Happy Halloween Cadets! Since we are studying the Constitution and our Government, let's tackle the issue of Freedom of Speech. Here is a News Story about costumes that a parent and her daughter wore to a School Halloween event. Watch the News story and give your opinion on whether this violates the 1st Amendment of the Constitution and why. Does this infringe on any other personal rights? Your next task is to find a related story to the 1st Amendment and post it along with the URL and your brief synopsis of the story. Lastly as always, remember to comment on your peer's work. There is a lot to do here but this should be an exciting homework. Good luck and I look forward to reading your responses. Here is the video:
D.Selenge 8
ReplyDeleteThe 1st Amendment of The United States Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". I cannot say that the News Story violates the 1st Amendment, however, the actions being held against this mother and daughter do violate our 1st Amendment. We the people of the United States have the right to express our beliefs freely. The mother and daughter, whom are depicted as antagonists, have Freedom of Speech and freedom to express their beliefs; just like all the other parents and students in that school.
I understand and agree with the parents concern. Adolescents should not be exposed to such behavior, because let's face it, kids only learn by example. It was wrong for the mother to dress in such a provocative costume, but, because she is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution, there is little anyone can do, without violating the First Amendment.
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/101413-675071-vets-denied-right-to-gather-but-not-illegal-immigrant-advocates.htm
This link will send you to an article posted on 10/14/2013. The author states that The Honorable President Obama has violated the 1st Amendment during protest by veterans in response to the government shutdown. It gives information on how President Obama tried to quite the protest of many veterans by hovering a helicopter over them, violating their freedom of speech. Very interesting topic in my opinion.
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/101413-675071-vets-denied-right-to-gather-but-not-illegal-immigrant-advocates.htm
DeleteYea i do not understand why these people are so offended by this costume. Like that guy, Eric Fraser said, "whats the big deal, we have more things to be worried about..." Why are these people making it such a big deal. it was probably just a funny thing they did to insult themselves, I do it all the time 'cause i just don't care.
ReplyDeleteIvan i agree fully with what you say. The parents over reacted. But in defense they were just defending there kids.
DeleteI totally believe you because it was only a costume and people dress up in stupid thimgs all the time. So all these people took it too seriously and have to remember it's halloween.
DeleteM. Conrad 8
DeleteI have to agree with what you are saying. I think that the parents are just overreacting. I'm pretty sure that the mother and daughter dress in this way for the laughs.
I do agree with you. But just pretend that you are the parent of this kid, would you ever want her to be like that?
DeleteO.Abdel-Rahman Pd7
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ivan. I think it is a little bit silly to over react to what they did. There not directing it toward someone and the kids don't know what the phrase means. Like Eric Fraser said " Its not a big deal, there are more important thing to worry about. There are people who are out on the street". This does not violate the 1st amendment in any way. This has nothing to do with religion. Their for does not violate the 1 amendment.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/first_amendment
Deletejordan garzon pd 7
ReplyDeletei agree with cadet mehboob and cadet abdel rahman if its Halloween people should have the right to were what they please. the community is over reacting and are geting to offended . if the the mother and the daughter were wearing kkk costumes then i would understand the peoples point of view but all they have is trash bags over themselves that say white bags written in Sharpe .Maybe the mother and daughter thought it would be a good joke and didn't think people would think about the costume as the community is . honestly i think this does not brake the 1st amendment at all this subject did not have nothing to do with any religion matter so it has nothing to do with the amendment.
A. Abdou. 8
ReplyDeleteOk, here is a related story from the following link:
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/illegal-alien-halloween-costume-sparks-speech-debate
A Halloween costume that depicts a space creature in orange prison garb emblazoned with the words “illegal alien” is reigniting debate over a long-used term based on the U.S. government’s designation of all foreigners as aliens.
The dispute has immigrant advocates calling on retailers to pull the costume from their shelves, while a group that supports strict immigration laws say it’s all a to-do over nothing, with freedom of speech being turned upside down by political correctness.
Since Oct. 16, when the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights in Los Angeles first raised the issue, companies including Target, Walgreens and eBay have removed the costume from their inventory. Still, many local retailers continue to stock the costume that also comes with a “green” card — which technically makes the alien a legal resident.
