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Police Investigate Offensive Wi-Fi Network Name
An anonymous reader writes "Police in Teaneck, New Jersey, with apparently too much time on their hands, are investigating an offensive wireless network name. Although the police didn't reveal the name, the New York Daily News reports that it was anti-Semitic and racist in nature. The incident is being investigated as a possible 'bias crime.' It's definitely not what proper people do, but a 'bias crime?'"
Apparently the SSID of the WAP was "IHaveSomeConcernsAboutIsraeliGovernmentPolicy"
It's a shame the word "anti-semitic" has been rendered virtually meaningless lately. It used to mean something about hating or discriminating against Jews.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
Its now illegal to dislike anything in America.
As it stands, this type of thing is clearly indicates immature people who crave attention, much like people who put huge subwoofers in their car, or loud exhausts on their bikes, or over the top and distracting decorations on their lawns. I support the police giving them the attention they desire.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/wireless/wireless-features/31664-waiting-for-the-wps-fix?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default
Wonder if that router is WPS enabled....
I have a hard time getting worked up over stuff like this.
I mean, I'm all for free speach and I get that this means having to hear things you don't want to hear (otherwise who decides where the line is).. however racism in this day and age is just astounding and I have a hard time defending a jackass.
So as not to offend Orwelians, we've renamed "thought crime" to be politically correct.
You're still allowed to hate whitey, especially if whitey has any wealth to speak of. That's perfectly okay, because wealthy whitey is the source of all of the world's ills.
The police are being immature people here. And (if that's separate), the one whining that when they look at someone's wireless network, they're offended.
My WiFi is called "I_peed_in_the_hall"
I usr an offensive-to-sensitive-people, yet light-hearted SSID. Even my issue.net for my ssh login attempts reads "Unauthorized access makes baby Jesus cry", and I'm sure that's quite offensive to someone.
I'm not really out to make a statement - more to give a few people a laugh, and it usually works.
FTFA: 'Police received similar complaints about the signal Friday during a "teen night" event at the center, the woman said she was told.'
So, rec-center-owned wifi access point is found on teen night to have an offensive SSID. The likely scenario is that, with a bunch of teens there, many of whom are carrying wifi-enabled devices, one kid noticed that the AP was not password-protected (or possibly had an obvious default password) and decided to log into it and, well, be a dumb kid by changing the SSID to something that made his friends laugh.
Password protect the AP. Lesson learned. Everybody move on.
Whilst this example is crass and boorish, in the USA, shouldn't you be able to name your Wi-Fi SSID anything you want and it be protected (as free speech) under the First Amendment ??
Lived with a couple of Students a few years back in a block of houses which included a restaurant on one side of us.
We had password protected Wifi and the like, but still lots of connection attempts from people trying to hack into it, guess the password etc. It was our belief that this was actually the owners / staff because it seemed to occuring even when the place was apparently empty. In the end we changed the name of the WiFi to 'Rat Soup?'
Oddly the Restaurant owners had nothing to say about this ;-)
There is a Mobile Home business in the small town of Crossville TN who's SSID on their wifi is "Gay Nigger". When confronted about this they demand to know how we guessed their "password"....
...is if there was a target. Like if the WiFi signal was near a Jewish family's home, and let's say the family was named "Cohen". If the WiFi signal overlapped their home and was broadcasting an idea with a threat such as "CohensRKikes" or "DieJewScum" or similar, I can see a crime being involved. But just something like "JewsSuck" or whatever? I'm Jewish. Everyone hates us. It's just part of life. :)
Sugapablo
This made me rembember the compatibility problems I had some years ago when I decided to use "NULL" as my home SSID. And now I'm glad I didn't decided to go for a more (Rage Against the Machine or Body Count inspired) expressions.
There has been a rash of temple and mosque firebombings in suburban NJ. This may explain the sensitivity. The reporter should have put this story in its context.
This could be in the same lines as the Passive-Aggressive Wi-Fi Hotspots that were popular last year.
OK, after reading TFA, I think it would be appropriate to fire the network admin who set up the router with that ID, not arrest him. A public recreation center does have to answer to public and therefore political opinion, and doing something like this is just plain stupid. That said, I do think that we may start to see more of this thing and having laws against it may be unavoidable (but hopefully not as severe as jail time).
I like to name my mobile hotspot "FBI Surveillance Van" and drive around. Clears out the local coffee house in a jiffy!
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
He would already be fined. When there is no freedom of speech in traditional media, why do you expect it to exist elsewhere?
Don't make it your SSID.
[John]
Shit better not happen!
Wow does this mean I can be arrested for Blue Jacking??
Since when being anti-semite is a crime in US ?
Except Republicans, conservatives, Christians, people who respect the constitution. They're all free game.
Oh, cry me a river. If you think the last 6 or 8 years have been bad for the right, try the last 30 as a liberal, socialist, or (the group most discriminated against of all) an athiest. Republicans and evangelists got a free ride for 20+ years spewing hate but receiving mostly reason and thoughtful discussion in return. Eventually they abused their position too much, and triggered a small taste back of what they've been dishing out since the early 80s, if not earlier.
Hating anyone on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, political stance, etc. is wrong, but for you to wax self-righteous over the backlash against the group most responsible for delivering such hatred (c.f. just about any talk radio, not to mention fox or the politicians themselves, e.g. Mr Frothy Mix Santorum).
