37,615 people sign unamerican petition to "outlaw offending prophets of major religions"

[Renew Deal]

I was looking around the White House Petition site. There is a petition there to "outlaw offending prophets of major religions."

To enact a law that prohibits any action or literature that offend prophets of major religions:

- Moses

- Jesus

- Mohammad

Such acts offend billions of people, and cause unrest in the world. Furthermore, acts like this contradict the essence of coexistence and peace among humans. Labeling these acts as freedom of speech is similar to labeling murder as freedom of expression!

We all know the chaos such acts can cause, but it's difficult to answer the question: What do they contribute to our nation, or humanity in general?

Created: Sep 17, 2012

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/outlaw-offending-prophets-major-religions/94kL1tsN

I consider this petition unamerican and the people that signed it betrayers of the first amendment. I'm all for religious tolerance, but this type of infringement of speech and promotion of religion is inappropriate and the opposite of what our founders envisioned. It's embarrassing that a petition like this would get so many signatures.

[jberryhill]

1. So you signed the other petition?

The one that would outlaw unamerican expressions of restrictions on speech?

[Renew Deal]

2. touche

[jberryhill]

6. But... Is proposing to amend the Constitution unAmerican?

Sure, a law to this effect would be unconstitutional as framed.

As a practical matter, we do accept certain types of restrictions such as making it illegal to print counterfeit $100 bills. Is that an infringement of freedom of the press?

I like $100 bills, because I think they look cool. I don't have many of them, but I do have a press. So let's say I engrave some plates and print up a bunch of $100 bills for the purpose of decorating my walls. I have no intention of attempting to spend them. Explain, by reference to the First Amendment why it should, or should not, be legal for me to print my decorative accurate reproductions of these fine wallet-sized masterpieces.

[Nye Bevan]

13. Why would we need a petition for that? We already have the First Amendment.

That does the job pretty nicely IMO.

[sakabatou]

3. Sorry people who signed it

But the 1st Amendment says I can offend your prophets. In fact, I'll do it now.

*goes off to draw Muhhamed*

[rocktivity]

4. Define "offend" -- insulting the prophets, not agreeing with them,

or not believing in them?

And why ignore other religions -- it should be okay to offend THEIR prophets simply because they aren't as popular?

It sounds like they're confusing what's illegal with what isn't constitutional. In America, ALL religions are created equal.


rocktivity

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. I did not even know Moses et al were alive to BE offended.

[JI7]

5. these people were probably ok with destruction of Buddha statues

[jsr]

7. I'm sure a percentage of 311M Americans would sign a petition to declare the earth flat

Idiots.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

9. People exercising 1st Am rights are betraying the 1st Amendment for doing so. Got it.

Maybe we should have them executed, then give them posthumous awards for bravery and courage.

[Renew Deal]

12. lol

[DisgustipatedinCA]

14. I hear where you're coming from, I really do

But the juxtaposition struck me as funny, just one of those things.

[0zone]

10. If these so called prophets are offended...

...why don't they themselves respond in kind? Next they will try to pass a law against offending anyone who is dead and gone.

[0zone]

11. And who is backing this petition?

Romney?
Ryan?
Some crazed Republican?

[Ron Obvious]

15. So who would get to define who's a prophet, and what's a major religion...

In addition to the obvious free speech violations, do the signers of initiatives like this realise it would put the government in the position of defining what a a 'major' religion is and who is a 'prophet'?

Are all of them happy with L. Ron Hubbard, Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Jim Jones, David Koresh, the Reverend Moon et al to be on such a list.

I imagine that other than the knee-jerk cultural relativists, the signers of this petition only have one particular prophet in mind.