UF student Tasered after questioning John Kerry

Good point, DK.

 

I, too, agree wholeheartedly.

 

Tony, you're side-stepping the question.
I'm not asking what the law is. I'm asking your opinion.
We have debates in this country. That's one of the main ways we decide what the laws are. So I'm asking you if you think it should be illegal to burn the flag.
I don't.

 

You see, Okie, that's why I like conservatism vs. liberalism. In conservatism we deal with what is. Yes, we work for change, too, but first and foremost we deal with what is. This thread was about what the law is. Not about what what we wish the law was. And I certainly hope that it's always illegal to attack someone 6 on 1.

I have no problem with calling the white kids in this case assholes and clueless f*cks. And having "white trees" and "black trees" on a high school campus is bullshit.

But the way this is playing out now, people are comparing the protest yesterday to the civil rights marches of the 50s and 60s, and that's bullshit. To take part in a 6-on-1 beating makes one a thug. These are not six innocent Rosa Parkses. You know it and I know it.

I hate racism more than anyone. But we don't fix or defeat racism by excusing these six thugs.

 

Nor will we by excusing the actions of the initial noose-hangers, or the white assaulters, with slaps on the wrist while throwing the book at six black kids. It's the inequity of the punishments that has me pissed off; and no, I'm not in lock-step with Jesse and Al, who think the black kids shouldn't be punished for their assault.

 

I'm not arguing your point on the white assaulters. But as much as I think they noose thing was done by assholes of complete and utter bad motive, I just am not willing to make a symbol a crime. Just as Okie tried to turn the flag burning thing around on me, I turn it around on you because I think it would be a pretty educated guess to think you don't think flag burners should be arrested.

EDIT: And as I see this thing breaking down, I'd surmise we're a lot closer than we thought at first. I think we're identical on everything except one issue.

 

Unfortunately, in the Deep South, the law is still local.

 

Tony, I'm really not trying to turn anything around. I'm simply asking if you view hanging a noose/burning a cross/spraypainting a swastika, etc. differently than burning a flag.
I'll bet you do.
But why are they different? Because one bothers you and the others don't, is my guess.

 

If I had my way, no one would do any of that stuff. But as things are now, you want people arrested for some of them, but not burning the flag, am I right?

Displaying a noose is only done by assholes, but last I looked, there is no law on the books about being an asshole. If being an asshole is against the law, then there are more fugitives from justice on this board than I care to count.

 

Tony, the noose thing is more about being "assholes" or did you suddenly forget your history?

 

Why is this being discussed on the UF thread?

Anyway, Tony, the nooses are intimidation. Plain and simple. It's a hate crime. Just like painting a swastika on a Jewish man's house.

 

The nooses are stupidity by assholes. There's not an argument there. But hate crime doesn't take place until a crime takes place. Intimidation isn't a crime, is it? If it is, then Dale Earnhardt got what he deserved when he hit that wall at Daytona. You're welcome to that position, Wb.