In short, Republicans, conservative, and Christians like to dish it out in droves, but can't take the heat when they get even a tiny percentage of it back. As for your disingenous "respect the constitution" crap, they only respect their one narrow interpretation of the constitution, no one else's. Not unlike certain organizations who interpreted the bible one narrow way, and fought a hundred-year war to burn everyone else as heretics.
The Future of Human Evolution: Autonomy
Why the "religion" tag? Is everything that slashdotters don't like "religion" now?
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
I swear I need to grow up and remove Slashdot from my RSS feeds, just one slanted post after another that invites the most vitriolic discussions and the first posters are such morons for acting like this is a free speech issue, which it isn't.
1) The network name was, as listed in the fine article: "F--- All Jews and N----" (sic). That should silence you assholes posting like it's no big deal or something.
2) The router was connected in a public township building, therefore on public property. And the police found the router, but it doesn't seem like they found the culprit. So either someone plugged in a brand new router in the building, or, more likely, someone messed with an improperly secured router. You can't make a case of private property because it wasn't private property.
3) In terms of harassment, this is no different than someone spray painting the same words on the front door. Sure it's easier to fix, but it's no less offensive.
4) You have a right to think the way you do, however wrong it is, but you do not have a right to put a sign out on your lawn preaching hate speech just because a bunch of people in your neighborhood are different than you. Everyone else has the right not to feel harassed by hate speech.
This is a case of vandalism and harassment, i.e a bias crime. If it was some stupid troll who thought it would be funny, he should be rousted by the police and dealt with in a stern but reasonable manner. The courts will decide if the perpetrator was a stupid troll trying to make a joke (which was not funny) or a serial bigot trying to scare people. But how can you determine which if you don't investigate?
"All great wisdom is contained in .signature files"
shit, GNAA really is everwhere...
I love using my Android wifi tethering at sporting events.
I create names offensive to the opposing team.
Why "anti-Semitic and racist"?
Why not only racist? Are _they_ racist? Are some forms of racism worse?
Would this fall under the FCC's control of 'hate' speech in a broadcast, as they are 'broadcasting' the name to anyone with a receiver (aka a wi-fi adapter), or does it fall under the local municipalities' laws about public speech?
V for Vendetta: People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
For a while, their SSID was "White Power-Kill Niggers". And yes, dad and eldest son are a couple of racist asshats.
No one has the right to tell anyone else what their wireless netowork name should or should not be.. ESPECIALLY the government. All I can say is B.F.D.. There are many more serious matters that need attention.
Go rest your necks.
The name of the SSID is immature and vulgar, but nothing different from the average conversation on XBox Live. My concern is with the cops getting involved and talking about the potential that a "bias crime" has happened here. Really?
Doesn't free speech guarantee some dumb teenager's right to say or broadcast stupid things?
I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..
Gee if we're going to start investigating and prosecuting people based on what they name their wifi hotspot, how about a few other things we should be looking into:
#1) "US Chamber of Commerce" - This is a corporate lobbying group, NOT a government entity. Yet, its name is intentionally meant to mislead people.
#2) "The Learning Channel" - The only thing you can learn on TLC is just how vapid and brain-numbing reality TV is.
#3) "Department of Justice" - The DoJ really needs to change its name. There is no "justice" in the USA, that should be abundantly clear. We have a legal system, not a justice system.
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Changing my router name to something similar.
What do I know, I'm just an idiot, right?
From TFA, the passer-by went to the community center and complained, who reacted by calling the police. That makes little sense. Why didn't they just mutter, "oooh, those kids!" and call IT to change the access point config? Speaking of which, presuming this wasn't done by an IT staffer, how in the world was someone else able to hack in and change the name? What, no password?
"We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
People have gotten too damned sensitive about things that do not matter. If someone's SSID offends you; don't look at it. It's not like people are ritualistically killing your pets, or inflicting physical harm on you. People are such whiny cry-babies now. Yes, there's hate in the world, and no, you can't do anything about it.
Someone in an apartment above my local Starbucks named their network "This coffee sucks". It certainly gave me a smile.
The last time I checked the 1st amendment didn't contain an exemption for asshattery. How is this any different from the KKK arranging a public protest and shouting the word "nigger" at the top of their lungs? The former is protected free speech but an offensive wi-fi network name is investigated as a crime? Seriously? From TFA, the mother of all overreactions:
“I was shocked, hurt. I felt harassed."
“This should not be tolerated in this town. They should see jail time for it," the mom of two said.
Really? They should go to jail because you felt "harassed" over an offensive SSID that popped up on your iPhone?
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
This isn't someones personal access point. It's at a rec center. Either an employee did it, or someone changed it via poor security.
Bias laws only apply to Violent or Property Damage crimes. Hate Speech laws have been deemed Unconstitutional.
If they committed libel, public obscenity, incited a riot - that would be illegal under separate laws, but not under Bias Laws.
And, if you can perpetrate any of those crimes so successfully with an SSID that a jury of your peers will find you guilty - then I'm impressed.
I'm concerned about this "broadcasting" thing. Are they going to require we follow FCC guidelines concerning what we can "broadcast" on our wifi routers?
And once they start controlling the "name" we can broadcast, how about the content we can "broadcast"? Will it be illegal to stream "pr0n" over WiFi because that violates FCC rules?
