While I agree with the prevailing opinion - the kid is a douche who deserves being locked in his room without Internet access, not arrest - the bad assumption there is that the judges are any more sensible than the ordinary citizenry. You'd think they OUGHT to be, but it ain't always so.RatRace123 said:
Teen Arrested for Home-Made "Hot or Not" List on Facebook
- Thread starter Andy Chalk
- Start date
He shouldnt have been arested, thats excessive and points out how rediculous our legal system is. His ridicule by any person with a brain at school would have been enough. He printed off hundreds of copies about that, regardless of what it was, in my school, his ass would get made fun of for at least a week. With somthing so crude as that, he should have gotten detention maybe, but high school kids arnt THAT retarded. Alot are, but a good half or so would just either hate this kid or make fun of his ass non-stop.
I know what this person did was offensive and rude but I don't think it would give these girls caused these girls " grievous mental and emotional anguish." unless they had insecurity or emotional issues.AnteGravity said:
If a judge can order you to stop it and pay restitution, it's not protected speech--that's "the law" telling you that you cannot continue and shouldn't have done it. What's more, such a ruling is based entirely on the speech, so we can't pretend that it's some other factor being ruled upon.Iron Lightning said:
I didn't say I agreed with the kid being arrested, but what he did isn't some kind of protected speech. It doesn't have to be a "crime" to be "not protected."
Now, all the stuff about "She has great boobs" or whatever? The kid should be beaten soundly, but it's not technically defamatory--it's "an opinion." But making allegations about a girl's sexual activity, if she herself did not divulge this information? Now there's a problem.
You can't be serious. Have you perchance ever known any teenage girls?Professor James said:
Someone comes along and posts fliers everywhere about how nice your boobs are, or how ugly your face is, or how so-and-so says you sleep around... and they're supposed to just be "okay" about it, or they have "emotional issues?"
That's what this guy did. It wasn't just "Hot." Read the article again--he took these girls apart in front of the school.
Kid's a sexist asshole, but not a criminal. I broke more laws when I got pulled over for speeding this weekend.
Harassment through the internet is a growing problem. People are being stalked, tormented, and driven to suicide and people just shrug and say that it's no big deal since it's the internet.
So I'm okay with the time put into this case. If you don't punish them then there's no reason to stop.
So I'm okay with the time put into this case. If you don't punish them then there's no reason to stop.
Good God what an oversensitive country this has become.
EDIT: Also way to go police task force. Instead of stopping real crime, lets waste time cuffing the school yard bully. OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK PEOPLE!!!!
EDIT: Also way to go police task force. Instead of stopping real crime, lets waste time cuffing the school yard bully. OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK PEOPLE!!!!
I can see the kid getting suspended for this kind of behaviour but foisting prison time on him makes about as much sense as arresting the school gossip for malicious defamation of character. The kid is a massive asshole, that goes without saying, but involving the police in this is ridiculous.
I think that jailing him would be a waste of resources, but I can see fining him. His conduct wasn't at all appropriate.
Its probably a charge because they are considering facebook a 'public venue' or something like that. In that case i can see why the arrest/charges. Distributing a list amongst your friends is (still disgusting) but fine. Its when you create what might be considered a 'public' disturbance. Facebook is a public site. He brought the rest of the world into it the same as if he spray painted it on a wall. If not for the wall and the paint, no one would have known about it and no one would be upset. But the public display means you offend anyone who happens by. not just a few target friends.
Yes, a judge can order you to stop and pay restitution in a civil court, but it's not a criminal offense. Therefore it is speech that is protected from direct government action. You are right insofar as that it is not protected against lawsuits. Unless, of course, the information in question happens to be factual which may or may not be the case.Dastardly said:
This is unlike beating a kid for saying "She has great boobs" which is very clearly assault (i.e. a criminal offense.) I'm sure that you do not support assault as a reaction to having your feelings hurt. Please be more careful with your examples in the future.
The teenager in question seems to be a complete ponce and I am glad that his school took appropriate action by expelling him. However, the police should not have had any involvement in this case whatsoever. You seem to agree with me on that point. I'm sorry if I misinterpreted your previous post.
I don't think anyone will argue, anyone reputable anyway, that the kid isn't a prick. Being a prick shouldn't be illegal though. I could understand the school taking action, but this doesn't seem like something he should be arrested for.
He should get a slap on the wrist and a warning from the police. That's it. It confounds me to no end how this constitutes time in juvenille hall. He's a teenager having a laugh, not a mugger with a knife. Good lord. What happened to "this tolerant society"?
I'm glad to see said jerk ass being punished, though even as my inner 15 year old is grinning like an idiot I do say the arresting was probably a bit much.
But yea, folks, this isn't just insulting or libel this is sexual harassment and it does need to be addressed. I was harassed in school and probably still haven't recovered from it years later. The guys who harassed me thought it was hilarious and never got called on it or stopped.
Not sure what IS the appropriate response, be it said idiot being left to the tender mercies of high school or community service, but at least there was a response.
But yea, folks, this isn't just insulting or libel this is sexual harassment and it does need to be addressed. I was harassed in school and probably still haven't recovered from it years later. The guys who harassed me thought it was hilarious and never got called on it or stopped.
Not sure what IS the appropriate response, be it said idiot being left to the tender mercies of high school or community service, but at least there was a response.