What I said was that freedom of speech is not absolute and there are limitations on what can be considered free speech. These are limitations set by the government. Not me.
Child pornography is but one of those limitations. Yes, I understand that this is an illegal activity.
That hasn't stopped people from trying to use freedom of speech (or rather, the thought that freedom of speech should be absolute, with no limitations) to defend their possession or making of child pornography or to try to argue that it should be made legal.
Here's a news flash many people seem to be missing. Not everything that is illegal today was always illegal. Not everything that is illegal today will be illegal tomorrow.
Even child pornography has not always been illegal. When it was first made illegal, guess what one of the main defenses child pornographers used in court? That's right, freedom of speech!
Guess what happened after there were a shit ton of child pornographers using free speech in court as a defense? Well, I've been trying to tell you. Child pornography was put on that list of limitations on free speech.
What does this limitation on free speech mean, practically speaking? For one, it means that no one can use the First Amendment to try to get laws against child pornography changed.
Laws are not permanent nor absolute. Not even laws like child pornography. Right now there is a big argument being made that AI-generated child pornography doesn't count as "real" child pornography because "real children" isn't used in the making. So they're arguing that AI generated child pornography should be legal.
I'm not advocating that AI child pornography be made legal before any idiot jumps to that conclusion. I'm pointing out that laws, even laws about things that are as universally abhorrent like child pornography aren't absolute.
Over 50 years ago, abortion was illegal in most states. Then Roe vs. Wade was passed and it became legal in all states. And then Roe vs Wade was revoked and now it's illegal in many states where it was previously legal.
I'm not arguing in favor (or against) abortion here, before anyone jumps up my ass about that as well. I'm pointing out that what is illegal and what is legal can and does change.
So, take everything I've said above, and I hope you can see why the fact that child ponography is illegal means jack shit when we're talking about it being a recognized limit on what is considered free speech.
Sure. But isn't that what it always comes down to with the Constitution?
It's just a question of which side you land on, and what the current Supreme Court thinks of those laws. Because they're the ones who determine if a law is constitutional or not.
Sometimes you're happy with them. Sometimes you're not.
10 years ago, were you happy with what the law was saying about the constitutional rights to abortion? How about now?
Freedom of speech doesn't cover criminal activity.
It does cover the rights of a pedophile to publicly preach on about their pedophilia if they wish.
I never said it did.
What I said was that freedom of speech is not absolute and there are limitations on what can be considered free speech. These are limitations set by the government. Not me.
Child pornography is but one of those limitations. Yes, I understand that this is an illegal activity.
That hasn't stopped people from trying to use freedom of speech (or rather, the thought that freedom of speech should be absolute, with no limitations) to defend their possession or making of child pornography or to try to argue that it should be made legal.
Here's a news flash many people seem to be missing. Not everything that is illegal today was always illegal. Not everything that is illegal today will be illegal tomorrow.
Even child pornography has not always been illegal. When it was first made illegal, guess what one of the main defenses child pornographers used in court? That's right, freedom of speech!
Guess what happened after there were a shit ton of child pornographers using free speech in court as a defense? Well, I've been trying to tell you. Child pornography was put on that list of limitations on free speech.
What does this limitation on free speech mean, practically speaking? For one, it means that no one can use the First Amendment to try to get laws against child pornography changed.
Laws are not permanent nor absolute. Not even laws like child pornography. Right now there is a big argument being made that AI-generated child pornography doesn't count as "real" child pornography because "real children" isn't used in the making. So they're arguing that AI generated child pornography should be legal.
I'm not advocating that AI child pornography be made legal before any idiot jumps to that conclusion. I'm pointing out that laws, even laws about things that are as universally abhorrent like child pornography aren't absolute.
Over 50 years ago, abortion was illegal in most states. Then Roe vs. Wade was passed and it became legal in all states. And then Roe vs Wade was revoked and now it's illegal in many states where it was previously legal.
I'm not arguing in favor (or against) abortion here, before anyone jumps up my ass about that as well. I'm pointing out that what is illegal and what is legal can and does change.
So, take everything I've said above, and I hope you can see why the fact that child ponography is illegal means jack shit when we're talking about it being a recognized limit on what is considered free speech.
So we're arguing fundamental constitutional rights vs how the constitution has been perverted by dipshits.
I think that's the disconnect.
Sure. But isn't that what it always comes down to with the Constitution?
It's just a question of which side you land on, and what the current Supreme Court thinks of those laws. Because they're the ones who determine if a law is constitutional or not.
Sometimes you're happy with them. Sometimes you're not.
10 years ago, were you happy with what the law was saying about the constitutional rights to abortion? How about now?