At costume stores in Miami, the responses have been mixed.
Don King, whose mother immigrated from Cuba, bought pirate and Homer Simpson costumes yesterday at Halloween USA in midtown Miami, where the costume is on sale but has attracted few customers. “It’s a joke,” King said. “I really don’t think much of it.”
A few miles away in the Little Havana neighborhood, workers at a popular costume store said it was not something they would carry because it was discriminatory. They do stock a human taco costume, replete with a Mariachi hat.
Cashier Carmen Torres, who recalled facing discrimination after arriving from Cuba as a young girl in the 1960s, said the costume was tasteless. “They haven’t done anything bad. You can punish those who are criminals, but not people who are trying to, trying to work,” Torres said.
Target has said it sold the costume online only and that it was posted by accident though it did not meet the company’s standards. eBay said it asked sellers to remove the costume because it “does not allow items that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual, or religious intolerance, or promote organizations with such views.”.. [go there and read the whole text]
N. Vera 8
ReplyDeleteI believe what the mother and daughter did was not wrong at all because the 1st amendment does say the have the right to do that. Also, what they're doing is really harming a race or something because "white trash" is not a race or a religion. It is a name some people gave them just because they probably didn't like them, and that even means they were bullying them! So, truly what those two women were doing were nothing wrong, but only wearing a costume.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/first_amendment
I agree with you its just a costume and nothing more than that. Its just a story that the media made it seem big
DeleteM. Conrad 8
ReplyDeleteI say that the way the mother and the daughter dressed do not violate the first amendment. Sure you can say that what they wore was uncalled for, especially to an event for children. They were just expressing what they thought and believed in. I think that there isn't anything the other parents can do without violating the first amendment.
A. Lee 7
DeleteWhile I agree that what they did was uncalled for and was within their First Amendment Rights, there are things that other parents can do that wouldnt violate those rights. Since this was at a school event and their apparel was inappropriate, it would be understandable for the daughter to be suspended or receive a referal. If a student said a racial slur in class, the student would be reprimanded. Also, the daughter would have experienced similar repercussions for inappropriate clothing. Since this incident is a combination of inappropriate clothing and racism, it would be reasonable to suspend the daughter or give the daughter a referral.
That being said, while this incident is not worthy of media attention, it is a matter that school disciplinary actions would be appropriate.
DeleteI agree with Cadet Conrad 100% , it's honestly not that big of a deal, it was for one night, it was just a costume, no one committed anything illegal,because considering the publicity this gained if it were a big deal & illegal they would have been charged with some kind of felony, but they weren't, so I don't get what the fuss was about.
DeleteA. Lee7
ReplyDeleteThis issue does not infringe upon the rights of others. The mother and daughter were within their rights to express themselves in such a way. However, this does not mean this was the right thing to do. While people have the right to utilize racial slurs, this does not mean it is the right thing to do. While it is their right to say what they want to, this is also bullying. Even though they are "putting down themselves" in a joking matter, the fact is that this is offensive to other people for reasonable reasons. Although it does not violate others rights, it is bullying and therefore would be appropriate to be responded to with disciplinary actions by the school. Also, although it is a "Harmless act", the truth is that small actions are what builds up to violence. http://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_05.html. In fact, we were shown an image similar to this in JROTC last year. In the interactive videos we were shown last year "Hate comes home" and "Two days", it was slurs like this that led up to the violent occurrences in the video.
http://willinteractive.com/products/just-2-days
Deletehttp://willinteractive.com/products/hate-comes-home
A. Gaudet 8
DeleteI agree with you completely. While the act did not violate the law, it was ignorant on behalf of the individuals who committed it. They were well aware of their actions, therefore they should be prepared for any consequences that come from it, even if the consequences don't actually come from the law itself.
Y. Alvarez 7
ReplyDeleteThe actions taken by the mother & daughter aren't really that serious, it's a costume, that's the point of halloween, no one knows the family's financial issues or preference or whatever the case may be, they were invited to wear costume to share the festivity of halloween, why judge what they wore? I don't believe that it violated the first amendment, this yeah it may be considered a racial slur, but it's honestly that not that serious, people just need to stop getting offended & judging people, there's other more important things going on in society. It's also a public school, if they would've provided a dress code for what costumes they can & cannot wear then they could've caused this controversy, but it's honestly not a valid argument that it was incorrect, because it's not a crime, it's not illegal, no one got physically hurt or died, so it's just something people need to grow up about.
http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/k-12-public-school-student-expression-overview
I agree 100% with you Cadet Alvarez, our country focuses to much on little things that are not important, if a person wants to looks like a fool then they can go right and there and do it with a smile on there face.
