s “free speech” (albeit offensive) and when something’s merely recklessly “shouting ‘fire’ in a crowded theatre”. The former is a protected right (indubitably)… the latter is not (also indubitably). I don’t think that decent folks need a course from me to know the difference.
Pussy Riot got what they deserved… Opie and Anthony got off light… and that’s the end of the story…
BMD
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