Man Arrested for Exercising Free Speech in Front of Liberty Bell

Welcome to the new America, where presenting an unpopular opinion in public gets you arrested. The irony of this is that the 'free speech' event occurred in front of the liberty bell in Philadelphia. Alexander Hamilton must be rolling in his grave. Some speech is more free than others I guess.


Free Speech Denied

They were told they needed a permit and they wouldn't get one...

The officer explained it nicely and they continued "preaching" and wouldn't listen to the officer.

Case Closed.

I see. So you believe that you need a permit to exercise the most fundamental rights of free speech? Do you know that no permit is available for that area? Speech here, in front of the liberty bell is restricted to so called free speech zones - safe areas removed from the public, where no one need hear a dissenting opinion.

[edit on 16-6-2008 by SevenThunders]

EDIT:
Large quote removed? 3 lines? 2 1/2 not counting spaces. Uh OK, sorry for all that extra wasted space.


[edit on 16-6-2008 by SevenThunders]

Originally posted by elevatedone

They were told they needed a permit and they wouldn't get one...

The officer explained it nicely and they continued "preaching" and wouldn't listen to the officer.

Case Closed.

I agree 100%. Other people have the right to visit a national monument in peace as well. The dude can preach all he wants, but not where it's going to be a nuisance to other people.

True and Jesse Jackson preached all the time in the streets of Chicago and was a nuisance, but somehow no one said much about it.

[edit on 16-6-2008 by jetxnet]

Originally posted by jamie83

I agree 100%. Other people have the right to visit a national monument in peace as well. The dude can preach all he wants, but not where it's going to be a nuisance to other people.

Ahh yes a new definition of free speech thanks. Free speech is speech that doesn't offend people and therefore you are allowed to speak freely. If anyone finds it offensive then it must be carefully contained in 'free speech' zones.

I don't even think the Nazis or the Soviets could have achieved this level of self deception and double speak. America the land of the 'free' and home of the brave takes the brainwashing booby prize.

reply to post by SevenThunders


Yes, free speach is a fundamental right, where you can do it is not.
It is actually very easy to protest inside the system, without say, making a spectactle of yourself, getting arrested or fined, and making people inflamed about... something that was your fault at the start. Look, some places are locked out for safety, for aesthetic purposes, or because some people want a relaxing place to go at certain times of the day. I promise not to stand in your yard and make speaches 'cause it's your property. I'll go to the park, or get a permit, and then make my speaches. Legal, straight up, and it doesn't make the rest of the people associated to you look like idiots.
Infact, calm, honest face, work inside the system toward syour goals,make sure no one finds any dirt on you, or be honest about your dirst, and you'll go alot farther than some person deliberately breaking the rules for press.

reply to post by RuneSpider


That's an opinion, maybe right or maybe wrong. I happen to respectfully disagree. Most of what I would call real free speech was fiery, confrontational and meant to make the complacent feel uncomfortable. That's how all the early circuit preachers worked and without it there would probably have never been a first and second great awakening in the 18th and 19th centuries of early America and there probably never would have been an American revolution.

But let's put aside the religious angle for a second. I know that's hard because the knee jerk reaction of most here is rejoicing that another Bible thumper got his just rewards. America needs a kick in the pants. The people are perishing for lack of vision and for lack of the truth. They are complacent stupid and pleasure loving. Someone needs to be a voice crying in the wilderness telling them that something is wrong. One day people will be disappearing off of the streets and out of their homes here, simply for disputing government policies. That day could be postponed if we had some firebrands out there informing the populace. It can't all be done on the internet, because most people could care less about the internet or even politics for that matter.

free speech i am all for...like WOW..am I ever...

preaching religious BS....... i am NOT all for it...

this is the one time I will actually vote for the zealots to be arrested.

I am sick of seeing the world kill its self and fight each other because
of this BS that is called ..RELIGION.........