And if a trucker on a CB Radio has his handle as "queer-killer", or makes a statement regarding how racist, or anti-semetic, or homophobic he is, are they going to investigate it as a hate crime? Or just some bored trucker mouthing off to fellow bored truckers?
And why is CB radio protected free speech, but WiFi routers are not? Is it because the government and law authorities don't understand those scary computer hackers? Is it because anything more high-tech than a fax machine is misunderstood and feared by grey-haired fat white guys in suits that got elected only because they paid off the right people?
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Didn't read the whole article but the jist of it is 'offensive ssid offends soccer mom'. Since the wifi signal is broadcast over radio spectrum I would assume this would be the same as cussing up a blue streak on a CB radio. Completely in violation of FCC regulations. I would expect the NYPD to handle this as an FCC violation and not a criminal hate crime.
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The last time I checked the 1st amendment didn't contain an exemption for asshattery. How is this any different from the KKK arranging a public protest and shouting the word "nigger" at the top of their lungs? The former is protected free speech but an offensive wi-fi network name is investigated as a crime? Seriously? From TFA, the mother of all overreactions:
“I was shocked, hurt. I felt harassed."
“This should not be tolerated in this town. They should see jail time for it," the mom of two said.
Really? They should go to jail because you felt "harassed" over an offensive SSID that popped up on your iPhone?
That lady is going to be totally fucked when she leaves her carefully crafted bubble and enters into the real world someday. She'll likely fall apart completely right there on the sidewalk somewhere and require years of therapy.
The ignorant jackass is allowed to name their router SSID whatever they want. The other ignorant jackass is allowed to say that the first jackass should go to jail. Nobody is, in fact, going to jail. Where is problem?
Actually, I think that there are some legit laws against hate speech that take it out of straight First Amendment territory, and that's the Libel & Slander side.
Political immunity miracles aside, if you pour a tanker of vitriol into a speech / writing directed *at* someone(s) specific, that's a slam dunk win for the defense.
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
The impression I got from the article is that someone changed the SSID on a router belonging to the city of Teaneck.
At the very least, if they catch someone, they'll be able to make Defacing Public Property charges.
GLaDOS for President 2016! "Well here we are again. It's always such a pleasure." -- GLaDOS, 2011
I thought the same thing. People need to chill the fuck out. All this incident should have elicited is a roll of the eyes and a request the SSID be changed. That's it. But this is current American culture. Pathetic, isn't it?
Ah, I love all the posts by people that have no clue about what has been going on in the area. Lets see, two synagogues have been defaced, a arson attempt at another synagogue, and a fire bombing of another one. I guess it's not worth it for the police to investigate.
I feel harassed by that woman's harassment. She should go to jail for harassing me over the internet.
Well, since its a radio broadcast and its indecent, it is almost certainly a violation of FCC rules on indecent broadcasts. Should have set that SSID to not broadcast. You can *say* what you want, but the gov't does regulate what you can say on radio waves.
The problem is that they called the police out twice, and wasted taxpayer money on someone exercising their freedom of speech. That lady was not harmed in any way. Offended maybe, but I doubt she is worried they will be placing buying artifacts on her lawn while she sleeps.
The asshat who put that as their SSID is just that: An asshat. That doesn't make it illegal. It just makes him or her a douche.
It's a hate crime if you post such a message on SOMEONE ELSE'S PROPERTY. If you post such a sign on YOUR property for all the world to see then it's not a crime, it's free speech. (Of course you will probably be fire bombed, but that's another story). Since Wifi is using public airwaves the FCC might be have something to say about this, but as wifi doesn't require a license they probably don't have a leg to stand on. Now if that router was in a public place (not on private property) maybe there would a legal avenue for the police.
Steve Hughes is right Steven Hughes on being offended
There really isn't anything wrong with the name as I read in the article. If the police in Teaneck, NJ want to face the wrath of the ACLU and possibly civil rights law suits, they may feel free to continue their pursuit. As a tax payer, I would be furious that my tax dollars are going to panty waste investigations such as this. I would be writing editorials in the local newspaper calling for the firing of the police chief. Hell, there are people out there with chain saws and they are going after this guy. This is a freedom of speech issue and the WiFi router owner is NOT screaming fire in a crowded movie theater.
"Stupid isn't a disease, but it sure is spreading like one!" -Sandy Cheeks
Yeah I quoted Spongebob, big deal wanna fight about it?!
She'll likely fall apart completely right there on the sidewalk somewhere and require years of therapy.
All your other friends couldn't come either, because you don't have any other friends. Because of how unlikeable you are. It says so here in your personnel file: Unlikeable. Liked by no one. A bitter, unlikeable loner whose passing shall not be mourned. 'Shall not be mourned.' That's exactly what it says. Very formal, very official.
Fear is the mind killer.
They need to set a better password on that router.
I thought unauthorized access of a network was supposed to be a crime. Just because I broadcast my SSID in plain text, that doesn't mean that I'm authorizing you to view it:
http://www.dba-oracle.com/t_unauthorized_access_computer_network_crime.htm
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/07/01/1637211/judge-oks-wiretap-lawsuit-over-google-wi-fi-sniffing
Apparently the law thinks that intentionally broadcasting something in plain text doesn't mean that it's free for everyone to use.
If you read my SSID without my permission, I'm calling the cops!
