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Stop Snitchin' shirts and the First Amendment
By adamg on Sat, 12/03/2005 - 1:04pm
Dan thinks about those Stop Snitchin' t-shirts, the one Tom Menino wants to ban, and concludes that even just saying you want to ban them, even if you never actually do, might go to far toward eroding the First Amendment:
The T-shirts' message, needless to say, is completely irresponsible, and could help contribute to an atmosphere of intimidation that makes it harder to solve murders and other violent crimes. No store owner should carry them. But that's a different issue.
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Comments
arrests are not the answer
i really think that these poor kids are just symbolizing their oppression by wearing these shirts. we need to give more money to thier community, so that they will stop the violence towards each other. economic justice will end their problems. the problems they are having in their community are due to hundreds of years of oppression, and i think the police just need to talk to them with kindness.
"Stop Snitchin"
Adam -- It's clearly only if the police, acting in their official capacity, ask that the T-shirts be removed that there's a constitutional issue. You and I can walk in tomorrow and demand that they be removed -- that's *our* First Amendment right.
it's not the police - they
it's not the police - they have no authority to seize merchandise (provided it's not stolen). if you ever go to a concert or a sporting event, you will notice the uniformed members of the City of Boston inspectional services seizing illegally sold shirts and other items. though these shirts are not being illegally sold, i would assume it would fall under their purview.