DeleteN. Tzavelis 8
ReplyDeleteIts sad that now we have to even watch what we wear for Halloween. This was a way overreaction over a costume. like many other costumes it was a costume on a play on words. But even though if it did offend others the parent and child should not be receiving this criticism and or any other punishment because they have the write to express themselves which the constitution has granted them.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/07/17/a-violation-of-the-first-amendment-secular-groups-lawsuit-stops-war-memorial-from-being-displayed/
This story is about a group of people trying to halt a construction of a war memorial because it has a cross on it. This is a ridiculous story of the constitution failing to uphold what it represents
I proudly agree with my fellow JROTC cadet N. Tzavelis we shouldnt have to watch what we wear on what is supposed to be a fun night of just pretending and having fun this shouldnt hav reached the news it was in no way that serious of a matter.
DeleteI agree with Cadet Tzavelis, this costume was a play of words and I could not have said it better myself, people should not have taken it so seriously and even if they did there should be no punishment, citizens of the United States are able to express themselves due to the freedoms of dress, speech, religion, etc. Excellent job Cadet Tzavelis!
DeleteWhile I agree that what they did was highly inappropriate, theyre actions in no way shape or form violate the 1sr Amendment. It dosent harm anyone else it doent interfear with thier god given right. So with that being said this shouldnt have made its way to the media as it did. Like my fellow college Alverz stated there are much moe impoartn matters in communitys at hand rather then this non sense. Personally and to put it simply its halloween i you cant handel what americans have been doing fo more then 100 years then please move to Australia.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.newser.com/story/174495/first-amendment-protects-right-to-like-court.html
They dont celebrate over there may I add
DeleteA. Gaudet 8
ReplyDeleteI wonder if everyone's opinion on this subject would've changed if, let's say, the individual covered themselves with black paint and had a sign around their neck with the "n word" plastered on it, or if they dressed in flamboyant attire and wrote "faggot" on the sign instead. Spending much of my childhood in the south, I can say that though some of you might not think it's a big deal, there are people out there (mainly in the south) who would find this extremely offensive. But it's all a matter of perspective and your cultural upbringing. That being said, this act in no way, shape, or form violated the first amendment, and people need to realize that living in America means that people have every right to do or say something offensive and under the law, there's not much they can do about it. Nothing is free, and the freedom of speech that this country has given us has come to the cost of many offended egos.
Forgot to add a link: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/28/college-kid-sparks-1st-amendment-fight-over-confed/
DeleteR.Colca 8
ReplyDeleteIf someone wants to make complete fools of themselves, that is there business. If some one wants to call those same people out for it we have to rights to. For example, in certain states in the south, there is a collective who calls themselves the KKK, they are able to remain because they have to right to free speech and the right to state their opinions.On another note just because we are aloud to say certain things, doesn't mean it is socially acceptable to say them.
http://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/get-involved/constitution-activities/first-amendment/free-speech.aspx
M. Khan 8
ReplyDeleteAs stated by Wikipedia, "The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances." This amendment of the constitution of the United States basically is saying that the government cannot make any law or restriction that prohibits freedom of speech, press, religion, etc. I do not believe that the parent and child in the video were doing anything to be demeaning, they were doing it for laughs, when it is halloween and you go outside people wear all types of crazy costumes and get ups for laughs. What that mother and child were doing may have been a little extreme but I feel that they weren't doing it to hurt anybody, they were simply doing it for laughs. Back to the topic of the first amendment, if the government took any action towards this costume, it would violate the freedom of dress and speech in a way. They would be prohibiting this type of action but that is going against the constitution. I feel that if they did ban costumes like that, people wearing devil costumes for example should be banned as well because they could be paired with people who are satanists. My link teaches about the first amendment in 5 minutes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Cm5ocVXkU