If your particular ethnicity/gender/orientation was attacked with a well-known term that implied you'd be beaten, killed or worse in that neighborhood, you'd be right to feel shocked, hurt and harrassed, for good reason. Either you've had the privilege of never being intimidated that way, you just don't think anyone else should be protected, or you're a masochist.
--
make install -not war
Suburban NYC-area where people are getting firebombed these days by people who say what that WiFi SSID said are not in a carefully crafted bubble. They're in the real world, where those kinds of statements are part of the violence.
It's you in your Slashdot posting pod who is in a carefully crafted bubble.
--
make install -not war
That lady is going to be totally fucked when she leaves her carefully crafted bubble and enters into the real world someday. She'll likely fall apart completely right there on the sidewalk somewhere and require years of therapy.
Hold on, this is New Jersey. There are plenty of NJ residents who live there whole lives within their little suburban bubbles who think NYC is a dangerous place to visit and who are too scared to go outside of their social / cultural neighborhood. It's self-segregation at its finest.
Your freedoms end where other people begin.
How free do you think I'll remain if I set my WiFi router's SSID to: KILLTHEFUCKINGPIGS ? ;-)
.
.
.
.
.
Think someone might take that as anti-police, anti-authority hate speech?
Little do they know that I'm actually advertising for a feral hog hunting expedition business. And I'm also a 15-year member of the local PD
Is the person exercising their right to freedom of speech for the sake of exercising their right to the freedom of speech the douche, or is it the person proclaiming in a holier-than-thou manner "that person is a douche" that is the real douche?
It's a Jersey thing.
Either you've had the privilege of never being intimidated that way
I'm part Jewish; to borrow a quote from Hesh on The Sopranos: You're talking to the wrong white man, my friend. My people were the white man's nigger when yours were still painting their faces and chasing zebras.
you just don't think anyone else should be protected
People should be protected from violence. Offensive wi-fi names? Not so much. Put up an offensive wi-fi network by my house; my family background is Jewish, Native American, Polish, German and Swedish. I'm sure if you think long enough you can come up with a name that offends every one of those ethnic groups. I still won't be calling the police.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
As I understand it the problem is not that someone named their personal router something offensive, it's that some unknown person renamed the community center's router something hateful and inflammatory. At least that's what I understand from TFA, although even in the quotes from locals there seems to be some confusion on the point.
This may be nothing more than a case of a default password on the router. This could be a tough case to make stick.
The truth shall set you free!
My son suggested we name our wireless box "FEMA Death Camp #7327"
In that particular neighborhood there have been several murders and firebombings of places of worship, all racially and religiously motivated. I'm sure that all those people need to do is chill out. Nothing stops arsonists and murderers like chilling out.
My take on it was that either some employee did this, or that someone simply hacked the router. Not hard to believe as most come without any password protection, and generally use something asinine like 'Admin' for the login name, or even worse, a blank value.
In any case, it would be an internal matter for the community center that may or may not justify police involvement at some point. It should not involve calling the police and having a car sent out to calm some hysteric woman who was offended by something she read. It does not justify the waste taxpayer money sending a policeman out. What exactly was he going to do? Unplug it? I think pretty much any employee of the community center could do that and effectively solve the situation short term.
I lived in Manhattan for a few years. On an average day I could pickup about 50 SSIDs from my upper east apartment. I always joked about setting someone's SSID to something racist or inviting... it never happened, but my classic name always remained: "install_virus.exe." It's a great "how dumb is my friend" barometer.
"What? Your router is called install_virus.exe? It is safe?? Uhh I see an open network near you, I'm gonna use that one..."
BTWp1 .... They login with reckless abandonment. The potential for logged information is overwhelming.
I'm sure this is common knowledge but a lot (or so I'm told) of the open wifi signals you'll pickup in NYC are setup for the sole purpose of "identity theft." And everyone (99%teehee) in NYC is poor as ____
BTWp2
If you ever move to NYC just disable SSID broadcasting. My router was being scanned by "China" (china proxy?) CONSTANTLY. Constantly. constantly. I just hope my SSID wasn't lost in translation.
"Gay niggers from outer space"
Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
See the topic. It'd probably be better to suppress the SSID and use authentication.
Doesn't this fall under the first amendment, you know that one that talks about Freedom of Speech and those other rights that are getting taken away slowly. I mean the KKK does this all the time in their rallies and it is filled under freedom of speech, I am not approving the message in anyway, but I think that this is just another example where the Constitution is being ignored.
Just because you are wrong and I called you out on it doesn't mean I am a Troll.
I've yet to find a racial slur that a white american man would blink twice about. Do you have any examples?
"When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
I recall a tasteless network that some acquaintances my mine used to have called "The oven". All of the computers on this network had to have Jewish names.
Yea, a holocaust joke. Hilarious.
Anyway, as tasteless as it was, it seems pretty ridiculous that those guys were guilty of a crime.
It also says you were adopted. So that's funny, too.
Am I the only one concerned that the government is investigating the name someone used on their router and not only that, but some lady wants the person arrested? Has it really come to this in the United States? Nowhere does the US Constitution protect people from being offended. The police should be the ones being investigated for investigating this.
The incident is being investigated as a possible 'bias crime.'
No one has been charged with anything here. No one is in jail, going to jail, fined, or otherwise being deprived of life/liberty/happiness - and I bet no one will.
TFA is a story from the NY Daily News for chrissake. All you people with the reactionary, alarmist posts need to step away from your computers and go try to find where your critical thinking skill are hiding.
Libel and slander are already crimes, or at least civil offenses. Again it should be no more okay for me to slander or libel you for one reason than another.
Why should it matter if I tell people you are rapist, when you been convicted of no such crime, for say commercial advantage, than say because I don't like what color you are? Either are clearly wrong. The test is and should be for truth, the harm is effect the false claim has on your reputation, the penalty should reflect the harm. Its not additionally harmful to your reputation if I also call you a N***, K***, or whatever, its harmful to mine.
Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
Got an old wireless router? Make sure there's nothing tying it to you, set up the SSID to be something offensive. Plug into the wall somewhere public, and walk away.
I don't believe it's only the police that falls in this situation...
Who's investigating the Police for offensive investigations?
giggity
A euphemism for political crime. See also "hate crime".
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Suburban NYC-area where people are getting firebombed these days by people who say what that WiFi SSID said are not in a carefully crafted bubble. They're in the real world, where those kinds of statements are part of the violence.
It's you in your Slashdot posting pod who is in a carefully crafted bubble.
Those kinds of statements, along with any other kind of statement are not part of violence, they're statements (as you stated). They're also protected by the U.S. Constitution, and the UN Declaration of Human rights. I know, I know.. lots of folks these days only believe in free speech when they agree with what is being said... C'est la vie.
You realize you just stereotyped an entire race while bitching about racism, right?
I find them all patently offensive. I also find the word "cunt" rather offensive (it's probably the only "swear word" that still shocks).
As an FYI there have been quite a few synagogues attacked in this area recently..doesn't really justify it but that is the background.
I live in a building (and area) in Vancouver, BC approximately 90% Asian. My (open) w-fi network name is "I Hate Chinks"
I don't really care.
If someone hacked the router to do it, I'm pretty sure that will be prosecutable as a computer crime, as it's unauthorized access of a computer system. Very bad for those involved. If instead someone just put up a hidden wireless router with the message, that's free speech.
I mean if we are supposed to be a tolerant country then shouldnt we be tolerant of things we dont like? I mean tolerance and free speach are preached constantly in this country but how come everyone only wants to tolerate things they already like? Like people who arent racist will preach tolerance to racists, but they wont actually tolerate the racists. I mean isnt tolerance's meaning putting up with and dealing with things you dont like? So sure you may not like a racist or a homophobe but shouldnt you tolerate his choices? But the fact is people who preach tolerance and acceptance will only preach it when it makes them feel righteous and superior because they will say "Mr racist youre a terrible person for hating that man for his skin color. Youre wrong, youre destructive to our society and I will not stand for it and youre not allowed to say these things anymore or think them. You should learn to tolerate your fellow man.........why yes I know Im not tolerating you and I am telling you that your freedoms dont count but thats not the point! The point is I dont like what you think or say so you shouldnt think or say them, its completely different when I do it!. Assholes.
So how come its ok for people to dislike white people but you cant dislike black people and now jews? I bet if I named a network "honky" or "cracker" no one would ever care about it. Since when is not ok in america to dislike something?
Not at all. When Jesus came around he said he would 'fulfill' the laws of Moses, which the Jews of his day were presently living.
The law of Moses went out to a people who were pretty wild, so it fit the time. Keep in mind, the retribution-based justice of Ten Commandments are thought to date to about the same time frame as the Code of Hammurabi, so when they were 'new,' they actually were a big step forward for civilization - a written law based on justice. And in more modern times, this system was pretty crude and similar in ways to Sharia law. The law as set out in the Old Testament also includes things like spelling out religious/cultural ceremonies, practices such as not drinking blood and cooking meat, capital punishment by society (they didn't have jails worked out in 5000BC), rules on freedom for slaves and debt every so many decades, and so on.
Like the saying, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, Jesus came around and said we need to stop this and start incorporating mercy and other good principles into our theocracy or it isn't really God's system. And a lot of that stuff in the books just isn't really the important idea - you're missing the point of it all - so let's just start by having everybody try to play nice and see how far we get.
Believing in Christianity means you believe Jesus was right and those ancient laws need mercy as well as justice to be right. And a lot of other things, like it doesn't much matter what you eat, but rather what you do. Without believing in Christianity, most first world citizens probably feel the same. That changes what the Old Testament is used for. Since Christians believe many of those old rules no longer apply since they believe what Christ said was correct, those parts of the book becomes a historical record for Christians.
I'm not going to stone any adulterer because the Jewish culture was commanded to back in 3000 BC. Jesus kind of made a stand on that particular one. I'm not ignoring the Old Testament; it just doesn't apply anymore.
How about the guy who made "FBI Surveillance Van" his network's SSID? Is he going to be prosecuted for impersonating a fed?
My Verizon's MiFi 802.11 network is named "InfectedWiFi". I did it as yuppie repellant, to encourage academic loiterers in bookstores to move along.
Now I see it's really a terroristic threat. I must be a very bad man.
I don't know where you learned to read, but "white american man" isn't a stereotype at all. It is a race classification. Also, I wasn't the one bitching about racism. I simply stated the fact that there likely isn't a racial slur you can find that bothers me, or most anyone else that is a white american man.
