Should extreme critics of the president and defenders of China be prosecuted?

  • Tiny
  • 05-02-2020, 07:29 AM
America is at war with the new coronavirus. Our people are dying and our economy is on its knees. China bears at least some responsibility. Maybe it bears most. Our press constantly criticizes President Trump. Some blame him, not China, for this crisis. This criticism arguably hurts our morale and our response to the pandemic.

So the question, should those who criticize President Trump and defend China in this current crisis be prosecuted, and imprisoned if found guilty?



Background:

The Constitution of the United States in part defines treason as "adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."

Writing for a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes declared in Schenck v. United States (1919) that “[w]hen a nation is at war, many things that might be said in times of peace are such a hindrance to its effort that their utterance will not be endured so long as men fight, and that no Court could regard them as protected by any constitutional right.”

The Sedition Act of 1798 criminalized the "writing, printing, uttering or publishing of any false, scandalous and malicious writing or writings about the government of the United States."

The Espionage Act of 1917 criminalized attempting to cause insubordination to the war effort, willfully attempting to cause insurrection and obstructing the recruiting or enlistment of potential volunteers.

The Sedition Act of 1918 prohibited Uttering, printing, writing, or publishing any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language intended to cause contempt, scorn … as regards the form of government of the United States or Constitution, or the flag or the uniform of the Army or Navy … urging any curtailment of the war with intent to hinder its prosecution; advocating, teaching, defending, or acts supporting or favoring the cause of any country at war with the United States, or opposing the cause of the United States.

In 1951, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the conviction of 12 people for Communist Party activity. The Court wrote: “To those who would paralyze our Government in the face of impending threat by encasing it in a semantic straitjacket we must reply that all concepts are relative.”

From https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment...during-wartime
Jacuzzme's Avatar
Of course they shouldn’t, it’s a ridiculous suggestion. The right to be stupid is guaranteed in the constitution.
  • oeb11
  • 05-02-2020, 07:36 AM
Tiny is playing the Joe McCarthy card - ie I am criticized for supporting China for inflicting the Wuhan virus on the word, so there for i am being persecuted by "McCarthy " type false allegations.



"i deserve to to inflict my opinion on the US because I am a liberal elitist and i know better than U!"


So Anyone critcizing u over ur defense of China and its assault of the world is guilty of violation of the The Sedition Act, the Espionage Act, , and the Constitution.



Nice Try - That Pig don't have wings, and it don't Fly!
It is a complicated subject and must be considered on a case by case basis, but there could be situations where extraordinary measures taken on behalf of a hostile government could be perilous to our existence.

For now, just bring back manufacturing and maybe send a few James Bond types into China and screw up their government and military software to inconvenience them and cost them money to fight it.

Maybe put a few cracks in the Three Gorges Dam?
HoeHummer's Avatar
Of course they shouldn’t, it’s a ridiculous suggestion. The right to be stupid is guaranteed in the constitution. Originally Posted by Jacuzzme
Where?

And to the point of the OP, the Trumpholian doesn’t know what’s right or wrong anymore. They are merely unwittings clay in the tiny hands of the shitheel in Chief and his handlers in Russia. Yes that’s never changed.

Or maybe witless.

Sounds like some real dystopian Trump shits to me.
Of course they shouldn’t, it’s a ridiculous suggestion. The right to be stupid is guaranteed in the constitution. Originally Posted by Jacuzzme
Where? Originally Posted by HoeHummer
Freedom of speech you fake Canuck. Yous had to have learned that much before you fled from Austin to Canada.
the_real_Barleycorn's Avatar
Anyone on record as saying we are at war would be guilty of treason by their own words. Those who don't believe get a pass.
well, as I say

anyone voting dim is either stupid, full of avarice or treasonous (as in hating the constitution)

or some combination of the above three
HoeHummer's Avatar
Welp, it looks like your mind is mades up, big shooter!

Stay out of post offices, eh?

Stay out of post offices, eh? Originally Posted by HoeHummer
Are you making a threat? Should we be worried?
I hate this "we are at war with the corona virus" talk. More panic terms by the media and the politicians to justify unconstitutional action.

I'm not going to see "Dime 1" from China. The US and other govts may be able to extract something from the ChiComs but they'll never pass it to you or me.
dilbert firestorm's Avatar
problem with this is that there is no declared formality by congress that we're at war.


so its no.
HedonistForever's Avatar
Prosecuted no if we are talking about "aid and comfort" in words not deeds. Like I always say about Trump, "it's not his words I care about, it's his deeds".


What we should do every chance we get to speak up, is condemn the many actions of China because they are ruled by a Communist dictatorship.


I heard about a poll the other day that says that 26% of Americans have a favorable opinion of China. All I can conclude from that is that we have 26% of Americans that hate America. I know they exist, they are the people who think America is the the problem in the world, those that blame America first.


What in the world is there to find favorable about China?
  • oeb11
  • 05-02-2020, 05:08 PM
boycott China - don't buy their crap anymore.

The only thing they will pay attention to is their balance of payments.
The premise of this thread is just plain stupid.