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US: Conspiracy charges filed against Muslim students
Associated Press
Published: 05.02.11, 08:28
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31. do the crime, take the time, enough from the cry babies
reality check ,   usa   (02.05.11)
these so called good students are getting whaat they deserve. we all know that their actions stem from anti semitic bliefs that have been expressed on campus countless times by their student organization. the charges certainly appear to be true and now they have to take the consquences, they should stop crying about being held accountable, you do the crime, you take the time .. and i hope they have marred their backgrounds as a reminder that anti semitism doesn't pay.
32. Ugly double standard !
Salma ,   Palestine   (02.05.11)
Jews who interrupted Ahmadinejad's speech were not charged with any crime , right ?!!!!!!! Lesson learned; freedom of speech in US means No to criticize "Israel". ha !
33. #1 that ain't free speech
Concerned American ,   USA   (02.05.11)
I was getting very worried as I was reading your coment and then I reached the end (Israel, formerly USA), Sigh of relief, Thank you, There is a God. Please stay there. They deserve brainless people like you. Our county was based o Freedom of Speech, didn't expect brainless to read the constitution while you here.
34. No free speech allowed in Muslim states
Marcel ,   Florida   (02.05.11)
Think about it .If I were to do the same thing in Saudi Arabia and disrupt a madman, Muslim speaker . There would be a death sentence for calling allahs Mohammed a false prophet or long time prison term.
35. #27, All
solomon ,   bklyn   (02.05.11)
#27- Oren is not the ambassador of a state that attacks civilian targets. He is the ambassador of a state that is fighting terrorists that attack civilian targets and hides behind their own civilians. In Cast Lead the IDF called peoples homes and told them to leave. Hamas forced them to go and stand on the roofs of their houses which were going to be bombed. Facts please. All- "One's freedom ends where another's begins". A protest outside is allowed in a minority of countries in the world, including the US. But not inside as the speaker should be able to speak. The TB's I'm reading about disruptions of speakers seem to tell of temporary disruptions, not in this case where the students had to be evicted in order to stop their 'demonstration'.
36. Googdman is a Jewish name. it is a shame
Vardina   (02.05.11)
thar a Jewish attorney should defend terrorists against the Jewish state. This proves that every nation has its own trash.
37. Free speech vs misdemaneor
David Israel ,   New York, USA   (02.05.11)
If you pay to see a symphony at a theater and a bunch of people start making loud noises with the intention of disrupting the concert this is a misdemeanor in law and can be punishable. Legally same applies to this case. Besides; Free speech is for everyone. If you want your opinion to be heard you must allow opposing opinions also to be heard. When you suppress your opponents voice like this group did, this is not free speech, it is a misdemeanor as the law clearly states. Had they protested outside where they could not disrupt the event it would be free speech.
38. #27 Andrew - yo must be confused
David Israel ,   New York, USA   (02.05.11)
Dorit Benisian and Yuval Abebeh were just two examples among many other children killed under Hamas rockets in Israel.
39. Muslims students in the US acting like gangsta bullies
sick of them all ,   US   (02.05.11)
40. They should have thrown the book at the lil' darlings
Ozraeli ,   Australia   (02.05.11)
Personally, I think that they were lucky that the charges were so minor. 1) If they are such "top students" in such demanding schools such as medicine & law, why weren't they diligently studying? Are their courses so easy that they can conspire, plan, & execute a mass public disruption? Are they truly committed to their studies, instead of the many other applicants waiting? Toss em-let them go to Sausalito Tech Junior College! 2) "Free speech" is just a phrase-there are many, MANY places where you do not have the right to say what you want, how you want, when you want, let alone loudly & violently interrupt others: * Even though UC Irvine & Riverside are known to be among the most Left leaning public California universities, even they decided that the students went way over the line in public discourse; 3) A number of other possible charges-how about "Trespassing" &/or "Reckless Endangerment"? * The speech was on private (or restricted access) property, not in the public arena; * The speech was by invitation, subscription, or ticket purchase-definitely not a "Free Speech" venue; * In the video, many older people can be seen. What would have happened if someone had a heart attack from stress or fear? * What if, in all their jumping & commotion, someone (like the Ambassador's bodyguards, or even just an attendee) felt that he was in danger, & shot them? I bet that the shooters wouldn't get more than a low level "Manslaughter" or "Justifiable Homicide" charge; * We could go into "Creating a Public Disturbance"; having an "Unauthorised Demonstration", & on & on & on... IMO, they got off lightly. Also, regarding "Prosecutorial Discretion": it's called "Zero Tolerance". You don't let misbehaving, snot nosed little s__ts prance around, spitting in your face, waiting until they murder someone, then say: "Oh, but I had no idea...". Even in the Koran, I am sure that there is a version of "Spare the rod &spoil the child" & "Prevention is better than the cure". BTW, has anyone checked whether any of these "Top students" were enrolled in Flight Schools?
