Disorderly Conduct Charge for Offensive Classmate Ratings

Hatta writes "A Chicago-area teenager who posted a demeaning list of female classmates on Facebook has been arrested for disorderly conduct. Is this an appropriate response to online harassment, or a threat to free speech?"

Comments

The summary is bad

[bsharp8256]

He didn't get arrested and charged because he posted it on Facebook, TFA says he distributed hard copies at school.

Re:Over the top, but not a free speech issue

[dkleinsc]

Free speech doesn't protect racist or sexist slurs.

Oh yes it does. For instance, in National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie the US Supreme Court ruled that the Nazis had the right to march through a predominently Jewish city. It's perfectly legal to call Hillary Clinton or Michelle Bachman (to pick a couple of random examples) a "cunt" or a "cracker" if you want to. And the various modern versions of the KKK can spew their rhetoric and have cross burnings all they like without government interference.

I'm not saying I approve of any of these, just that they are most definitely protected by free speech and assembly.

Re:Over the top, but not a free speech issue

[dkleinsc]

You are partially protected when it comes to libel: affected private citizens can sue you for it, but the government cannot bring criminal charges against you for it. It's solely a civil matter, not a criminal matter.