I am not insulting the ones who are religious.....but please wake the
h#ll up.... grow up....stop living your life chained to this BS book.

don`t ya realize that the Christian/Muslim conflict is about to
get completely out of control...???

and why???

because of RELIGION...

so for this ONE TIME , I say, "ARREST `EM"

reply to post by Maya432


Again this amounts to censoring speech that you find offensive. I might say similar things about homosexuality or public education. If free speech only becomes free for the majority opinion, we might as well live in a communist country.

O wait America already is pretty much a communist country.

reply to post by SevenThunders


Those officers need a lesson in first amendment rights...why are the patrolling anywhere in our country, let alone the Liberty Bell Sidewalk? They need to be arrested and preached to...while in jail by the man they arrested...I'll bet he would only preach Jesus' love to the officers in error.

reply to post by Anonymous ATS


Amen to that! The officers did commit a crime, violating the preachers civil rights. I wonder how things would change if officials who violate the constitution were treated as criminals?

I suppose most of the White House, Congress and the Supreme Court would have to be arrested, but still the affect would be positive I think.

Only in the America of today you require a permit to exercise your constitutional rights now a days.

Yes we are truly a fascist nation.

I want to take this time to point out something about freedoms and rights.

First of all, both words can be used interchangeably, so from here on out, I'll refer to them as rights, to save space.

The right to free speech has always meant that We, as a People, reserve the right to speak as we see fit when we see fit to do so. This, however, does not mean that we can go into a crowded theater and scream fire. There is a certain level of self-responsibility that comes with these rights that were fought so hard for. If we want them, we'll definitely need to keep fighting for them.

In this particular case, this person has the right to stand wherever he likes to say anything he likes, provided he's on public property. I do believe though that the land that the Liberty Bell sits on is owned by the government, so he can be removed for trespassing at the very least.

Again though, we can liken this right to the right to keep and bear arms. I have a right to take my gun out and fire it all I want. However, if I inadvertently shoot and kill someone because I didn't see them in the line of my shooting, I'm still going to be charged for taking someone else's life. That's at the very least manslaughter, and at the most murder.

I guess my point here is simply this: With every right we are given, there is expected to be some responsibility and respect for those rights held by each and every individual that wields them. There are consequences for everything that we do and say.

We ALL have a RIGHT to Freedom of Speech, but we must know when, how, and where to use it properly.

That is all.

TheBorg

[Edited for addition of "and say".]

[edit on 21-6-2008 by TheBorg]

reply to post by Maya432


How can you support free speech, but only when it's something you like? How free is that then?
Imo people should be allowed to preach their believes even if you dont agree. Let's say like white supremasist, I totally disagree with them but if they want to voice their opinion then it's fine by me. There are of course hate laws and such these days which put a stop to such quite quickly.
And if you dont like what someone is preaching in a public place, dont listen.

They denied a request by an officer...

I don't see the issue.
They didn't listen and they were warned.

I'm an advocate for free speech but the issue remains clear.




[edit on 5-7-2008 by GorehoundLarry]

Originally posted by GorehoundLarry
They denied a request by an officer...

Well, if its a 'request,' how can you be punished for saying no?

Last night, on the news, they had video of protestors at a speech Bush was giving somewhere. Bush then says in response, "We have free speech in this country." Followed by a shot of the protestors being hustled out of the audience. The juxtaposition of the president hailing free speech and ordinary Americans simaltaneously being punished for exercising same was too hilarious.

reply to post by starviego


and no doubt many of those who found it reasonable for the police to suppress preaching the gospel, would find suppression of the anti-Bush protestors unreasonable. All speech is free, but some speech is more free than others.

reply to post by SevenThunders


those people are idiots the cop tried to give them a verbal permit and they refused it. i would have kicked his teath in.

freedom of speach dosent give you the right to be a jack ass to someone trying to help you....

reply to everyone

the cop tried to give the man a permit am i the only one who heard that.

the guy is a jackass no rights were violated...

this story is one of stupidity and jackassery. not of a police state...

after the responces this guy has gotten on you tube and here the man should be charged with causing civil unrest ..

[edit on 15pmu92007 by DaleGribble]