All those impostors who lied about being in the military when they weren’t, lied about earning medals of valor when they didn’t, have just gotten a get-out-of-jail-free card.
A federal judge in Denver has ruled that the Stolen Valor Act, which made it illegal to falsely claim any military decoration or medal, is “facially unconstitutional.” The law violates the First Amendment right of free speech.
Great. Now military impostors like my ex-husband, who told me that he won Australia’s equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, so that I would believe he was a responsible and trustworthy man, are free to lie all they want. Lying about military service is protected speech.
This is outrageous. As I wrote back in February in Stolen Valor v. First Amendment, the problem isn’t just that these liars dishonor the achievements of those who actually served. They usurp the regard of true heroes in order to deceive people.
Read Charge dismissed in fake hero’s case, Valor Act ruled unconsititutional on denverpost.com.
Link submitted by a Lovefraud reader.
WOW!!!! Now aren’t we happy for the ACLU! NOT!!!! Well, yelling FIRE in a crowded theater is “protected” speech too, but it gets people hurt or killed in the chaos.
I wonder if they can get him for any filing of false documents for forming a non profit? There ought to be something they could get this creep on.
You are right Donna, this is outrageous! How about if he claimed to be a doctor or a lawyer? Would that not just be a “lie” too? Or how about if he married you and lied that he wasn’t already married? Is that just a lie too? How about if he said he was a policeman? It is against the to pretend to be a cop so why is it not against the law to pretend to be a war hero? Or even pretend to be a veteran? Since when is LYING okay to get some kind of benefit? How about if I lie to the welfare department and tell them I have 10 kids and I want my husband’s VA benefits? Is that okay?
Sheesh!!!! I am with you Donna! That is a crock of CARP!
So okay…..then, how is a ‘threat’ a chargeable offense….
I’m going to ‘murder’ you? I’m going to ‘kill’ the President.
I will ‘hurt’ you or better yet….I’m going to have your head on a platter….Or I’ll see to it that you don’t live to see another day…….are not those words considered protected under the first A?
How about verbal harassment?
Why are we required to ‘respect’ a judge in the courtroom, or a police officer in the station or anyone for that matter?
Can I stand on the public streetcorner chanting….I’m going to ‘kill’ the President and blow up the WTC? What if I got a permit to publicly gather…..can i say what I want? Why would anyone see this as a threat? It’s public speaking….it’s a protected right huh?
How about slander cases?
Isn’t it protected first amendment speech? I have a right to say/lie what I want?
If I take no actions in the direction of killing or blowing anything up…….no one should take any notice of me….it’s just me exerting my right to free speech?
I think this is PATHETIC and a licence for Cluster B’s to get away with whatever they dream up……and be protected under the constitution…..
Another fuck up of our government!!!!! (My opinion….and THA”TS free speech)!
I think it’s a crime against the government (portraying yourself in the military and honors etc…) and the govemnt isn’t going to stand up……..
SHOCK!
Yes indeedy. And to institutionalize the whole concept even further, the supreme court ruled that corporations, who have the rights of persons, therefore have the right to free speech. And that for one, “lying” is a form of speech, and therefore protected speech, and “money” ie, political donations, is a form of speech, and therefore protected. Case closed, badda bing badda boom.
We wonder why we struggle with these ethical issues in our personal lives? Read my lips..
Ethical issues???? What do you mean, do you mean there should be some kind of standards of “truth and justice and the American way?” Nah, you are both just closed minded prudes!
John Edwards for president! Snipes for Tax Czar! Mel Gibson for Domestic Abuse Prevention Czar! OJ for Family Harmony Czar! Let’s see who else we can nominate! Oh, How about Lyndsay for Drug Abuse prevention commissioner! And BP Prez for corporate compliance and safety officer! Oh, and Fergie for Honesty and Ethics officer! Yea, we could go on like this all night. But speaking of night, nite nite all–off to a late bedtime! Sleep well and be good to yourselves!
Once again the military justice is more honorable than civilian law as it is crime to impersonate an officer if you are in the military- article 134 UCMJ. Adultery is also a violation of military law, so is sodomy. Unless they have made changes since I served.
There are still laws standing in Australia and the government here do not take it too lightly when people make false military claims and usually makes the news here.
So Donna there is still a chance they will get your ex husband here, it will catch up with him one day! Oh that’s right isn’t he a Doctor now?? lol
My ex claimed to be a nice person, there should have been a law against that too!
Fraud is a spath’s middle name!
Oxy, we know that good intentions are the creative forces behind any/all checks and balances being implemented. We also know that negative, manipulative (non creative) personalities (smiling to everyone’s faces) are the ones that step on and over all others to obtain said seats. Once these malignant personalities take over any structure that was implemented, their selfishness and manipulations end up crashing and burning any/all positions they hold.
FECK THEIR RIGHTS. Lying should be a major offence punishable by law. Isn’t masquerading as someone you are not called FRAUD?? I am so sick of seeing these sick f***s protected by their ability to loophole through the law. They don’t physically bash so they can’t be charged with domestic violence … now they can say whatever the hell they like EVEN IF IT IS A PROVABLE LIE and get away with it???! WTF???
WHAT ABOUT OUR RIGHTS?? The rights of the ordinary person on the street to be somewhat protected by the government and state officials WHOSE SALARIES WE PAY VIA OUR TAXES?? Why ARE we paying taxes? I have to wonder as each liberty and protection is gradually eroded … I’m actually starting to wonder if half our elected officials aren’t sociopaths themselves … maybe they’re proliferating freely in society with no checks and balances to keep the regular population diistracted from the bigger picture. Why else would there be no public education campaign so the wider public can learn and protect themselves from them?? Why do we have no information on these predators being widely circulated in national campaigns??
Oh this story just makes my blood boil = they get protected while we get shafted and they’re the ones deceiving and hurting. It seems to me that good people haven’t a hope in hell in our current society. All rights and protections are gradually being eroded in the name of protecting the rights of others.
Pollyannanomore, did you ever hear the saying “the foxes are watching the hen house”?!.
oh crap! i heard it may go this way.
one of the few things we CAN use to stop their BS…. bet they are all doing the pee dance with glee over this one.
mine pretends to be a number of whole other people and it still isn’t effing illegal. now if she had let me send ONE THING THOUGH THE MAIL, i could charge her with mail fraud/ theft. sigh. important to protect STUFF and systems, not people.
between staying just on this side of the law and the lack of protective legislation she’ll roll until she dies or someone goes ballistic and kills her.