Free Speech, Lies And 'Stolen Valor'
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2012-07-03/free-speech-lies-and-stolen-valor
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Stolen Valor Act, a law that made it a crime to lie about receiving military decorations. The 6-3 decision was hailed by civil libertarians and media organizations as an affirmation that government cannot -- and should not -- criminalize speech, including "contemptible" lies. But many veterans say the integrity of the entire military honor system is threatened when people lie about receiving certain awards, including the Medal of Honor. We explore what comes next.
Guests
James Dao
Reporter, New York Times; Co-editor, "At War" Blog, NYTimes.com
Mark Seavey
Director of New Media, The American Legion
Ken Paulson
President and CEO, the First Amendment Center
Related Links
Supreme Court Decision On The Stolen Valor Act
The full text of the Supreme Court opinion in United States v. Alvarez:
Comments
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You keep mentioning the crowded theater example, I was under the impression that the current standard was meant to check “imminent lawless action.” That’s an incredibly high standard. We seem to be letting our emotions get ahead of our respect for long established rights.