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It might even become illegal to make a public denunciation of homosexuality in general, even from a church pulpit. That would be the beginning of the end for American society. It would only spiral down into hell, like Sodom and Gomorrah.{{unsigned|Ed Poor}}

It might even become illegal to make a public denunciation of homosexuality in general, even from a church pulpit. That would be the beginning of the end for American society. It would only spiral down into hell, like Sodom and Gomorrah.{{unsigned|Ed Poor}}

:Ed, regarding your working knowledge of the law is really quite slim. (1) Insulting someone's wife is not a defense to assault. The fighting words doctrine - as constituting an independent offense, unprotected by free speech - has long since died out. While the laws remain on the books, they're unprosecuted and haven't been validated by the Supreme Court since the 1940s. Similarly, fighting words haven't been used as a defense to an assault prosecution in fifty plus years. If someone called your wife ugly, and you hit him, you WOULD face an assault prosecution, and the fighting words doctrine would NOT save you.

:Ed, regarding your working knowledge of the law, it is really quite slim. (1) Insulting someone's wife is not a defense to assault. The fighting words doctrine - as constituting an independent offense, unprotected by free speech - has long since died out. While the laws remain on the books, they're unprosecuted and haven't been validated by the Supreme Court since the 1940s. Similarly, fighting words haven't been used as a defense to an assault prosecution in fifty plus years. If someone called your wife ugly, and you hit him, you WOULD face an assault prosecution, and the fighting words doctrine would NOT save you.

:Further to this point, the first amendment continues to protect your right to make "disparaging comments" about same-sex couples, even in public. Speech is not - nor has it ever been, in modern times - a hate crime. Read ''R.A.V. v. City of Saint Paul'' if you don't believe me. Hate crime legislation - which actually doesn't yet cover crimes against gay men & women - only applies to ''actual crimes,'' and a speech act isn't a crime except under very limited circumstances (fire in a crowded theater, burning your draft card, "let's kill the president," etc.).

:Further to this point, the first amendment continues to protect your right to make "disparaging comments" about same-sex couples, even in public. Speech is not - nor has it ever been, in modern times - a hate crime. Read ''R.A.V. v. City of Saint Paul'' if you don't believe me. Hate crime legislation - which actually doesn't yet cover crimes against gay men & women - only applies to ''actual crimes,'' and a speech act isn't a crime except under very limited circumstances (fire in a crowded theater, burning your draft card, "let's kill the president," etc.).

:It strikes me that you're speaking from the general conservative fearmongering about how gay rights threatens free speech. You should know that that fear has no basis in fact, nor will it ever. The idea that "hate speech" should be a crime has been firmly repudiated in the United States, as barred by the First Amendment. Please read up on the law and don't trust Ann Coulter & Human Events to get it right ;-)-[[User:LawrenceA|LawrenceA]] 10:39, 14 November 2008 (EST)

:It strikes me that you're speaking from the general conservative fearmongering about how gay rights threatens free speech. You should know that that fear has no basis in fact, nor will it ever. The idea that "hate speech" should be a crime has been firmly repudiated in the United States, as barred by the First Amendment. Please read up on the law and don't trust Ann Coulter & Human Events to get it right ;-)-[[User:LawrenceA|LawrenceA]] 10:39, 14 November 2008 (EST)