Stolen Valor Act Repealed

**daishi** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 11:13am

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...alor-law-.html

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 to repeal the Stolen Valor Act. I find this relevant to Bullshido due to the forum's investigative threads involving false military claims. I posted this on my Facebook page and have found some of my friends are supportive of it. I really have a hard time understanding and sympathizing with this decision and I can't believe I have friends that do. While I understand that people have a right to speech under the First Amendment, I have to wonder when there will be a limit to repealing laws in this country. It seems the US is turning into a country where people feel entitled to whatever they want without any repercussion or effort. I am really sad our government representatives feel its ok to manipulate laws just for the sake of it. The Stolen Valor Act was a rare law attempting to regulate a person's integrity and character...two things Americans are greatly lacking. Also, maintaining some semblance of holding a modicum of sacredness to military service and achievement is now completely deregulated. I've been to concerts where the lead singer wore a Marine Corps Dress Blues jacket, unbuttoned, while on stage. That didn't really bother me all that much, because its obviously a style statement and the guy wasn't attempting to represent himself as being in the military in any way. What the Stolen Valor Act punished were those who misrepresent themselves, like the man who pretended to be a MSGT collecting money for Toys for Tots in Michigan. But I guess that guy was a legit person and shouldn't be punished for stealing money. My point being, is certain privileges come from military service. Misrepresenting that allows people to benefit from those.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 12:35pm

Yeah, today I'm really inclined to tell SCOTUS to **** off.

**mike321** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 12:50pm

Falsely Claiming an award authorized by congress is free speech! Sounds like a huge stretch of what free speech is. Is impersonating a police officer free speech? What about falsely claiming professional licenses? How about lying under oath? Just my free speech isn't it?

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 1:26pm

A sad day, indeed.

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 1:43pm

Originally Posted by Bodhi108

Yeah, today I'm really inclined to tell SCOTUS to **** off.

I cannot help to wonder, and will research it later, but have any of our esteemed Justices ever served in the military. Even a Reservist or National Guardsman among them would make me feel better, or in this case, worse.

**Rivington** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 1:51pm

Originally Posted by daishi

While I understand that people have a right to speech under the First Amendment, I have to wonder when there will be a limit to repealing laws in this country.

Really? The problem with government is that they're getting rid of too many laws?

What the Stolen Valor Act punished were those who misrepresent themselves, like the man who pretended to be a MSGT collecting money for Toys for Tots in Michigan. But I guess that guy was a legit person and shouldn't be punished for stealing money. My point being, is certain privileges come from military service. Misrepresenting that allows people to benefit from those.

Actually, that guy can still be punished for stealing, and for fraud, just not for lying about military service. So too can anyone who engages in fraud, etc. The SVA is superfluous, and can be used against barstool blowhards who aren't defrauding anyone when they bullshit about their imaginary purple hearts. That's why it was wisely and correctly declared unconstitutional.

**Rivington** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 1:55pm

Originally Posted by mike321

Falsely Claiming an award authorized by congress is free speech! Sounds like a huge stretch of what free speech is.

Sounds like someone doesn't actually like free speech!

Is impersonating a police officer free speech?

If you announce, in a bar "Hey, I'm a cop," when you're not one, yes. if you're dressing up like a cop in order to do cop things that you shouldn't be doing then no.

What about falsely claiming professional licenses?

If you announce, "I'm a lawyer" in a bar, and you're not one, yes. If you start practicing law (or medicine, etc.) without a license when one is required, that's a legal issue but not a free speech issue.

How about lying under oath? Just my free speech isn't it?

Amazingly, not every utterance ever made is under oath—it's actually kind of why we have specific legally binding oaths. Would you like to live your life as though everything you've ever said or expressed is under oath? I'll send some police around to pick you up for some fibs you said to your girlfriend in a little bit...

Glad to see the anti-freedom brigade is still alive and well on Bullshido!

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 2:04pm

There was a guy in college that claimed he was an ex-navy seal. Back then, we were all kids, and no one knew how to find out if this were true or not. So everyone just let it go. But seriously doubted the guy. Well, eventually the guy got on everyone's last nerve and I ended up beating him up at a fraturnity party.

So my question is this: Did I beat up an ex-navy seal?

**slamdunc** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 2:18pm

Originally Posted by Diesel_tke

So my question is this: Did I beat up an ex-navy seal?

You were supposed to ask him which BUDS class he attended, before you thumped him. Now, you may never know if he was legit or not. LOL

I deal with a miscreant on a fairly frequent basis. He is always on his anti-cop, anti-government rants and I try not to debate with him at all. In the barber shop one morning, he starts telling a room full of people how he was a SEAL. I asked him about his BUDS class; he said "I was in before they had all that ****". This is when I called bullshit on him; he went home bitching to his wife about it and she hit him in the knee with a hammer.

I ended up on the call and when the ambulance came to pick him up, I put the driver up to asking him if he wanted to go to the VA. He told the driver he had never been in the military. I guess this was free speech, but it still pisses me off that some asshat that leeches off society claims to be a SEAL. Those guys put their asses on the line on foreign soil, so that people like this can walk around claiming whatever they want.

**mike321** · Posted On: 6/28/2012 2:48pm

I love free speech. Just read the text and the law addressed awards authorized by congress. Don't think your worries about free speech haters is justified. But ok, let's not argue it, let's encourage our legislatures to go after the actions associate with this type of fraud. Maybe gov jobs and elected positions with this fraud on your resume should be grounds for dismissal. Maybe Damages for people fooled by this. Need some creativity.

As a plain old civilian I am offended by other plain old civilians grabbing military glory!