High court leaves KKK on highway litter duty
 

So, should Missouri be required to allow the KKK to participate in its' Adopt-A-Highway program?

Well, apart from the implied danger to highway workers, I find this potential hilarious. Just drive by and dump thousands of filthy diapers, industrial waste, hospital waste, offal and detrius from your local abattoir.

Let the fuckwads clean that up...


Mr Mephisto

The court of appeals is correct. This is America and anyone can say or believe any damn fool thing they want. You can NOT descriminate against it via government. It is unfortunate that people have forgotten this very integral part of freedom. Freedom for everyone, not just what some people think is "right". It is rather cut-and-dry.

This is America. If some guy wants to run around yelling "nigger nigger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" they can.

Voltaire said it best: "I might not agree with you but I will defend your right to go against me to the death." (that may not be a perfect quote, sorry if it is innacurate.) I think they're a bunch of scumbags, but it doesnt make them any less subject to the rights given to them by this country.

The thought of a sign thanking the KKK on the highway is cringe-worthy, but yeah.. I suppose you can't put exceptions to fundamental freedoms.

yes, missouri must abide.

at least the kkk would be doing something positive... :shrug:

Love both of those quotes in your sig uncle_el. More people need to remember what America and basic freedom is all about.

"I may not agree with what you say, but I shall defend unto death your right to say it"


Like I said, let them pick up shit, offal and used syringes for a few months, all the time trying to dodge the 18-wheelers as they whiz by.

"What the fuck is that? I ain't touchin' it" and "ARRRRGGH!!! Watch out!!!" are free speech too.




Mr Mephisto

It would be a very bad thing for the government (state or federal) to start discriminating against a particular group, unsavory though they may be. Someone once said that the measure of a society is how much freedom they grant their dissidents, or something along those lines.

Who want's to take a road trip and dump some garbage on that 1/2 mile?

Still, they have just as much a right to pick up trash as anyone else...

I wonder how many people see the sign indicating it is the KKK's adopted stretch and deliberately toss thier trash. I think if I saw the sign then saw someone cleaning up the highway I would toss my trash at them. Trash for trash.

we may not agree on the beliefs of the kkk, but they do have a right to help out by sponsoring a stretch of highway to clean up. i like the fact that they are doing this. i don't see what's wrong.

Here's how Wisconsin handled the issue...

LINK
-Mikey

Well, considering there could be the potential for additional KKK backlash if they were allowed to clean the freeway, I have to say no. Because of road rage, and a general disliking for closeminded KKK members, I would have to ay the road would be safer if they weren't allowed to solicit their "good neighbor" policy.

I do value the freedom of speech and would typically say this would be ok, but because it is the KKK and could cause for additional hardships on that road, I have to say no.

Although I will support the rights of people to have racist beliefs and organize racist groups to protest racial integration I don't think the KKK should have this stretch of highway.

Historically, they have been a terrorist organization. They've burned down houses, hanged black men, and basically causes havoc for minorities. They should not be allowed to exist, even if their violent activities have been fewer lately.

Would we give a highway segment to Al Quedia or Hammas?

Ok, so then who is on the "ok to clean the highway list" and whom is the list written by?

As distasteful as it is, I think they should be allowed their stretch of highway.

I don't understand how the KKK can continue to exist? Isn't inciting racial hatred illegal in America?

I don't know who writes it but I'm pretty sure that a group wanting to get a good name for picking up little should not have a well documented history of murdering, beating, and intimidating people based on the color of their skin.

I know, I'm asking too much. Why don't we invite the IRA and Hammas to pick up your freeway? I'm sure they'd be happy to pimp their image as servants of society. While we are at it, let's invite ELF and ALF as well.

The US government has a well documented history of murdering, beating, and intimidating people based on the color of thier skin too, you know.

And your suggestion of inviting the IRA or Hamas to pick up our freeways is, pardon my language, stupid. Hardly a part of the US or protected by its constitution. The KKK wasn't exactly invited either, were they? Should ELF and ALF be allowed to if they choose to? Yes. Deal with it.

It's picking up freeway trash man - garbage. They want to pick up garbage. Garbage. Just repeat that to yourself.

Indeed, but what country doesnt? The KKK still profess racial hatred as far as i know, even if they cannot actively exercise these ideas.

Very true. However, we must afford them the same rights we afford others or else we have failed as a society. And that would make us no better than the KKK.

