What happened to freedom of speech?

[cåblelady]

You're deriving a perverse pleasure from watching me bang my head against a wall, aren't you? 

537155[/snapback]

 

Does it hurt?

[Guest BackInDaDay]

It's not alien to me.  But if some drunken fan takes exception and a fight breaks out, you can be the one to call The Barnes Firm for all the injured bystanders...

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A drunken fan may take exception to a 'Go Bills' poster.

 

Look. It's already been stated that the Bills front office has explicitly defined the terms of their authority to censor any and all forms of self-expression on the back of those tickets. That's a black and white issue.

 

But the root of this argument is not the significance of 1st ammendment rights and how they relate to sprorting events. It all boils down to "Please don't **** where we eat. Thank you. Enjoy the game."

[cåblelady]

It all boils down to "Please don't **** where we eat. Thank you. Enjoy the game."

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.....and don't pee in the pool.

[Adam]

.....and don't pee in the pool. 

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oopsie

[sfladave]

You are missing the point.

 

Comparing a cubscout meeting to a SPORTING EVENT is comparing apples to oranges.  Yes, they both are private functions that are happening in a public place... but it is not customary for a boy scout meeting to be comprised of people vocally shout out their displeasure. 

 

At a sporting event, it is.  People boo all the time.  The entire crowd boo'ed during Mularkey's intelligent pooch punt call at the Bronco's 33 that resulted in a net gain of 13 yards.  By your logic, I suppose that all fans voicing their displeasure should be kicked out?

 

536521[/snapback]

Yes they would be in their rights to do so. If TD and company wanted to they could try and throw everyone out who is booing in the stadium too.

 

I am amazed at the number of people who think just because the stadium is publicly owned that they have the right to do as they please at a private event being done by the entity who is leasing the stadium.

 

Cry, B word and moan all you want, the Bills can toss you for booing, sign holding or any other dumbass reason they want.

 

If you don't want to deal with their restrictions, don't go!

[sfladave]

Please detail the specifics of the harm caused by holding up a 'Donahoe must go' sign.

Some of us still believe in free speech even though it may be an alien concept to you.

536755[/snapback]

The "what harm is this sign arguement" is completely meaningless in this situation.

[cåblelady]

Cry, B word and moan all you want, the Bills can toss you for booing, sign holding or any other dumbass reason they want.

 

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They couldn't toss us for yelling "Mularkey Sucks" at the Patriots game because there were too many of us.

[kota]

Take it to the supreme court and try to win.

 

You won't tho.

[ExiledInIllinois]

The First Amendment freedom of speech provision prohibits the government from censoring any speech based on content. No matter how strongly the government may disagree with the content of what you're saying, it doesn't have the right to stop you from saying it.

 

However, none of this applies to the owners of private property. You can kick someone off your own land for any reason whatsoever. This applies to business owners too. Since you're entering someone else's land (Ralph Wilson Stadium), you have to play by the rules of those who own the land.

535974[/snapback]

 

I agree.

 

Not sure if this was said already... Didn't plod through this thread.

 

Doesn't the county "own" the land? Thus making the "owner" government.

 

The stadium is leased?

[X. Benedict]

I hate those "D"-"cardboard fence" things people hold up.  I'd do away with the whole "John 3:16" thing, too.  That's been bugging me for a while.

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You could start a trend and hold up a sign from the Song of Songs:

 

"Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters. I said, 'I will climb the palm tree. I will take hold of its fruit stalks.' Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine and the fragrance of your breath like apples."

 

Song of Solomon 7:7-8

 

I don't think that sign would last very long.

[Orton's Arm]

Let's say there's a publicly owned apartment building, and you happen to be renting one of the apartments. You can throw pretty much anyone at all out of the place you're renting, no matter how bad your reason for doing so may be. If you wanted, you could use this right to impose all kinds of restrictions on the speech of those who want to visit your apartment.

 

The same is true when it's a private entity--such as the Bills--leasing a publicly owned stadium.

