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Pair Arrested After Telling Lawyer Jokes
fembots writes "Two men were arrested for telling lawyer jokes while standing in line leading into First District Court. A spokesman for the Nassau courts said the men were causing a stir and that their exercise of their First Amendment rights to free speech was impeding the rights of others at the court."
Reading the article, however, makes me wonder if we're really getting the whole story here. Given that these aren't just two random individuals but the founders of "Americans for Legal Reform", I personally smell an increased likelyhood that their side of things contains a certain amount of BS. Of course it's just my gut instinct talking and your milage may vary.
Unfortunately this level of doubt precludes the normal level of moral outrage (aka, "hits" or "ad impressions") that these threads are supposed to generate, and for that I apologize.
Now, answer me this: How many RIAA lawyers does it take to screw in a light blub?
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
A: Good morning, Your Honor.
Q: How do you tell if a lawyer is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Q: Why do they bury lawyers 100 feet into the ground?
A: Because down deep, they're good people.
Q: What's the difference between a vulture and a lawyer?
A: Wing tips
This First Post has an order bug
The package said "Windows XP or better. Pentium Class Processor or better"... So I got a Mac with OS X
...someone better explain to them what IANAL means before they start the sodomy lawsuits...
Trolling is a art,
These guys weren't randomly standing in line telling lawyer jokes. They purposely and continually go to courts and heckle the lawyers.
The pair said that for years they have stood outside courthouses on Long Island and mocked lawyers. The summary appears to inflame, when it shouldn't.
Slashdot Editors!
(Psst... make a "Law" category rather than stuff everything into YRO.)
Because it pertains to your right to say what you just said. Literary elements such as Satire have allowed people to say things they could not say directly. This pair was arrested for cracking jokes. The questions are: What precedent may be set? What comes next?
Sorry for the rant, but what fool calls lawyers names to their faces?
Billy
By "they were arrested for telling lawyer jokes" you mean "they were arrested for 'being abusive and disturbing the peace'"
I was going to try to make some articulate argument about the scope of First Amendment rights as it applies to public places and the social contract, but I'll just sum it up like this:
Two retards act like dicks and get busted for it, and all of a sudden I have to read about it on Slashdot?
The only acceptable defense of scientific results is to say that they were the product of the Scientific Method.
I saw this story on Fark and for spite, everyone told their most offensive lawyer joke.
The easily offended should stop reading now.
A priest and a lawyer are walking down the street together when a young boy crosses their path. The priest says "hey, you wanna screw that boy?" To which the lawyer replies, "Out of what?"
What do you call a thousand lawyers on the ocean floor?
A good start.
Carthago delenda est!
when your first amendment rights are being violated? ...Your lips are moving!
Thankyou, I'll be here all week.
You're doing it wrong.
After all, just 90% of lawyers make the other 10% look bad...
Life is short; think quickly.
...I stick to dead baby jokes. Since they can't talk, they can't tattle on me.
In general, acting like an asshole in the presence of law enforcement is a bad idea. You may not get convicted, but chances are really good you will get arrested.
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
If the two were wrongfully arrested, would they be capable of getting some sort of compensation under US law?
perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
Good thing they weren't making fun of Police Officers in front of a Police Station or while in one. ;)
;)
Anyway for those who didn't RTFA:
>>>
The men are founders of Americans for Legal Reform, a group of outspoken advocates who use confrontational tactics to push for greater access to courts for the public and to monitor how well courts serve the public. One tactic is driving a truck around the Huntington area emblazoned with the slogan "Stop The Lawyer Disease." They said their rights to free speech were violated Monday.
>>
But Dan Bagnuola, a spokesman for the Nassau courts, said the men were causing a stir and that their exercise of their First Amendment rights to free speech was impeding the rights of others at the court.
>>
"They were being abusive and they were causing a disturbance," Bagnuola said. "They were making general comments to the people on line, referring to them as 'peasants,' and they were causing a disturbance. And they were asked on several occasions to act in an orderly manner, not to interfere with the operation of the court."
>>
Bagnuola said he did not have the name of the lawyer who complained to officers.
>>
Kash said he and Lanzisera were merely saying out loud that the public was being treated like peons or peasants while attorneys, who wave their security passes to court officers and don't have to stand on line, are treated like kings.
>>
"I'm not surprised this happened because anybody who stands up for their rights is put down because these people want only one thing, and that is control," Kash said.
>>
The men were given desk appearance tickets and are due back in court - as defendants - next month.
Judges are lawyers too, this could get interesting. I wonder if they will show the court case on pay-per-view? I got the popcorn all ready just in case it airs.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
Wouldn't this be "Your Rights inline" ?
Q. How many lawyer jokes are there?
A. Two - the rest are all true stories.
-sid
Last time I checked, standing outside a courthouse expressing disdain for lawyers is perfectly legal.