"When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
They're also protected by the U.S. Constitution, and the UN Declaration of Human rights.
Nothing is "protected" by the UNDHR because it's not law and it's not a treaty. It's just the result of a bunch of guys who got together and said "this is what we think".
Now hurry up and clean up your desk or you can't go out for recess.
Advice: on VPS providers
Sorry charlie, not in the bill of rights. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
If I don't like something you do, or are, I can say so, and there's not a damned thing you can do about it. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
SSID - yup - free speech, just like wearing a t-shirt that says - I hate stupid people, or I hate ignorant fucks. protected free speech. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
You make a choice to do something I don't like, I get to call you out on it. "I hate your choice" - protected free speech. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
I can't hit you, or abuse you, but I can certainly call you names, even if it offends you, because that's my free speech. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
Don't like what I say? Don't listen to me. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
Don't like what I write? Don't read it. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
Can't have a Christmas party where you work? Talk to your HR department, let them know they are stamping on your freedom of religion - majority rules.
Just because a few people (minority) don't have the same beliefs, does not, can not, prevent you from expressing yourself. You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
To summarize, You do NOT have the right not to be offended.
...was the negligent setup of the wireless router at the rec center. I'm sure the entire setup process was "take it out of the box and plug it in." I've seen this kind of thing all the time at client sites at my last job, including medical offices subject to HIPPA regulations.
What happened some time after that was that some kid found the network (which was probably wide open and named "linksys", realized he could get into the admin interface with the default credentials, and decided to change the SSID to get a rise out of people. Mission accomplished, kid.
There is no need for the police to be involved in this whatsoever. They will never find the responsible party, and even if they did, I guarantee you it would just be some kid with no racist agenda who just came up with the most offensive SSID he could think of. Anyone equating this with spraypainting something on a synagogue wall or trying to burn the place down, get fucking real.
Now I'm just waiting for the other show to drop-- where the "victim" quoted in the article announces that she has retained a lawyer and is suing the city for millions for mental anguish, since this happened on public property. Either that, or the city will remove publicly-accessible wifi from all of its buildings in a total wild knee-jerk overreaction. Maybe both.
It is worth noting that Teaneck is an overwhelmingly Jewish town.
All it was doing is telling the local ladies to sleep with the local peoples of Jewish or African decent!
can't sleep slashdot will eat me
Now hurry up and clean up your desk or you can't go out for recess.
What do you have a hidden camera somewhere around here? I've got tape over the one built into my lapotp... DAMNIT!
The historical background for the OED entry does not change the fact that it is now more widely known that the term "Semite" encompasses more than just the Jewish ethnicity. Consequently, when people use the term "anti-Semite" to describe someone of Arab ancestry, for instance, we should be aware of the irony. And we should point it out.
The only exception I might make for this is if the SSID nonsense is a part of a larger campaign by this person to harass that individual. Whereas, they combine this with other forms of harassment to try and intimidate their neighbors. If that's the case, then you may have a real case for harassment and intimidation. Otherwise, I agree: it's just another asshat being a douche.
And the white bit... well, with one or two exceptions, that's just how it's working out.
Guns, Germs and Steel. That's pretty much why white Eurasian culture rules the modern world, because they were in the right place at the right time...
Jared Diamond has some fun ideas, but his basic premise is quite flawed from what the historical record has to say -- guns and steel were much less important than germs. I would strongly recommend 1491 by Charles C. Mann over Guns, Germs, and Steel. One strong point that Mann makes, and that others have made as well, is that guns weren't all that superior to bows at the time, with far less accuracy, much more likelihood of backfiring or blowing up, extremely longer reload times, and exceedingly fiddly and fragile munitions. They were strong psychological tools, but as weapons, bows were the better bet.
I certainly agree with your "right place at the right time" point. For a clearer background picture though, give 1491 a read-through.
No need to be an asshat. While the UDHR is a mere "declaration", and therefore non-binding, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which is completely derived from it) is a full international treaty, ratified by most major countries, and is an accepted part of international law. Free speech is in Article 19 (thanks Wikipedia!).
So you might be pedantically correct that the UDHR is "merely" the opinion of the UN General Assembly, it is international law under an only slightly different name.
Speech is not violence. Here's your proof, if you have the courage to try it: go into a bar in a rough part of town and start talking trash. When you get the shit beat out of you, see who gets arrested.
You have the right to call me a dumb American mick. I do not have the right to knock your teeth out in response.
Free Martian Whores!
So you're trying to equate the contempt we have for the wealthy with racism. Sorry, no sale. Wealthy people, white and otherwise, have largely earned the contempt we have for them.
How does that make it a crime all of a sudden?
Even if the password is 'password' it's still breaking in.
Just because you have a really poor lock doesn't mean the door is open.
I felt the need here to point out that "breaking" and "entering" are two separate actions. If your front door lock happens to work with a key I have, and I use my key to enter your house, I have only "entered" -- there is no "breaking in" here.
That's not to say that whoever changed the SSID might not have been accessing the router illegally -- but it is important to get the terms straight.
but only to my neighbor.
My SSID is "No_Shes_Not"... and his is "My_Wife_Is_Hot".
I don't even know who it is, so I don't really know what she looks like.
True story.
...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
you have to be kidding! I am offended by her being offended, she should see jail time for wasting resources
Either you've had the privilege of never being intimidated that way, you just don't think anyone else should be protected.