Please don't think I have any love for these asshats, because I do not. But I understand the need to treat them in a manner in which I myself would expect to be treated by people who do not share my views.

Hell, we use convicts to pick up garbage on the side of the road. What's the big deal with the KKK? The NAACP is welcome to pick up garbage on the stretch of road before or after them (though they might want to do it on a different day).

I don't get how picking up garbage or being xcluding from doing so is a challenge to first amedment rights. Pretty interesting interpretations if you ask me.

Anybody ever watch that episode of South Park when Nambla was trying to argue constitutional protection for molesting boys? This is almost as ridiculous as Trey Parker and Matt Stone's over the top political commentary.

To me this is freedom of speech gone too far. Sorry but any organisation which is openly racist, and therefore impeeding the rights of others should not be allowed.

If it was merely a racist group that organized white pride rallies but NEVER broke the law or encouraged members to do so then they would be fully able to do it. The thing is that the KKK is not such a group. They may have attempted to clean up their image but a superficial makeover does not undo 150 years of violence and illegal activities.

Maybe you haven't heard of ELF, they like to torch mansions and luxury car dealerships. Nice guys.

If they can make exceptions whenever they want, what happens when they decide that john_713 is no longer allowed his rights to freespeech because he bugs john_247?

That is a poor comparison imo. If john_247 bugs me then it could be for a thousand reasons. The KKK do not 'bug' people and if they do they do it simply because of the colour of their skin. How can this be allowed?

I have heard of ELF. If they want to clean up the freeway, more power to them. That doesn't hurt anyone. In fact, it helps us all. Condoning freeway cleanup does not equate with condoning arson, there's a very important difference.

And it is true that convicts are used to cleanup roadsides. Surely you would profess that if a convicted criminal is good enough to clean up our roads, a bigot is as well?

Sure, on a practical standpoint, the KKK shouldn't be allowed to exist, and sure, they committed horrible acts.
But think on a legal standpoint. There is no "common sense" in the law, the limits must be well established and firm, there is no case-by-case, only rules that apply to everything.
So even if KKK is associated with murder and arson, you cannot simply ban anything and anyone under that name.. if an individual is caught committing murder or arson, he will be judged as such, but in itself, the KKK is "only" a group expressing their freedom of speech.

Boohoo, let them have their name on the sign and let them pick up trash. At least they're doing something positive for everyone for a change. This wouldn't be an issue if dirty ass people didn't litter in the first place.

That's the problem. They are trying to clean up their image. The adopt a highway program is all about image for most corporations.

I bet a lot of people will think that the organization with the name on the sign actually do the work. In reality they just pay a fee that helps fund public workers. The extra trash people throw out along that stretch could easily end up costing the taxpayers a fortune.

Still, the whole point of our constitution is we protect the unpopular from the mainstream.

The point of the constitution is to protect people from an overbearing and overreaching government, not to protect hate groups which sanction and condone violence and terror.

I think the protection afforded to groups like the KKK is disgusting, and don't give me 1st amendment protection, the 1st amendment doesn't protect assault.

And an overbearing and overreaching government would be one that denies opportunites to some while advancing the same to others.

I think it's laughable that first amendment rights were called into question and applied on whether or not the KKK can clean up highway.

And boo fucking hoo if the government discriminates against a bunch of hill billie terrorists. Groups like the KKK should be treated like Al Qaeda, the only protection that should be afforded them is civil and legal protection as it applies, groups that preach, foster, and commit hate and violence should not be allowed to survive in civilized society.

Well, then what about the NAACP? I would challenge you to find the last time they actually fought on behalf of a white person. Now, admittedly, they do profess to seek betterment for all people (I think that's right), but let's be realistic, they primarily seek to help black people. I'm sure there are tons of bigots in their ranks as well. By your thinking, these urban-dwelling, gun-toting, drug pushers (since we're slinging around stereotypes, Mojo) and others like the Black Panthers should not be able to do this either.

Does anyone really think an 18x24" sign is going to change anyones opinion of the KKK?

I doubt this is going to help their image to any great degree. People in their right mind are not going to look at this and say "You know, those motherfuckers are OK after all"

These assholes just want publicity and any debate about whether or not they should be allowed to pick up cans and dirty diapers along a roadway gives them more publicity than just letting the fuckers fill Hefty bags on Saturday mornings.

Trash picking up trash, kinda ironic.