Court upholds "Bong Hits for Jesus" Banner (Merged) (Updated 3/17/07)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060310/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_rights_banner_1

Court upholds "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" student banner

Fri Mar 10, 3:38 PM ET
Yahoo News
Reuters

An Alaska high school violated a student's free speech rights by suspending him after he unfurled a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" across the street from the school, a federal court ruled on Friday.

Joseph Frederick, a student at Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska, displayed the banner -- which refers to smoking marijuana -- in January 2002 to try to get on television as the Olympic torch relay was passing the school.

Principal Deborah Morse seized the banner and suspended the 18-year-old for 10 days, saying he had undermined the school's educational mission and anti-drug stance.

Friday's ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco overturned a decision by a federal court in Alaska that backed Frederick's suspension and said his rights were not violated.

The appeals court said the banner was protected speech because it did not disrupt school activity and was displayed off school grounds during a non-curricular activity.

"Public schools are instrumentalities of government, and government is not entitled to suppress speech that undermines whatever missions it defines for itself," Judge Andrew Kleinfeld wrote in the court's opinion.

The court also cleared the way for Frederick to seek damages, saying Morse was aware of relevant case law and should have known her actions violated his rights.

Good stuff.. the school should get itself a sense of humour.

That's fucking hilarious. If I ever see him, I will send some bong hits in his (and Jesus's) way.

Taking a stab at someone's religion is cheap and fucking stupid/childish. Don't get me wrong, I respect freedom of speech, but aren't there any other ways to go about it?
To me it makes sense the school intervened and didn't want it up.

^I think Jesus woulda been down with the green.

I dont see it as a stab at anyones religion. People just need to lighten the fuck up

I agree Lacey, I am no christian, not by a long stretch, but in Genesis, I believe god (or should I say, the troublemaking fucker(s) who wrote the bible), gave every plant bearing seed over to mankind for safe keeping, albeit not in quite those words.

If there is a god, and according to his universe DIY manual he conveniently left behind after the job was done, he created all plants, including the herb, he was a daft bastard to put something so tasty and smokeable on earth, and not forsee some modern stoner setting it on fire

I think this kid is fucking hilarious. It reminds me of a time way back in high school when we had a pep rally and some kids unfurled a giant banner proclaiming "Go Rival Team" *of course they used the actual opposing team's name. They were readily removed and a few of the athletes and cheerleaders looked sad.

lacey k said:

^I think Jesus woulda been down with the green.

I dont see it as a stab at anyones religion. People just need to lighten the fuck up

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Yeah...I agree. I mean, Jesus was a hippie, right? Wandered around the place in his sandals and long hair, turning water into wine....

I know someone will probably get offended at what I said above, but if you're that easily offended, you *really* have some deep seated issues or something....

Lighten up! (or, even better, light one up!)

I just think it's childish and stupid. Why attack someone's personal religious beliefs and at the same time make fun of them?
If I were principal of that high school, I wouldn't allow that sort of shit, so as to avoid drama.

As a Christian, this doesn't offend me one bit...

Diacetylus said:

Why attack someone's personal religious beliefs and at the same time make fun of them?

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How exactly is all this achieved by showing a banner saying "bong hits 4 jesus"?

Diacetylus said:

I just think it's childish and stupid. Why attack someone's personal religious beliefs and at the same time make fun of them?
If I were principal of that high school, I wouldn't allow that sort of shit, so as to avoid drama.

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I think from the stoner perspective this is pro-Jesus. I'd smoke with him, that's for sure. I'm not religious, but I don't have anything against religion. If I were trying to attack Christianity I sure wouldn't do it by saying 'Bong hits 4 Jesus'.

Diacetylus said:

I just think it's childish and stupid. Why attack someone's personal religious beliefs and at the same time make fun of them?
If I were principal of that high school, I wouldn't allow that sort of shit, so as to avoid drama.

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I don't understand.

