Bong Hits 4 Jesus

[BillyTheMountain]

Do you support free speech? I do. Last week several high school girls got suspended for doing a reading, I think it was from the Vagina Monologues, becasue they were told not to say the word "vagina."

Morse v. Frederick is another First Amendment student free speech case to be argued before the Supreme Court of the United States on March 19, 2007. The case involves Joseph Frederick, an 18-year-old high school senior in Juneau, Alaska, who was suspended for 10 days after displaying a "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner across the street from his high school during the Winter Olympics Torch Relay in 2002.

The kid had seen it on a snow board, I think, and just wanted to get his picture taken.

[James_Potter]

That reminds me of this....
A few weeks ago some students at the U of I decided to display a message from their dorm windows:

A bunch of angry feminists made the U of I make them remove it, though, so instead they put BOB in three of the windows.
One of my friends who was in on it said they were going to use the other side of the building, that had six windows, to spell out VAGINA, but decided against it.

[wickedbob]

Haha they need an award for that.

[BillyTheMountain]

Originally Posted by James_Potter

A bunch of angry feminists made the U of I make them remove it.

I didn't know feminism was against free speech and personal expression. Seemed harmless enough to me.

It could even be viewed as a shrine in honor of wonderful feminine attributes. What do feminists have against that?

[ntappin]

What makes me sad is the fact that the school probably wouldn't have that big a problem with them playing music that glorifies violence, yet the believe empowering women and saying the name of a body part is wrong.

That is just sad.

I also think that the boob thing is pretty funny and shouldn't get anyone unhappy. They should do breast instead of vagina on the other wall, that way nobody can argue with it being slang. Either that or jugs or something that isn't technically saying boob but still has the same idea.

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by BillyTheMountain

I didn't know feminism was against free speech and personal expression. Seemed harmless enough to me.

Feminazis only value free speech when it benefits them, just like all the other extreme ends of the spectrum.

That Supreme Court case is disgusting. While it might have been in poor taste, he had the right to do it, unless I'm completely misinterpreting the First Amendment (Gilby, correct me if I'm wrong).

[MuniAddict]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

Feminazis only value free speech when it benefits them, just like all the other extreme ends of the spectrum.

That Supreme Court case is disgusting. While it might have been in poor taste, he had the right to do it, unless I'm completely misinterpreting the First Amendment (Gilby, correct me if I'm wrong).

+1

[wickedbob]

Boob can mean more than one thing other that a woman's breasts.
Example calling someone a boob. Plus why would they be mad they should be happy they have a power over us men so much so they are willing to put a huge sign up on the side of a building as a shrine...

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by wickedbob

Plus why would they be mad they should be happy they have a power over us men so much so they are willing to put a huge sign up on the side of a building as a shrine...

Best feminist comeback I've seen.

[dudewithasock]

Originally Posted by ntappin

They should do breast instead of vagina on the other wall, that way nobody can argue with it being slang.

Since when has "vagina" ever been slang? I guess those crazy scientist hipsters need to stop making up words.

[ntappin]

Originally Posted by dudewithasock

Since when has "vagina" ever been slang? I guess those crazy scientist hipsters need to stop making up words.

Sorry I typed that out wrong, I mean that breast isn't slang as boob is, I never meant it to mean that vagina was slang but thats certainly how it read.

[john_childs]

Here's an interesting NY Times article on the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/wa.../18scotus.html
http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=10942

The vagina case is a little bit different because the students were told not to use that word. It has some of the same issues as the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case but not quite the same. The "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case is a better one for the free speech side to go after.

Kind of fun to have groups on the religious right and the ACLU on the same side of a Supreme Court argument. I like that, especially when involving free speech.

Speech codes and speech restrictions at a public school do not help give you a broad education or allow students to explore issues fully.

[JJuggle]

When it comes to free speech issues I make it easy on myself and just go with whatever Nat Hentoff says.





















Can anybody tell me what Nat Hentoff says on this one?

[monkeyman]

According to wikipedia, he completely supports free speech "and excoriates those who he feels favor censorship in any form".

[john_childs]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

According to wikipedia, he completely supports free speech "and excoriates those who he feels favor censorship in any form".

Those of us already familiar with Nat Hentoff know which side he would stand on without needing to go to Wikipedia. You ought to read some of his books, essays, or articles. He's well spoken and worth the read. He writes for the Village Voice and that's a good place to start for reading up on him.

I find it funny that our resident research librarian is asking us what Nat Hentoff's view would be without pointing us to a relevant article by Nat Hentoff.

I don't know if he has written about this case yet. I do hope he does.