Read (and maybe Weep)

[Wayne M]

.
Federal appeals court strikes down Stolen Valor Act
.

[Wayne M]

So I guess this means that if someone is a witness to a criminal event, they can say what they want about it during any investigation? I wonder how this will affect the court room.

[wa8yxm]

I hope this gets appealed to yet a higher court.

To falsely claim to be a military hero is... A very low act, and deserves to be punished.

[4Knights]

Forget the court system, I can think of at least 40 places I can take this idiot in Iraq where we'll let em earn the medal! Doesn't even need to join a service, may have to be posthumously awarded though

Ron & Wendy 94 Pace Arrow 454

[Dadeaux]

Perhaps too many judges would have been affected if it had been allowed to stand.

Attempt at humor aside and as despicable as "stolen valor" is free speech is the very essence of our society its infringement IMO would be a greater damage to us.

[desertrv]

I would say it's a sad day. It would be a hard moment for me if I were inspecting the troops and I knew that some of my soldiers were wearing decorations that they did not earn. I recently had a conversation with a gentleman, about my age, about the military, he didn't know that I put 40 yrs in the military system, and he was complaining that a former president refused to salute him while he was wearing his Medal of Honor. I began to wonder about his story to me. I kept my Medal of Honor book with me for a few days and I ran into this guy again, see I didn't say gentleman. I did see him in the mall. I approached him and asked him to sign his chapter in my Medal of Honor book. Well did you know that we could not find him in the book. His story was that my book was not up to date. Well when he sees me now, he moves out pretty darn fast. I don't take lightly to people who make up their story to get over on the system. There are too many soldiers that put their life on the line every day for a jerk like this.

[Chuck 1935]

The world is full of weak little blowhards that can only lie to gain any sort of recognition. They can only act out the charade for so long before their little house of cards collapses around them. They will eventually be found out because a person of that ilk will eventually have to rely on their own character which is not there.

[Wayne M]

It is a shame that the judge ruled in this the way he did, but loo at all the other repercussions. Lying to federal officers, IRS agents, or Congressional Committees are "now" also unconstitutional? Does that mean those jailed for their lies can be released?

But I do agree that anyone who impersonates heroism should be prosecuted and jailed for such a dishonest thing.

[Seajay]

A few years ago at a car show I saw a man with ''332 Squadron Tuskegee Airman'' on his hat and since I know some of the history of these men I approached this man and asked if he was really a Tuskegee Pilot form WWII. He said yes and he had flown 34 missions over Germany escorting the B17 bombers. He elaborated on his war record and I considered it an honor to know this man. On Veterans day I decorated my Benz with American flags and had two posters made stating that I was honored to haul ''Maj. George Shade'' Tuskegee pilot from WWII. We rode in the parade and I was very proud to be a small part of his life. I researched Maj George Shade and found that he was an inspirational speaker at many of the schools and colleges in the area and that he had introduced Mr. Obama when he came to this area on a campaign tour. I further found that Maj. George Shade was honored in the local Caldwell County ''HALL OF FAME FOR WWII VETS''..... There was a plaque dedicated to his service in WWII on their wall.......
After further investigation I was unable to find Maj. Shade on any roster of pilot names attached to the 99th or the 332 squadron in WWII. No reference to him at all.... NONE.... I was contacted by Ron Brewington and we had a long phone conversation and he told me that the ''Maj. George Shade'' was a phony and a fraud. He is the past president of the Tuskegee Airmans Association and he knows the history of these guys.
I dont mind being made a fool of but I do detest the thought of being made a fool of in public. I made it a personal vendetta to expose Mr. George Shade for the fraud he is and I contacted Caldwell county Hall of Fame and told them that they honored a fraud. They researched the matter and found that I was right and they removed the plaque dedicated to him from their hall of fame. I found out that Mr. George Shade was not even in WWII. He joined the Army air force in 46 as a mechanic and reached the rank of Corperal. HE IS A FRAUD AND A PHONY. Damn him to hell for stealing the glory of true WWII heros. I have made it a personal vendetta to expose this fraud and I will do so at every opportunity.

God bless our troops and keep them safe .........

[Cat320]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M . Federal appeals court strikes down Stolen Valor Act .

We cannot expect anything less from the 9th Circus Court of Appeals. Their assinine rulings are famous.

[mick]

I just dont know Wayne and others, free speech means just that, free speech.

It is my impression that wearing medals that are not earned ARE subject to fed prosecutiion, and has nothing to do with free speech.

Course I also think hollering fire in a crowded theater is also free speech. When one infringes on free speech, or makes guidlines, I shudder for the fear of the down hill slope.

While I think it is deplorable that one would claim actions that they did not earn, lying about it, is free speech.

How do you go about agreeing witht he court, but disagreeing with the acts?

I sure hope I never have to be the one to determine what real free speech is. If you threaten someone, especially politicans, you will go to jail, yet that is free speech isnt it?

As always, I seem confused on these type of social problems.

[RoyM]

For the record, I have done military service and am proud of it. However, making a criminal out of a petty blow hard is IMHO a little over the top. I worked with a guy who specialized in inflating his own balloon, most of us made a point of ignoring him. Free speech stops when the rights and privileges of others are compromised but being offended does not fall under the category. Some of us need to develop thicker skins and pick battles worth fighting.

[Dave and Jaime]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyM For the record, I have done military service and am proud of it. However, making a criminal out of a petty blow hard is IMHO a little over the top. I worked with a guy who specialized in inflating his own balloon, most of us made a point of ignoring him. Free speech stops when the rights and privileges of others are compromised but being offended does not fall under the category. Some of us need to develop thicker skins and pick battles worth fighting.

I respectfully disagree that this is a petty crime. We are not talking about a fish story. We are talking about impersonating a veteran/hero. That is out and out fraud and often there is some value bestowed upon the liar, such as further awards, speaker fees, lots of free things, not to mention unearned attention. Everyone who is duped by such people is a victim. Would it be any less fraudulent than someone who made up a hard luck story, got on the news and then collected donations from other citizens who wanted to help out someone in "apparent" need? We make impersonating a police officer or other official a crime. Impersonating a war veteran is every bit as felonious, IMO.

The 9th Circuit is totally out of touch. It is reversed by the Supreme Court more often than the other 10 Circuits combined.

[W4RLR]

Those who truly are heroes usually don't toot their own horns. Those who toot their own horns usually are not true heroes.