In some states, they even allow people to carry signs and march around in circles outside of buildings. In fact, from time to time, these sign wielding people will even chant repetative slogans (gasp). My friend, people have a right to protest, be it against abortion, creationism, blacks, whites, gays, white supremacists and yes...lawyers.
Do I think these guys are stupid douchebags? Of course.
Am I outraged that they were arrested for being stupid douchebags? You bet your ass I am.
"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once." -David Hume
Q: How many RIAA lawyers does it take to screw in a light blub?
A: We at the RIAA think we will never really know, as we are fairly sure that each lightbulb changed by a home internet user represents a lost lightbulb installation fee, which in turn affects the not just the RIAA lawyers but the Lighting Technicians and Carpenters and all the little people involved in music production to such an extent that we now have to over-task our lawyers to combat the menace of the Open Standard Lightbulb Organizations. Th pressure generated by these OSLOs, in turn, prevents us from determining the natural lawyer to lightbulb ratio. Until Congress acts to plug this fee-structure leakage with an appropriate rights management technology and enacts proper criminal penalties for circumvention of our natural right to control the exercise of the lightbulb changing task, we will be forced to file John Doe lawsuits in order to gain the suppoena power necessary to compel the lightbulb supply corporations with the names and addresses of their clearly infringing customers.
Innocent people shouldn't be forced to pay for inferior software development.
--"Code Complete" Microsoft Press
Why could the lawyer simply ignore the men? Yes, I RTFA, and this was set-up to get attention by the two guys telling the jokes, but this is a pretty extreme way to go about stopping them. Besides, anyone but the most naive knows that lawyers will do anything to win, and in return, make tons of cash. I don't care about the money they make, but the methods which they employ scares me.
A blog like any other.
Because it pertains to your right to say what you just said. Literary elements such as Satire have allowed people to say things they could not say directly
But how is it related to YRO - Your Rights *ONLINE*
The freedom of speech is not a freedom to be a shithead
If some hoidy-toidy lawyer down at the courthouse can't take it then tell him to close his ears. For crying out loud, what is this, kindergarten? Did he really have to go running to the teacher,"Make them stop! Make them stop!"
public nuisance
My butt. What's the legal definition for that? "Anything we want when we feel like it"?
fast as fast can be. you'll never catch me.
The fool that belives he lives in a free country.
Maybe RMS can update 'The Free Software Definition' to add 'free' as in the United States of America -- The software is free until they decide it's not.
``Free software'' is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of ``free'' as in ``free speech,'' not as in ``free like the USA.''
How, exactly, were they "causing a disturbance"? Some people laughed? I mean, what exactly is the First Amendment about again? Did they yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater? I think not!
These boys weren't exercising their right to free speech. They were, deliberately and with malicious intent, making a public nuisance of themselves. And we have laws against that sort of thing.
I suspect the crowd of people in line were fine with the jokes...it offended one lawyer and the hammer came down. It is especially ironic given the "kings and peasants" analogy used in the article. (Did you read it BTW?)
The freedom of speech is not a freedom to be a shithead.
One person's shithead is another person's role model. THAT is the point of the first amendment. Just because you don't like it gives you no right to stop it. I mean, look at Jesse Jackson's marches through certain parts of the south...I guarantee that most people there think he's a shithead. However, he has the RIGHT to express his views.
Galileo: "The Earth revolves around the Sun!"
Score: -1 100% Flamebait
From reading the article, it looks like they've successfully charged Statler and Waldorf.
Thank you so much, America, for putting these Muppets where they belong.
Now, what to do about Fozzy.....
Lawyer: Stop calling me names or I will sue you!
Jock: Shut up or I will squash you!
Geek: Shut up or I will hack into your Xbox!
W: Shut up or I will invade you!
French: Shut up or I will propose a UN resolution against you!
SCO: Shut up or I will demand a licensing fee!
Boss: Shut up or I will outsource your job!
Microsoft: Shut up or I will create a competing product.....and subsidize it!
Slashdotter: Shut up or I will mod you down!
Goatse: Shut up or I will send your mom a special email!
Table-ized A.I.
Q: How many RIAA lawyers does it take to screw in a light blub?
A: RIAA lawyers don't have time to screw in lightbulbs, silly! They're too busy screwing 14 year old kids and their grandmothers...
So if I tell some blond jokes, does this mean some blonds will come and handcuff me?
The only thing that will stop you from fulfilling your dreams is you. - Tom Bradley
Stay on-topic by adding lawyer jokes here
Not completely off topic, but this is totally legit, if these 2 claim priveleges under the US constitution as US citizens.
:)
Very few people realize the difference between State Citizenship (commonly referred to as being a US national) and US citizenship.
I'll cut to the chase, but the main difference is that a US national has rights guaranteed and protected by the constitution, while a US citizen has priveleges granted to them by the federal government. Like every privelege, it can be revoked at any time.