Or you're not a cowardly wimp, and I say that as someone who has had guns pointed at me and had a few teeth knocked out. Fucking cowards trying to take my constitutional rights away... STOP IT!!! Giving in to fear never stopped a bully.
Free Martian Whores!
It depends on what you say. If you say someone's gay (and they are, suppose they've publicly said so), and then talk about how horrible gay people allegedly are, I don't see how that's slander or libel. But if you say someone's gay and they aren't, that can easily get you at the wrong end of a lawsuit; it's happened many times here in the US. I believe Liberace sued a bunch of journalists about that very thing, and won every time. Of course, it came out after his death that he really was gay, or at least one of his closest friends said so, but during his lifetime he never admitted to it and strongly denied it, probably because of the social stigma at the time.
Libel and slander are only actionable if the things said are untrue, or cannot be proven true and harm the other party. If they're true, or are simply opinion, you won't win a libel/slander suit.
Moreover, libel and slander are not crimes. They're torts. You won't go to jail for saying your neighbor is (something embarrassing that's untrue), however your neighbor can sue you in court and win a big judgment against you for it.
not whether or not this is hate speech, it is. The question is whether or not the type of hate speech it is is illegal. As far as I can see it isn't defamation, obscenity, or incitement to riot. It may be considered fighting words depending on the venue and intent of the speaker and that is illegal. Given that it was at a community center the speaker had good reason to believe that this speech would be consumed by people he, or she, targeted (African Americans and Jews) and any reasonable person would be offended by such speech, possibly even incited to violence, so I think a case could be made for fighting words. As for sanctions, I think jail may be a bit much, mandatory psychiatric help may be more appropriate.
You can't disprove the existence of a God.
I can't prove the existence of a God.
Well, *&^t happens I guess. We'll just have to deal with the fact that the views are different and neither can be proven or disproven. Perhaps in a few millenia the human race will be a little brigher than we are now. Until then, I'm just going to try to play nice and hope everybody else is up to the same task.
Not everyone. ;-)
I have to admit that I find Jewish hatred confusing. Are we supposed to hate you because you are good businessmen? Help me out here, I just don't get it...
Well, if it's libel or slander, than it's against the law for being libel or slander (neither of which are considered a form of expression to which anyone has a right), whether it's hateful or not. The reason libel and slander are against the law is because they attempt to defame someone with statements that are untrue, and ultimately attack their livelihood, not because they're hateful.
Or perhaps I'm misunderstanding your point?
As an aside, is there such a thing as polite and respectful libel or slander?
my, your, his/her/its, our, your, their
I'm, you're, he's/she's/it's, we're, you're, they're
I can foresee a time in the not too distant future when The House and Senate will try to pass a bill as big as SOPA/PIPA to protect big organizations from any sort of public criticism whatsoever (most likely spearheaded and funded by the Church of Scientology).
The package of laws in its entirety will be known as The Butthurt Laws.
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It is just a crime. Thought crimes are stupid. What you were feeling or thinking when you did the crime does not matter; point that matters-- you did the crime. Why you did it does not matter except during sentencing or to bias the jury but there is no need or should be any legal ability to codify bias against a criminal's bias.
Political posturing against unpopular minority groups unable to defend themselves against the scorn of the populace. its textbook. so we get another discriminatory law that undermines the system. Like taxing smokers "for their own good" when its just an easy scapegoat to rob a minority who can't help themselves and already waste money on the things as it is. (Sure they cost everybody more in the end and that should cost them but it has little to do with that politically as stadiums and other things are payed for by them because its not popular enough to tax the majority on a particular issue.) Another one is the crack cocaine laws for decades which were really about racism because 1 group didn't use 1 form of the drug. Or taking away former felon's voting rights sounds ok to people because they forever hate ex-convicts but that also is race influenced in its history and is really tied to class-ism.
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
Is the person exercising their right to freedom of speech for the sake of exercising their right to the freedom of speech the douche, or is it the person proclaiming in a holier-than-thou manner "that person is a douche" that is the real douche?
Why would it have to be either one or the other?
They are both douches, equally.
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It turns out the Wifi was on a router plugged into a community center. If the router belonged to community center and some one changed it. They've done the equivalent of writing a racist profane message on a blackboard. Not exactly a crime but the kind of thing that gets students suspended, or banned from the Rec center.
The difference between violence directed at you individually, vs violence directed at you solely because you're the member of some group, is that the group violence threatens the entire group.
You have the Constitutional right to say things, but not to terrorize whole groups of people. When you publicly call someone "nigger" or broadcast "fuck the Jews" you are implying a threat of violence, as established by long history. Violent threats are not protected by the Constitution.
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make install -not war
Speech is not violence, but threats of violence are speech that's rightfully not protected by the government. Calling people these names imply threats of violence.
Your example is bad, too. You very well might get arrested or convicted by a judge for using "fighting words" that get you beat up, even if the people who beat you get arrested, too.
There is a lot more to the limits to speech than what you think you've learned by fighting.
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make install -not war
You have to commit a crime in order to commit a "bias crime". Biased or inflammatory speech itself is not a crime.
My buddy got on the an open WiFi network and renamed it "Jesus On A Pogo Stick"
I've lived here (NJ) my whole life, and I could count the number of people I know who are afraid of New York on one hand. A lot of people in north Jersey works in there, and most of the rest of us go there on occasion for fun if we can afford it.
