Goodbye Free Speech, Hello Corruption

[Shiftkey]

Ruling Limits Free Speech at Work
Whistle-blowers in public jobs no longer safe from retaliation
by David G. Savage


The Supreme Court restricted the free-speech rights of the nation's 21 million public employees Tuesday, ruling that the First Amendment does not protect them from being punished for complaining to their managers about possible wrongdoing.

Although government employees have the same rights as other citizens to speak out on controversies of the day, they do not have the right to speak freely inside their offices on matters related to "their official duties," the Supreme Court said in a 5-4 decision.

"When a citizen enters government service, the citizen by necessity must accept certain limitations on his or her freedom," said Justice Anthony Kennedy, rejecting a lawsuit brought by a Los Angeles County prosecutor.

Lawyers for government whistle-blowers denounced the ruling as a major setback. They said it could threaten public health and safety. Hospital workers who know of dangers may be discouraged from revealing them, while police and public employees may be dissuaded from exposing corruption, they said.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0531-03.htm

 

[Anomalous]

It has aways been like this. In school do you think they let kids cuss or speak their mind?

 

[Shiftkey]

...

This has nothing to do with children in schools.

 

[chickenlegs03]

i wrote something but deleted it because it was completely irrelevent.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

It has aways been like this. In school do you think they let kids cuss or speak their mind?

I think it's funny that you coupled cursing and speaking their mind as free speech for kids.

 

[Bible_Belt]

There is a famous case, Bohatch v. Butler & Binion, which ruled that whistle-blowers in a law firm have no right to keep their job.

http://www.fordham.edu/law/faculty/patterson/corporations/materials/bohatch.html

 

[Dimebag_Darrell]

I dont care, as long as I'm getting a check, I'll be fine

 

[Don Ronny]

I dont care, as long as I'm getting a check, I'll be fine

You mean as long as they dont try to silence your rights. Typical american apathy here... "its not my problem" until you wake up and realize that they have stripped your constitutional rights and you are no longer a free citizen. Welcome to 1984, DD. You are Big Brother's best friend

 

[Shiftkey]

You mean as long as they dont try to silence your rights. Typical american apathy here... "its not my problem" until you wake up and realize that they have stripped your constitutional rights and you are no longer a free citizen. Welcome to 1984, DD. You are Big Brother's best friend

As I noticed the thread on Real Dolls has twice as many replies I was thinking the exact same thing :nervous: