NEWS: Legalize the Weed References

POLITICS: Legalize the Weed References

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is a humorless dick who thinks non-sequiturs aren’t constitutionally protected. On Monday, Roberts led a 5-4 Supreme court decision about a banner reading “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” created and displayed by Alaskan high school senior Joseph Frederick as a prank during the 2002 Olympic torch passing ceremony. Roberts wrote the decision, which ruled that the banner wasn’t protected by the First Amendment.

There’s certainly a lot of justified worry about how this ruling affects student free speech – Frederick wasn't even on school property when he held the sign, but was still suspended from school. Just as troubling is how Frederick’s repeated explanation that the slogan was a harmless joke was rejected by the court.

But it's not plainly reasonable to interpret “bong hits 4 Jesus” as a promotion of illegal drug use. It’s a profound misunderstanding of how jokes work. The statement isn’t pro-bong hits or even pro-Jesus. It’s pro-nonsense.

Bong hits, for the purpose of the slogan, aren’t delicious mouthfuls of marijuana smoke slightly cooled by water or other liquids, but are things that are funny when followed by the phrase “4 Jesus.” Bong hits aren’t commonly associated with Jesus or Christianity, and therefore when you associate the two, it’s funny. There are other non Jesus-y things that could have taken the place of bong hits, and it isn’t an obscenity or a violent image, unlike other things that could have plugged that hole, like assfucking 4 Jesus or carjacking 4 Jesus.

The ruling only covers the ability of school administrators to govern student speech. However, the implications of the ruling could be vast. There are a lot of cryptic statements that could be interpreted as pro-drug messages – Afroman's probably quaking in his boots.

Hot Carls 4 Jesus

Edit: I still don't get why the kid was suspended when not even at school.

carjacking 4 jesus would totally have been funnier.

This whole incident is so beyond irrelevant I can't believe it's even in the news. The kid was disruptive at a school-related event and received a mild punishment. Taking that to court was both a joke and a waste of its time.

To quote the great Dead Milkmen "Your just a right wing pigeon from outer space"

It doesnt matter how mild the punishment. What matters is the voilation to the kids first ammendment.

Given that he was off of school grounds is more the stupid thing. But the stupidest thing is that the Supreme Court even agreed to hear the case in the first place.

Technically, if he was participating in a school function, he can be suspended, even if that that function isn't on school property. It was in my student code of conduct in high school.

I don't agree that students don't have a right to free speech, though.

Also, since when is promoting illegal things illegal? Last I checked, saying "smoking weed is awesome" was not illegal, just having weed in your possession. Am I wrong?

Kids have been fighting for their right to free speech for years (decades?)... in some ways, I can see a school's side of trying to keep things orderly... on the other, I don't think it's right to say "everyone has rights... except students."

Free speach? Try driving a pick up truck through Alabama with "Man Love Rules" painted on the side in pink letters and see what happens!

Sandals, beard, long hair, wandering around in the wilderness... Are people ever going to wake up to the obvious?

Bong Hits 4 Me

This is confusing. How can Bong Hits 4 Jesus be interpreted as encouraging Marijuana use even if it is not a joke?
I am mulling this over. Suppose for a moment that the banner is not a joke. Suppose that the person who wrote the banner is insane and is actually offering Bong Hits to Jesus (the dead religious icon)? How does this in any way encourage drug usage?

Are the people going to this school so completely logic impaired that when seeing a banner that says Bong Hits 4 Jesus, they interpret it to mean: "He is offering Jesus bong hits, hence I must smoke pot?"

What if the banner had said crucification 4 Jesus, would that encourage these students to crucify themselves?

Something tells me they're Christians and they're offended and they're liars. Why not just say look kiddy, we're Christians and you stop making fun of our dude. Oh wait, what was that separation of Church and State?
This ruling is a very bad thing.

The ruling is more ridiculous than the sign.

Amazing!!!!!!!!!

AHHHHH.....America the beautiful!

Your from the United Kingdom, please don't let that be your example of what every city in the United States is like.....

I wonder if this decision will only effect High School Students, or if it will infringe on the rights of college students as well.

As long as the Supreme Court remains conservative, the question should be, how long until this effects us all?

This says an awful lot about just how big a stigma is attached to illegal drugs in this country (and others), and marijuana in particular.

Anyone recall the story of a student in Canada who was suspended and not allowed to take his finals (which, in effect, would fail him) for simply talking to his classmates about how pot might not be as dangerous and evil as some might paint it out to be? (Click here)

If the kid had been holding up a sign that said "beer bongs 4 jesus" or "binge drinking 4 jesus" or "get ripped 4 jesus" or "anal sex 4 jesus" or "gang rape 4 jesus" or "premeditated murder 4 jesus" I don't think they reaction would have been as bad. People freak the fuck out if you mention marijuana. It's painted as this evil, horrible, life destroying thing... and it might be... but talking about it shouldn't be a crime. Talking about anything shouldn't be a crime. If I said "I'm going to kill the President," then maybe I'd be okay with someone tackling me and stepping all over my right to free speech. That's cool. But making a joke like this shouldn't amount to anything except someone saying, "shut up you stupid stoner idiot."

I think it has very little to do with the drugs and more to do with the Jesus.

i have to agree with Joker.

If it said "Bong Hits 4 Kittens" it probably wouldn't even have made it as far as it did.

But once he used Jesus' name in vein, that's a sin in the catholic religion, and regardless of what you believe, the church and the state are not all that separated.

It's not nonsense. I think the sign *is* promoting bong hits, *and* poking fun at the christian right.

But don't get me wrong. I don't think either of those things should be against the law.

What if Jesus saw that sign and started smoking weed? Would you hippies be laughing then? If our lord was stoned?? I weep for the future.

Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back? My momma used to always say that.....Is this what you want to be doing when Jesus comes back, holding a sign that says Bonghits 4 Jesus??????

Jesus was a hippie. Der.

This is the best take I have seen on this 'issue' and couldn't agree more.

Also, this reminded me of one of my favorite pro-nonsense quotes from the Dead Milkmen (on Bitchin Camaro):
Joe - Uh, how you gonna get down to the shore?
Rod - Funny you should ask, I've got a car now.
Joe - Oh wow, how'd you get a car?
Rod - Oh my parents drove it up here from the Bahamas.