In my experience, the people who are afraid of NYC are mostly from the south and midwest.
I_RAPE_SHEEP has been my SSID for a number of years. I kept hoping it would make the news.
If I knew it was as easy as renaming my SSID "F--- All Jews and N----" I'd have been famous already.
Oh well. This country is going to the dogs because pluralism ensures we'll all be offended, which means the only safe stance is fiddling while Rome burns.
Futurist Traditionalism
But I don't hate you, I just love you a little less than everyone else. The more criticism that you hear from me just means I want you to be more perfect than the perfection you already attained.
Think Positive(sm)!
Well, okay, so in my glorious Not-Lawyerness, I was unclear again.
1. If you are upset about a "Hate Speech", check first to see if it is in fact *also* Libel or Slander upon which point you get a result. I believe it is actually quite difficult to say hateful things an NOT fall into that trap unless you are a practiced weasel.
2. Even if the bounds are true statements, "You are a Ginger. I hate Gingers" (Tim Minchin). Strung together back to back it becomes attacking - is that now Defamation of Character / Verbal Abuse? A good judge should sort out when minor linguistic punctuation is trying to slide "I didn't say I hate you" etc.
My first Journal Entry ever, in 8 years! http://slashdot.org/journal/365947/aphelion-scifi-fantasy-horror-poetry-webzine
My neighbor has a wireless network called "Fuckoff". I wonder if he'll be next.
Obviously, what's happening here is that some police don't know the law, so they're doing their investigative work by gut feeling. If I lived there, I'd want my local city councillors to answer some hard questions about why the police in my area are so poorly trained.
When you publicly call someone "nigger" or broadcast "fuck the Jews" you are implying a threat of violence
So now you're a mind eater and can tell the motivation of every single person who uses the word "nigger"? An acquaintance of mine is fond of saying "There's a difference between niggers and black people." He's an ignorant fool but I'd love for you tell me what part of that statement implies a threat of violence. He's expressing his opinion; it's an opinion that most people would find repugnant but at the end of the day that's all it is: an opinion.
I'm sorry but we don't apply prior restraint to speech based on the actions of people have previously used a word that was once so common as to appear in classic American Literature.
I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
Don't you know?
“I was shocked, hurt. I felt harassed."
Translation: Momma needs a new pair of Gucci shoes and I've lawyered up ready to sue this bastard.
There's enough legal shows on TV now that everyone has down the language to ensure they can sue someone.
Bad taste yes. Pathetic yes. Free speech yes. ...unless of course it was the city's wifi ap that was hacked. And by hacked I mean they left the manufacturer default password enabled.
everyone in this entire fucking article is a moron. a name cannot be "racist" or "anti-semitic," whatever that even means.
a "bigot" named this connection? how's that work? I thought they were still trying to figure who's responsible. I'd think that makes them the "bigot."
if you are shocked and harassed, perhaps you should grow the fuck up or kill yourself, because you're not fit for life.
the words are: Niggers and Jews, not N------ and J------.
Police state.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9HRLvfbauA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaJelU29jeI
My SSID is: ins_surveillance_van
Osama ben Laden didn't kill a single American. He exercised his right to free speech, and he incited others to act. Even free speech must have limits.
I wan to kill all the xxxxxxxxxx because I hate them and you may want to believe as I do. That free speech is legal.
So if I tell secrets to enemies, and I did not sign a non disclosure agreement, is that a violation of free speech?
If I am able to spend 5 million of my own money to brainwash the voters with my beliefs (for the upcoming presidential election) where is the line to be drawn between free speech and electioneering.
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
Considering he was the mastermind behind the plan, he was directly responsible for the deaths from 911. Are you an idiot or jus a troll?
Are you seriously equating plotting to kill someone and carrying out those plans as 'Free Speech'?
I am a pacifist. To win after 43 years of marriage, I let my wife win the arguments. And when she is found wrong, my aha is my reward.
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
The argument was about free speech. Where does it no longer be legal or not free?
Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
Wrong:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_words
Most US jurisdictions might *still* arrest you today because they ignore this, but that doesn't make it Law.
"white american man"
I do believe that "racist sexist homophobe" is the term that is currently in vogue.
(There is supposed to be a Sarcmark® here, but my $1.99 check hasn't cleared, yet...)
“This should not be tolerated in this town. They should see jail time for it,"
How stupid and ignorant. This woman probably doesn't realise if they get jail time she will be paying for it in taxes. Oh wait, she probably doesn't have a job.
You have the Constitutional right to say things, but not to terrorize whole groups of people. When you publicly call someone "nigger"...
What's funny is black people have called me "nigger" (and "bro" as well), and I have hazel eyes and had brown hair before it turned gray. I was always taught "sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never harm me." And if I were an Arab living in Palestine, I would most likely think "fuck the jews", would a Palestinian be within his rights to express hatred for a group that has been lording over them? If I were black, why should it not be my right to say "fuck those honkey bastards, I'm sitting in the FRONT of the bus!"?
Like Asimov's Hober Mallow said, it's a poor atom blaster that won't point both ways. Call me a "goddamned mick" and I'll simply laugh at you.
Free Martian Whores!
You don't have to fight to get punched.
Free Martian Whores!