People think it's ok to Lie about a Medal of Honor?

[crcballer55]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this on and see why it would be free speech?  The guy not only lied about serving in the Marines, but also about receiving a Medal of Honor.  I'm thinking this should be considered a criminal act similar to identity theft and/or impersonation of an officer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/us/stolen-valor-act-argued-before-supreme-court.html

[h1]Justices Appear Open to Affirming Medal Law[/h1] [h6]By ADAM LIPTAK[/h6][h6]Published: February 22, 2012
[/h6]
WASHINGTON — Over the course of an hourlong argument on Wednesday, the Supreme Court seemed gradually to accept that it might be able to uphold a federal law that makes it a crime to lie about military honors, notwithstanding the First Amendment’s free speech guarantees. The justices were aided by suggestions from the government about how to limit the scope of a possible ruling in its favor and by significant concessions from a lawyer for the defendant.

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[h6]David Goldman/Associated Press[/h6]
An official's false claim about a Medal of Honor is at issue in a Supreme Court case.

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[h6]Therese Tran/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin[/h6]
Xavier Alvarez

The case arose from a lie told in 2007 at a public meeting by Xavier Alvarez, an elected member of the board of directors of a water district in Southern California.

“I’m a retired Marine of 25 years,

 

[skateboard]

 

[doctor demise]

The First Amendment is one of the most wildly contested grey-areas in United States politics which has produced some cases where I'm kicking myself in the nuts trying to figure out how Justice(s) can interpret something a certain way and set long-standing legal precedents while in other cases I wholeheartedly agree with their decisions. 
In this case it can be argued that by telling this lie he has made vast political leaps where he otherwise would have been just another Joe Nobody. And let's face it: the guy is one ugly character so I'm guessing its not wild speculation to assume that he benefited from his lies in one form or another.

Coming from an actual marine and a long lineage of servicemen this lie makes me sick.

 

Yank him out of office,.toss him in jail and throw a heavy fine his way. 

I have a better title for you, Mr. Alvarez... Enemy of the State. 

 

[xepikrain]

It's shameful. I know a few people in the Armed Forces, and I wonder what they'd do if they were in an empty room with this man.

 

[dubstyledj]

SMH

really irks me

 

[sillyputty]

Its already illegal for someone to wear one who wasn't awarded one.



This is an interesting case though.

 

[keif sweat]

No lie is a good lie but how does this relate to identity theft or impersonating an officer? Those acts tend to cause harm to another party...who does this hurt? People lie about doing important things all the time, why does this deserve harsher punishment?

 

[crcballer55]

Originally Posted by Keif Sweat

No lie is a good lie but how does this relate to identity theft or impersonating an officer? Those acts tend to cause harm to another party...who does this hurt? People lie about doing important things all the time, why does this deserve harsher punishment?

He's impersonating a military veteran.  Why do people lie?  To get ahead in some manner.  Hence it's hurting the person who would have gotten the position over them.  Secondly, if we're going to allow someone to state that they were not only in the military, but earned the highest award possible, what's the point of serving?  Why not just start introducing yourself as a veteran and medal of honor recipient at official events?

In this instance, I'm also assuming that since he was serving in a public capacity (albeit Water Board) that he's under oath of some sort.  Hence, I'm also assuming that it would be illegal to knowingly state false information as well.  At the very least, it's an ethics violation.  At the most, perjury.  I'll let the legal minds correct me if I'm wrong on that last point though.

 

[ldj]

Originally Posted by Keif Sweat

No lie is a good lie but how does this relate to identity theft or impersonating an officer? Those acts tend to cause harm to another party...who does this hurt? People lie about doing important things all the time, why does this deserve harsher punishment?

im a vet and while i think its pretending to go around being something what harm does it really do. and its not really id theft your just lying about your status or what you do... ppl do this all the time... the garbage man who says he is a sanitation engineer... hell if you wanna be honest female impersonators, cross dressers, @##*! etc do it and its no flack over that.. your not only impersonating pretending to be something your not, your pretending to be an entirely different person.

A girl name melissa, who goes out in the world and says she is a man and her name is mike, how is that any different or not worse then a cop who says he is a chief, atleast he infact is a cop.

 

[the stoic paisano]

George O'Leary wonders what the big deal is.

 

[milestailsprowe]

Ok saying you were a marine and wearing Medals that are not yours is illegal. Why wasnt this verified by the company, the other marines and everyone else involved in the movie?

 

[throwedindagame]

bro its not that serious.

like hacking experience in COD to get more weapons.

 

[jd214]

Originally Posted by Keif Sweat

No lie is a good lie but how does this relate to identity theft or impersonating an officer? Those acts tend to cause harm to another party...who does this hurt? People lie about doing important things all the time, why does this deserve harsher punishment?

This.

 

[addicted2fresh]

Thats messed up. People put their lives on the line to protect their country and they earn those medals as a sign of bravery and dedication. I dont know how to go about punishing someone for this other then putting them on blast.

 

[vslackin]

I feel as if it's disrespectful to those who've actually served in the marines for such a long time and have actually EARNED the medal of honor.

 

[solarius49]

This is crazy man. Whats worse is that theres less than a handful of men who have received Medals of Honor and have lived to tell about it. 90% of people who receive the Medal got it posthumously

 

[kramer]

Originally Posted by vSlackin

I feel as if it's disrespectful to those who've actually served in the marines for such a long time and have actually EARNED the medal of honor.

This. The medal of honor is pretty much the greatest achievement awarded to anyone in the US and those that get them have been through more then most people ever will

 

[lightweight champion]

Who does it hurt to lie? In this case the people of Southern California. This guy lied to get to a political position and stepped on the toes of those on the ballot other than him. Those people might've been, and probably were, more qualified than him. Judging by the water shortage in SoCal they could stand to use someone more deserving than he is.