Steven Nikoui, the father a Marine killed during the U.S. withdrawal of Afghanistan, was arrested Thursday evening for shouting from a House gallery at President Biden during his State of the Union…
“Our officers warned him to stop and when he did not, the man was removed from the House Galleries,” USCP said in a statement. He was arrested for crowding, obstructing or incommoding, said USCP, which added that “disrupting the Congress and demonstrating in the Congressional Buildings is illegal.”
It’s not what he said that got him in trouble, it was disrupting the event and refusing to leave. Freedom of speech doesn’t give you the right to stand on top of a fast food counter and yell about politics either. If they ask you to leave, you must leave. Stop being so obtuse.
I do agree with that fully. $500 fine and up to 90 days in prison is the range according to the article. I think a week or two is plenty, so I’m thinking less than 20% of the max. Since the guy lost his son, I’d be fine with 3 days or so honestly.
Some people have a really hard time understand what the First Amendment guarantees. It’s that the government can’t arrest you for criticizing them or running an opposition party, mainly. Which DOES happen in many other countries.
Of course the US has had fucked up instances of that like the FBI investigating MLK, plus so much more. But this incident isn’t it.
Classic liberal - public politics on government property is exactly like McBurgers.
It was a public event, on public land, in public property, and it was about politics. It couldn’t have been more germane to the context. He also didn’t “stand on the counter”. The fact that he was asked to leave for doing anything other than cheering and clapping is the problem
Umm…no? lol. Freedom of speech doesn’t give the right to conduct that speech however one chooses, it gives one the ability to say or print whatever one wants without being arrested for the content of that speech. Unlike, say Russia, where you can be arrested for saying anything bad about Putin. This guy is allowed to go on the news and call Biden whatever he wants…but he’s also not free to threaten Biden’s life for instance because free speech has always had limits. Only people with limited education who are engaging in black and white thinking don’t get that.
You can protest all you want outside. Someone would get kicked out of a school board meeting for this. Free speech means the government can’t arrest you for the content of what you say or restrict political assembly.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
It is legal to peaceably petition the government for a redress of grievances.
It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional buildings.
Yet another moronic comment from you. Having the right to petition the government does not mean you can disrupt official proceedings and refuse to leave when ordered to by the police. It’s the content of speech that’s protected, you can’t go to jail for saying Biden sucks…you can go to jail for disrupting official proceedings and trespassing. You’re pretending the right to free speech gives one the right to conduct that speech however they want, and that is again…an incredibly stupid thing to suggest.
Good job, but our rights don’t include standing up and screaming during official proceedings. It’s more that the government can’t arrest him for writing an op-ed or Twitter feed criticizing Biden.
It does not guarantee the right to disrupt official proceedings, sorry. Like I said, go try that in a court. Walk in and start protesting about a political issue and claim you’re allowed to under the 1st amendment. This isn’t exactly the first time someone has tried that btw.
I used that example because they are also federal property as opposed to private property. It seems you missed the point, though. Free speech doesn’t mean you can create a public disturbance.
The entire story and event are Republican media stunts. Yes, the guy lost his son and is upset. But blaming Biden for it (like OP did - “his fault”) is about like what they did with Clinton and Benghazi. Strangely it comes up often on Lemmy, “I’m so leftist that I repeat and amplify exactly what Republicans say!”
Freedom of speech and the right to protest are when you get arrested for shouting at the person responsible for the death of your son.
Did you even read the article you posted?
So freedom of speech is when speech is illegal. Got it.
It’s not what he said that got him in trouble, it was disrupting the event and refusing to leave. Freedom of speech doesn’t give you the right to stand on top of a fast food counter and yell about politics either. If they ask you to leave, you must leave. Stop being so obtuse.
I am fine with him being arrested for not leaving, but I think the bad part is if he got anything but a slap on the wrist.
I do agree with that fully. $500 fine and up to 90 days in prison is the range according to the article. I think a week or two is plenty, so I’m thinking less than 20% of the max. Since the guy lost his son, I’d be fine with 3 days or so honestly.
Some people have a really hard time understand what the First Amendment guarantees. It’s that the government can’t arrest you for criticizing them or running an opposition party, mainly. Which DOES happen in many other countries.
Of course the US has had fucked up instances of that like the FBI investigating MLK, plus so much more. But this incident isn’t it.
Classic liberal - public politics on government property is exactly like McBurgers.
It was a public event, on public land, in public property, and it was about politics. It couldn’t have been more germane to the context. He also didn’t “stand on the counter”. The fact that he was asked to leave for doing anything other than cheering and clapping is the problem
This is too dishonest to even respond to further.
Protesting your primary legislative body? Illegal.
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Aww is your poor sacred freedom of speech being attacked by checks notes your President?
Umm…no? lol. Freedom of speech doesn’t give the right to conduct that speech however one chooses, it gives one the ability to say or print whatever one wants without being arrested for the content of that speech. Unlike, say Russia, where you can be arrested for saying anything bad about Putin. This guy is allowed to go on the news and call Biden whatever he wants…but he’s also not free to threaten Biden’s life for instance because free speech has always had limits. Only people with limited education who are engaging in black and white thinking don’t get that.
Correct. During an official session.
https://floridianpress.com/2024/03/gold-star-father-arrested-at-bidens-sotu-address/
Protesting your primary legislative body? Illegal.
You can protest all you want outside. Someone would get kicked out of a school board meeting for this. Free speech means the government can’t arrest you for the content of what you say or restrict political assembly.
It is legal to peaceably petition the government for a redress of grievances.
It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional buildings.
Yet another moronic comment from you. Having the right to petition the government does not mean you can disrupt official proceedings and refuse to leave when ordered to by the police. It’s the content of speech that’s protected, you can’t go to jail for saying Biden sucks…you can go to jail for disrupting official proceedings and trespassing. You’re pretending the right to free speech gives one the right to conduct that speech however they want, and that is again…an incredibly stupid thing to suggest.
How bizarre is it that people simply choose to misinterpret plain English?
One law says you can peacefully petition, the other says you can not be disruptive and obstructive.
This should not be something anyone finds arguable.
Good job, but our rights don’t include standing up and screaming during official proceedings. It’s more that the government can’t arrest him for writing an op-ed or Twitter feed criticizing Biden.
I don’t think you understand what the first amendment actually claims
I dont think you do lol
It does not guarantee the right to disrupt official proceedings, sorry. Like I said, go try that in a court. Walk in and start protesting about a political issue and claim you’re allowed to under the 1st amendment. This isn’t exactly the first time someone has tried that btw.
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Try going in a courthouse and yelling at someone during a hearing.
Hell, try going in a Post Office and yelling at someone.
The Post Office is not a political body
I used that example because they are also federal property as opposed to private property. It seems you missed the point, though. Free speech doesn’t mean you can create a public disturbance.
Bingo, OP is just a troll.
The entire story and event are Republican media stunts. Yes, the guy lost his son and is upset. But blaming Biden for it (like OP did - “his fault”) is about like what they did with Clinton and Benghazi. Strangely it comes up often on Lemmy, “I’m so leftist that I repeat and amplify exactly what Republicans say!”
Biden is responsible for a lot of things but this is not one of them.
Nah, his son was responsible for his own death. I won’t say he deserved to die but I will say I dgaf about dead marines.