Do you think that people who lie about being first responders

[XemaSab]

should be prosecuted under the Stolen Valor act?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. As much as it irks me

No, not the same thing...

[Hassin Bin Sober]

2. Is the stolen valor act still around? I thought it got tossed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. It's still under challenge

[Hassin Bin Sober]

6. Yep. My memory served me. It's been ruled unconstitutional in a couple courts.

I believe it IS unconstitutional. They might as well outlaw fisherman lying about the size of the fish they catch.

Unless fraud or coercion is involved, boasting and lying is still protected speech.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I gor an issue with somebody claiming a silver

Star they never earned, but that's just me. It's not a matter of free speech. Again just me.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. As long as we don't make people's "issues" in to law, I'm OK with that.

That's exactly why I hate republicans. They want to make their "issues" in to the law of the land.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. This is not a matter of free speech

It actually extended the felony aspect of claiming a CMH. I am Aware why civilians don't get this is a problem.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. It certainly IS free speech as long as there is no attempt to commit fraud. Then it is fraud.

Civilian? What does THAT have to do with anything? I served, BTW. You?

Edit to add: And, in the future, any "problems" you are considering supporting laws against that you don't "expect civilians to understand".....are probably complete garbage. Especially where the free speech of "civilians" is concerned.

The best thing to do is point and laugh at clowns who have delusions of grandeur (and I've met plenty) the same way you laugh at people telling fishing stories. If there is no fraud there is no foul. The only damage done is to the clown's reputation.

Just because some needle-dick politicians can pass a law and have Der Chimpin-Fuhrer sign it, that doesn't make the law constitutional. That idea someone "diminishes" another's service by claiming to be an ex-anything is laughable - or at least it would be if that stupid idea wasn't being defended here on DU.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I served somewhere else

And th fraud aspect s why this was written...too much of that crap.

Oh and hubby served in the navy as well, and he also gets it.

[valerief]

3. As soon as Bush/Cheney are prosecuted for war crimes. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. Absolutely not.

All that needs to be done is to let that false claim out in public.

[saras]

8. Anyone in particular in mind? To me it's a "specifics" question, not a "principle" question.

[Blue_Tires]

11. depends...

If someone falsely claims to be a first responder to get some special insurance/healthcare/financial benefit, then that's fraud and should already be prosecutable...

If someone falsely claims to be a first responder to get chicks at the bar or something, what can you really do?