How is a banner that says "Bong Hits for Jesus" *attacking* someone's religion?

Did the banner say "My God can beat up your Allah?", "Baptists burn in hades!", or "Catholics suck!"? Now IMO, that's an attack on religion. (and for the record, I don't care what religion you are, I love all PEOPLE, regardless of religion, race, haircolor, ect.)

So you would quell someone's freedom of speech, to "avoid drama"? Besides, like the article says, it was during a "non-school" event. The principal acted off the cuff, and in an inappropriate way. No one has the right to tell you what you can or cannot say (with a banner or verbally) on a public sidewalk or street...last time I checked.

I'm really not trying to pick a fight here, but I don't understand where you see this banner as an "attack on somone's personal religious beliefs".

RavenousBlonde said:

I don't understand.

Did the banner say "My God can beat up your Allah?", "Baptists burn in hades!", or "Catholics suck!"? Now IMO, that's an attack on religion. (and for the record, I don't care what religion you are, I love all PEOPLE, regardless of religion, race, haircolor, ect.)

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Thats good shit right there son

RavenousBlonde said:

I don't understand.

How is a banner that says "Bong Hits for Jesus" *attacking* someone's religion?

Did the banner say "My God can beat up your Allah?", "Baptists burn in hades!", or "Catholics suck!"? Now IMO, that's an attack on religion. (and for the record, I don't care what religion you are, I love all PEOPLE, regardless of religion, race, haircolor, ect.)

So you would quell someone's freedom of speech, to "avoid drama"? Besides, like the article says, it was during a "non-school" event. The principal acted off the cuff, and in an inappropriate way. No one has the right to tell you what you can or cannot say (with a banner or verbally) on a public sidewalk or street...last time I checked.

I'm really not trying to pick a fight here, but I don't understand where you see this banner as an "attack on somone's personal religious beliefs".

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It's insulting a Christian's beliefs, because they don't believe it's right to get intoxicated. Well, apparantly it says something about that in the Bible anyways.
I don't mind Jesus jokes, but only when I'm around people that I know aren't Christians. I just don't think it's funny to stir up shit. I mean, you know Christians or Muslims in general don't like it when you bring humour into their religion, especially when it involves the prophet Mohhamoud, or Jesus. So, why the fuck do it? Furthermore, why do it somewhere like a high school where you know it's going to cause tension in front of parents and teachers?

First it'll start up with shit like this, then the same fuckwit that did this will be wanting to make a banner with a racial joke and hang it at a highschool, to show that he has a right for "freedom of speech".

Ohh, by the way, in case anyone was wondering? I'm not a member of any religion.

Diacetylus said:

It's insulting a Christian's beliefs, because they don't believe it's right to get intoxicated. Well, apparantly it says something about that in the Bible anyways.

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Uh.. NO.. You think christians don't get fucked up ? They are just about moderation.

Ohh, by the way, in case anyone was wondering? I'm not a member of any religion.

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Gee, no shit. I would call myself a Christian (born, raised, and occasionally practicing) and it's not offensive to me in the slightest, it's actually pretty funny.

^No shit! I was raised Catholic, and we got to drink wine every Sunday. Seriously, if this offends you, you need to take a bong hit for Jesus.

Diacetylus said:

It's insulting a Christian's beliefs, because they don't believe it's right to get intoxicated. Well, apparantly it says something about that in the Bible anyways.

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Right.. I mean, I guess that is why Jesus turned water into wine and drenched people in kaneh-bosem

^Huge difference between intoxication and having a "sip". But, yeah... anyways.

Diacetylus said:

^Huge difference between intoxication and having a "sip". But, yeah... anyways.

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How much wine would have had to have been consumed in the first place for them to run out at a wedding? Coupled with the fact that they wanted more.. I have a difficult time this was implying that they were 'taking sips'.

.. and what about drenching people with kaneh bosem which contains 9lbs of buds?