Supreme Court Rules Against Bong Hits 4 Jesus

[RamblerGambler]

At issue was the discretion schools should be allowed to limit messages that appear to advocate illegal drug use. "Bong," as noted in the appeal filed with the justices, "is a slang term for drug paraphernalia


In dissent, Justice John Paul Stevens said, "This case began with a silly nonsensical banner, (and) ends with the court inventing out of whole cloth a special First Amendment rule permitting the censorship of any student speech that mentions drugs, so long as someone could perceive that speech to contain a latent pro-drug message.

I am pissed. It's not enough that this country has been steadily depriving students of rights, now they must attack their free speech. This case should have never gone to the Supreme Court. It has been a debacle since day one. Now, thanks to our conservative court, students have even fewer rights. Shouldn't it have been a sign when support for the student existed across the spectrum, from the ACLU to conservative groups? Apparently not. So sit back, relax, and see what rights they want to strip you of next.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/06/25/free.speech/index.html

[spectrum balanced]

I'm right there with ya.

[Nation_1ne]

What sort of bullshit is that?! Something just affecting the USA again I guess? The sooner you get uptight old fucks out of their positions the better. When did all these old farts forget what it was like to be young?

I think the over all problem with politics is far to few people speak for far too many.

[MajMike]

It's his appointees we have to thank for this, at least the Nazi's had cool uniforms.

[BUZz UK]

fucking hell. That's INSANE.

[psteve]

Supreme court justices for SATAN!!

[The Colonel]

2 years ago at school I had a hoodie on
that said BONG on the hood and it
got me sent to the office,,, where
they told me bongs are used to smoke
reefer and that it WASNT short for
billabong, which also was on the hoodie.
and they suspended me for that...

[Breukelen advocaat]

There are issues about free speech on this very website, and most others. Many posts have been deleted due to subjective decisions - sometimes by relatively young people. Those in charge have the right to limit speech, and so do schools and other institutions.

[Purple Banana]

BA... This is a message board- that's a school. BIG difference. The most that would happen here is getting nuked- this kid could face a multitude of problems if convicted, it'll stay on his record. Chances are he could still go to a good college or get a good job, but it will be much more difficult. The word "Bong" is not an insult, or anything dangerous. It's fucking Facist.

He wasn't even IN school. He was out in public, while school was NOT in session. This sounds like the same bullshit when kids get suspended for doing non-school approved crap at bus stops- even on their own property... It's ridiculous.

[Breukelen advocaat]

BA... This is a message board- that's a school. BIG difference. The most that would happen here is getting nuked- this kid could face a multitude of problems if convicted, it'll stay on his record. Chances are he could still go to a good college or get a good job, but it will be much more difficult. The word "Bong" is not an insult, or anything dangerous. It's fucking Facist.

He wasn't even IN school. He was out in public, while school was NOT in session. This sounds like the same bullshit when kids get suspended for doing non-school approved crap at bus stops- even on their own property... It's ridiculous.


It happened in 2002, he's not a kid anymore. He wasn't arrested or prosecuted. He was suspended for doing it in front of his school.

I don't fault the guy for trying to get a legal ruling in his favor, but it didn't ruin his life. When you go out with a large sign that's pro-marijuana, you know that there's a chance of trouble. That's the decision he made. I'm not disrespecting him at all, but the real world, especially in the workplace, is much harsher than high school.

[40oz]

Just when I thought things were going to start getting better...

[Purple Banana]

So it's okay for the Supreme Court, no matter how small a case, to just allow public schools to walk all over student's rights? If we let these kind of things go, how many more of our rights will we give up because it wasn't really a big deal?

Why should we let this go? It may not have ruined his life, but it violated one of our country's core beliefs. Essentially, we're letting other people control what we say and where... How is that even remotely conceivable?

EDIT: I can fully understand if the sign promoted violence or hate towards a specific group of people, even that is free speech, but bongs? COME ON. You know this wouldn't even be an issue if the sign had said something like "Bring Jesus Back In School."

[LIP]

It's seems America is going backwards - stripping people of their rights, and running their lives for them. Wow. You know, it wont be much longer before America has turned into Korea - steal 1 sweet and you'll have your hand cut off.

To be honest, im surprised people still go on holiday to America - i'd be worried i'd get arrested for coughing.

[Breukelen advocaat]

Funny how this site is in America, open to all, and so many people think that we're all stripped of our freedoms.

Are there any big British or Canadian marijuana-related websites? I doubt it.

[40oz]

WE are stripped of our freedoms. Our government wants us to beleive we are free but really we are not. I can't be a marijuana farmer, my cousin can't marry his boyfriend, my brother can't sit outside a school with a sign that may or may not promote drug use, my crazy Aunt can't start a religion using peyote as a divine sacrament, and no matter how much the government tells me anybody who was born in America can be president I know my Uncle will never even have a shot since he isn't rich.

In this country during our modern times and pretty much the whole world the only way to get real freedom is to be rich...and if everybody was rich than our system wouldn't work, so basically we are not free.

[Purple Banana]

Because it's practically decriminalized already, BA.

Why are you lurking?

[mesoto]

I'm an anarchist with a plan, so I say take our rights. The more oppression, the more comrades I'll have on the day of reckoning.

Vote Hillary Clinton!

[couch-potato]

Fuck dat shit mang.

[mesoto]

The us is fucked, and no one will do anything about it until it's even more fucked.

[Reefer Rogue]

Bongo hits for Jesus

[mesoto]

ROFL

[Skink]

This is not backwards,,,this is just the kind of shit that will raise questions and doubt of the thought pattern...

[RamblerGambler]

Anyone else notice this ruling all but nullifies the landmark case of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District from 1969?

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_ District)

It seems the courts have taken every opportunity to roll back the rights granted to students from this historic case, which is why I am so incensed at the ruling. As Justice Stevens said in his dissent
"This case began with a silly nonsensical banner, (and) ends with the court inventing out of whole cloth a special First Amendment rule permitting the censorship of any student speech that mentions drugs, so long as someone could perceive that speech to contain a latent pro-drug message.

Today it's drugs. Tomorrow? Who knows. But do we really want to find out?

[LIP]

Funny how this site is in America, open to all, and so many people think that we're all stripped of our freedoms.

Are there any big British or Canadian marijuana-related websites? I doubt it.

Well, actually, YES! There is at least 2 very large English weed sites that i personally know of, not as big as this one, obviously, but still bloody big.

So, your wrong [like usual]

I really dont know why you bother.

[spectrum balanced]

^^^ seriously.

I will never understand the mind set of these dumb fucking "cheer for the home team" false patriotic types. Ever heard the saying "a patriot must be prepared to defend his country from its government"?

[Purple Banana]

Plus, America is a more populated country than the UK and Canada, AND we have many more strict and STUPID laws towards cannabis.

I guess I would be a patriot, I love the land and most of our people, but our government is just full of dickheads...

[Oil_Man]

ya, i love canada an usa... but usa seems to have more bullshit... so my plans of movin to usa aint happenin anytime soon