[Guest BackInDaDay]

You could start a trend and hold up a sign from the Song of Songs:

 

    "Your stature is like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters. I said, 'I will climb the palm tree. I will take hold of its fruit stalks.' Oh may your breasts be like clusters of the vine and the fragrance of your breath like apples."

 

        Song of Solomon 7:7-8

 

I don't think that sign would last very long.

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Didn't TD mark all of our divinity students for death before the season started?

Tell us X., how did you escape his winged angels of death?

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

Tell us X., how did you escape his winged angels of death? 

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Not too hard, I imagine...if TD thinks Mike Gandy and Bennie Anderson are athletes, how !@#$ing incompetent do you think his "winged angels of death" are?

[Guest BackInDaDay]

Not too hard, I imagine...if TD thinks Mike Gandy and Bennie Anderson are athletes, how !@#$ing incompetent do you think his "winged angels of death" are?

537273[/snapback]

Ahhh.. perhaps Gandy and Anderson are TD's minions. That might explain their appearance on the roster.

[X. Benedict]

Didn't TD mark all of our divinity students for death before the season started?

Tell us X., how did you escape his winged angels of death? 

537268[/snapback]

 

Just a simple Tau on the Lintel worked really well.

[Crap Throwing Monkey]

I just think its funny that people continually try to invoke the Constitution at completely innappropriate times!

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What the First Amendment says:

 

Amendment I:  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

What people actually read:

 

Amendment I:  No one shall ever do anything to restrict your freedom to be an ass hole.

 

[X. Benedict]

Not too hard, I imagine...if TD thinks Mike Gandy and Bennie Anderson are athletes, how !@#$ing incompetent do you think his "winged angels of death" are?

537273[/snapback]

 

You're so right. Anyone that can't build an offensive line in 5 years ain't gonna be too hot dispatching winged minions.

[Berg]

What the First Amendment says:

What people actually read:

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I'd phrase it slightly differently:

 

"A person can say anything he/she wants, to anyone he/she wants, at any time under any circumstances with absolutely no repercussions."

[Stiffler]

I started this, please let me be the one to finish it:

 

1) The legal issue here is dead. Please stop posting about it. It is this:

Being a leased property, the Bills brass has private-owner rights. In essence, Ralph Wilson Stadium is their house, with their rules. Just like in my mom's house, I can't say whatever I want. I was wrong, and am now happily informed of this.

 

2) The real issue, however, is whether ownership should be taking away these signs. My stance and many others are saying it is petty and small to do so, revealing a deeper insecurity. Signs, shouting, booing, etc. is part of the game.

 

 

Oh, and a quick aside for the "If you don't like it, don't come" and "Well, they can do whatever they want, stop whining" posters:

 

When you love something, like a country or a team, and you perceive a problem with it, the solution is not to leave the nation (or never attend a game again); nor is it to accept the problem and be quiet. You stay loyal, and try to fix it.

[sfladave]

I started this, please let me be the one to finish it:

 

1) The legal issue here is dead.  Please stop posting about it.  It is this:

Being a leased property, the Bills brass has private-owner rights.  In essence, Ralph Wilson Stadium is their house, with their rules.  Just like in my mom's house, I can't say whatever I want.  I was wrong, and am now happily informed of this.

 

2) The real issue, however, is whether ownership should be taking away these signs.  My stance and many others are saying it is petty and small to do so, revealing a deeper insecurity.  Signs, shouting, booing, etc. is part of the game.

Oh, and a quick aside for the "If you don't like it, don't come" and "Well, they can do whatever they want, stop whining" posters: 

 

When you love something, like a country or a team, and you perceive a problem with it, the solution is not to leave the nation (or never attend a game again); nor is it to accept the problem and be quiet.  You stay loyal, and try to fix it.

537343[/snapback]

Then you need to come up with a plausible game plan.

 

Obviously the sign thing is out.

 

The wear orange to show unity in wanting change in management is something more in line with your go but show you're unhappy philosophy.

 

I'm with you in wanting change, and like you I'm frustrated with finding a realistic and effective way to do it. Unfortunately I cannot think of a more effect method than boycotting the games and merchandise until changes are made.