Some links to get you started here and
here
The funny thing is, I remember a SNL skit by christopher walkin where he made about having dual citizenship, US and florida. At the time I couldn't stop laughing...
Enjoy
my last sig was too controversial... now, a new and improved useless sig!
If you read the article, try to discover what is actually fact. Notice how no uninvolved people were interviewed - we only have the statements of the pair and a court official. Each of these people will, of course, spin the event their way. The majority of that article is little better than editorializing - filling in with opinion where facts are lacking.
I was taking one day at a time, but then several days got together and ambushed me. (from a Rhymes with Orange comic)
Quote from the article:
... check out this choice list of problems with current law practice from the articleThis was in a line, not in a court-room.
Why is it that the proponents of "one nation under God" are so eager to get rid of "liberty and justice for all"?
They are probably one of the many people who feel that lawyers who make up the vast majority of the people writing the laws, the people working for the people who write the laws, the people who lobby for such laws, the people who enforce the laws (the prosecutors not the cops), the people who interpret the laws (the judges), the people who defend you in court, the people you must pay when you need to use the courts, and the people who are paid to use the courts against you, have a bit too much power in our society.
See, I could see them getting cited for public disturbance (if it was interfering with the day-to-day business of the courthouse or something like that) and maybe getting a ticket... but SUED? Jesus H. Tapdancing Christ....
"The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his." - Patton
Q: Why don't sharks eat lawyers?
A: Professional Courtesy
Q: What's the difference between a dead possum in the road and a dead lawyer in the road?
A: There are skid marks in front of the possum.
Q: What do you call 1,000 lawyers on a sinking ship?
A: A good start Q: What's the other difference between a lawyer and a hooker?
A: There are some things a hooker won't do for money
Why is it that the proponents of "one nation under God" are so eager to get rid of "liberty and justice for all"?
The freedom of speech is not a freedom to be a shithead.
Actually freedom of speech IS freedom to be a shithead without getting arrested for it.
Where we begin getting on sticky ground is if people are inciting others to violence or panic, etc. Incidentally, I make no comment on the specific case in this story, but speak in general.
A quote I have pasted before:
The lawyer that complained didn't grant an arrest warrant, nor did he personally arrest the two. A judge or a police officer had to do that. I can go to the police and complain about you being an idiot, but they won't arrest you unless they feel it is necessary.
Have they even been formally indicted yet? I wouldn't be surprised to see the prosecutor drop the case or bring in a grand jury knowing they'll turn it down.
What?
The freedom of speech is not a freedom to be a shithead.
Then what's it for? We don't need it to protect people the government likes.
legal definition of nuisance.. and this link has a lot of references as well
Now go to your state's statutes and look up alcohol and noise complaints, those are the two spots you will most likely find a statute about public nuisances. Just because you are too dumb to understand the law doesn't mean you are exempt from it.
-dk
A wise man once told me that the right to free speech is not the freedom to say what you want. It is the freedom someone has to say things you don't want to hear.
This is the Internet. You can say "fuck" here. - AC
The key word here is "outside"...
From the article:
The line leading into First District Court in Hempstead Monday morning was long and frustrating...
Hmm... so the line to get into the court was inside the court? You must come from a truly interesting physical realm.
i.e. if everyone standing in line is annoyed (which sounds like what happened).
Oh dear. You lose again.
From TFA: "But while that rib and several others on barristers got some giggles from the crowd, the attorney standing in line about five people ahead wasn't laughing."
fast as fast can be. you'll never catch me.
A good lawyer can get them off.
Oh, wait....
When VCR's are outlawed, only outlaws will have VCR's.
A lawyer wrote a will for an elderly lady. She asked the price and he said, "One hundred dollars, please." She gave him a crisp new $100 bill without noticing that a second $100 bill was stuck to it. Immediately, the lawyer faced an ethical dilemma: "Do I have to report this on my taxes?"
Curiosity was framed; ignorance killed the cat. -- Author unknown
A rabbi, preist, lawer and some kids are in a lifeboat, after thier ship sank. The lifeboat is overloaded and beginning to sink. The rabbi says, "We've all had full lives; we should jump overboard to save the children."
The lawer says,"Screw the children!"
The priest says,"Do you think we have time?"
If Mr. Edison had thought smarter he wouldn't sweat as much. --Nikola Tesla
Details on the "other news" follows. Miami. Two Brazilian Surfers. It has all been widely published and discussed in the Brazilian press. The following is quoted from an article in English about the incident:
Quem a paca cara compra, paca cara pagará.
What next? At this rate, it won't be long before we see Your Rights Online: Ashlee Simpson Booed
Well, that wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.......... but it's close.
RTFM. Other people were laughing. Only the lawyer on the line complained.
If you had read the article, you would also have noticed that the persons arrested were not mere average joes. They are members of a legal reform group that looks out for cases such as this one.
They were silenced for their views that were contradictory to the court.
Ryosen
One man's "Troll, +1" is another man's "Insightful, +1".
They could have been telling hunter jokes in the woods.
Q: How many lawyers does it take to violate someone's first amendment rights?
A:(from a lawyer): THAT'S NOT FUNNY!
A:(from anyone else): Just one.
General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
These guys were arrested for making fun of our laughable judicial system. Need proof that our judicial system is laughable? These guys were arrested for making fun of...
Sorry, if it was in a court room during a trial, sure, but all these guys did wrong was piss off the wrong people. Article mentions they are part of an organization to promote better public access to the courts. Obviously these two were a thorn in a side or two. Arresting them is pure abuse of power just to make a point.
Send whiskey and fresh horses!
The can't part is applied to many new laws or how those laws are presented to the people. Usually they are written to take back rights the government, in it's many forms, has assumed.
Think of it this way.
For citizens, in America a right not expressly forbiden is allowed. And I don't mean this as a joke, but in Soviet Russia a right not expressly allowed is forbiden.
As for the government, in America a right not expressly allowed is forbiden. In Soviet Russia a right not expressly forbiden is allowed.
At least that's how I came to understand it. The American example demonstrates that power is in the hands of the people. At least idealy.
Someone hates these cans.
If lawyer jokes in the security line at a courthouse rattle your lawyer. I would recommend a new lawyer.
My Weblog
They purposely and continually go to courts and heckle the lawyers
That is the beauty of freedom that people overlook. The idea is that if you are unhappy with something and you want to spend all day talking about it to to a person or a crowd of people then those people have the protected right to agree or disagree with you with out recourse. That is what makes freedom.
Now we do have other avenues availible ie media, but it does *NOT* replace your right to speak in public.
I would say in terms of free speach if I was a loud mouth shouting my opinion then you would have just as much a right to ignore me, agree with me, or stand across from me and scream back. As long as there is no violence and no one is get a lynch mob going that is ok and it is good because it gives all of us a pulse of our society.
Many would have you belive this is wrong and if you want opinion to listen to a radio or watch television. That is what I would call opression the media is a nice to look at thing but has no real meaning or purpose any more. If a housing complex down your street is kicking people out to make room for higher paying patrons would this make the news? Maybe.
If not and you went outside and told evreyone your opinion should you be arrested ?
A loop, by its nature, continues. If that didn't make sense, start reading this sentence again.
If a couple of guys stood outside Planned Parenthood and made slut jokes, would that be OK?. OK, if you don't consider that a good analogy, how would you feel if someone was gathering a crowded near your business making fun of your job? I suspect many of us would deal with it just fine, but many would not, especially if it had been a lousy day at work.
This is a fair sight worse than simply not wanting to hear what someone is saying; the lawyers do not want these things said at all, or for them to be heard by anyone, because then people might start questioning their power and seeking legal reforms, and we cannot have that, can we?
Here's hoping that I am not sued for posting this/
of the lawyers.
Lawyers are the entire power stucture on the USA: judges are lawyers, politicians are lawyers, and of course lawyers are lawyers.
"lawyerocracy" indeed.
Of course, that's the reason why we have lawyers in the first place, now isn't it?
/. crowd - it's YOUR responsiblity for making things work. We are the government, we elect our peers. It's your responsibility to do your homework, write your respresentatives when things are bad (and good), VOTE in every election, and don't try to get out of jury duty.
Mr. Cop can go ahead and try to nail you for anything he likes. If you say fuck in front of a bunch of school children, and the cop nails you for it, just go to court.
You explain why you said "fuck" in front of the innocents, and a jury of your peers say "yah, dat's a good thing" or "pay the fine, bozo."
That's why we have a legal system, and not Judge Dredd running about.
Don't forget
The thing the founding fathers were also very afraid of (besides an oppressive government) was an ignorant society - it's our duty to stay informed, and help our countrymen do the same.
So, quit your damn Government Paranoia rant, get off your lazy butt, and get involved.
We at the law firms of Dewey, Beatum, and Run represent the roman catholic church in this lawsuit against you for causing a disturbance with the malicious use of the phrase "jesus tapdancing christ". :P
It's been a long time.
Q: What do you do if you see a lawyer with his head blown off?
A: Laugh and reload
A lawyer gets killed in a horrible accident. Stop cheering and let me finish the joke.
Q: Why do lawyers where ties?
A: To keep their foreskins down.
Q: Whats the ideal weight for a lawyer?
A: About three pounds with the urn.
How many lawyers does it take to roof a house?
Depends on how thin you slice them.
How many lawyers does it take to stop a moving bus?
Never enough.
What do you buy a friend graduating from Law School?
A lobotomy.
What is brown and black and looks good on a lawyer?
A doberman.