desperado1089

OK, so I had a random thought pop up in my head just a few minutes ago while I was eating dinner. At least here in the US (readers of other countries are still welcome to continue), it seems like defamation, of our President and other public figures, is spreading like an epidemic. For those who are familiar with the First Amendment of the US Constitution, should such things be protected under that amendment? If not, how much should it be discouraged? Should it be penalized outright, especially if it sparks violence? (think "inciting a riot") A few pointers. First, defamation, for those who do not know or understand, is the public dissemination of propaganda that is intended to negatively influence public opinion towards an individual or group for reasons that typically involve differences in political affiliation, ethnicity, sexual orientation...or the defamer simply doesn't like someone. Examples include people in the media claiming that the President (or anyone, really) is a terrorist, or a war criminal; or that he supports anything from torturing of puppies to massacring of civilians. Second, and this is important, any who reads this and goes "oh, they'll just use this to jail anyone who speaks out against the president" should think very carefully about why they think that; if you're a US citizen, you may be brainwashed by the very defamation I am talking about. Or you may be part of the problem, in which case please seek immediate psychological help. Now, if you'll keep things respectful, feel free to discuss!