41. muslim free speech means no free speech for others
bernard Ross ,   st anns bay jamaica   (02.05.11)
42. this is america, remember?
nicolas ,   chicago, usa   (02.05.11)
This isn't an islamic country. This is america where we supposedly have "free speech" just as long as you don't crticize the zionazis. Israel doesn't want democracy in the middle east. Look how much they have been supporting and defending the dictator mubarak. You are a joke.
43. @#33 you missed the point, numbskull
Another American ,   US   (02.05.11)
I'm American too and I can tell you that what #1 said is absolutely reasonable and correct. If you were sitting in a movie theater and some jacka$$ses stood up and started shouting, the management would throw them out and not refund their money. Free speech may be a protected right, but that is not to say it does not have consequences.
44. #13 - where disrutions
nick ,   NYC   (02.05.11)
Columbia University
45. #42 nicolas from CGO
David Israel ,   New York, USA   (02.05.11)
Once the world thought Iran would be better off without the Shahs dictatorship and look what happened in Iran. Women are stoned to death while buried halfway into a pit for alleged adultery, gays are hung in the town squares for who they are, young Iranian students like Neda are killed by Ahmedinejad's motorcycle thugs for exercising teir free speech in the streets of Tahran. Democracy requires citizens that can handle the responsibilities that come with it. The Islamic world - so far - has not demonstrated that they can handle these responsibilities in a civilized way.
46. 13 - Where in the past year or two have other groups ,...
split ,   US   (02.05.11)
Don't tell me you didn't hear about Ahmadinejad's speech at Columbia University 3 years ago. Jews called him Hitler and no one got arrested. Wanna know about Jewish groups disrupting appearances/speeches ask N. Finkelstein ask anyone who dared to criticize Israel or Zionism ,...
47.  lies from salma
izzie irgun ,   usa   (02.05.11)
for the record Ahmadinejad was not interrupted when he went to columbia; the students sat there like polite jerks. You response is just a knee jerk answer to everything .. its schoolyard garbage .. grow up, arabs and muslims do not regard freedom of speech and expression the same way as the west does ... maybe you do but Ahmadinejad doesn't ... these kids crossed the line and are being held accountable, the speaker and the audience had rights that are not negated by rude behavior..
48. @#43 Missing the point? Really?
Concerned American ,   USA   (02.05.11)
READ the constituion first before making a jackass of yourself. A Threatre is a PRIVATE institution. Constitution does not guarentee your rights insida a theatre. Constitution, on the other hand does protect freedom of speech against goverrment and any institution the goverrment supports. Yes, that includes university of California becuase they are supported by taxpayer's money. If you do not have a copy of the constitution, please go to Heritage Foundation and they will provide you one free of charge and no, they are not part of the government, they just love the constitution this country is based upon.
49. #48 no constitutional scholar
informed opinion ,   usa   (02.05.11)
nice try but the constitution does not say that the rights of the protester trump the rights of the speaker and the audience to peaceful assembly and expression ... the protesters were free to protest and they chose a manner that had consquences. The students could have protested in a number of ways that didn't infringe on the rights of others or in a wya that undermined the event .. they chose to stop the event, essentially using violence, and are paying the price .. i hope they get jail time because what they did here is nothing compared to the anti semitic literature they distribute including questioning the holocaust
50. #40 Ozraeli Australia
jo moor   (02.05.11)
Like your style. Like your content. Bullseye! Top students......flight schools= good thinking!
51. #48 Not a private theatre
Cynthia ,   USA   (02.05.11)
This happened at the University of California on state property. These students would have been arrested whether in a theatre or classroom. They were disruptive with intent to prevent 500-700 guests from hearing a scheduled lecture by Michael Oren. Surprised these students were placed on probation. They should be expelled.
52. #22 Problem for the defense if you're on their team!
Al Levy ,   Toronto   (02.05.11)
You actually have the chutzpah to say these agitators "were engaged in political speech"? What political speech? The Muslim students weren't giving a speech - they crashed an event, created a disturbance, and shouted down the invited speaker preventing him from speaking. That's not "engaged in political speech" - it's exactly what the prosecutor says it was. The defense says they protested "peacefully". Go look up the word "peacefully" in the dictionary and you'll see that the behavior of these thugs was the exact opposite. The ACLU is waaaaay outta line on this one and should be defending Oren's right to free speech - not the Muslim's claim that they had the right to silence him. They didn't. They still don't. Let them pay the price and learn about the US constitution.
53. Free speech - dialogue
David Israel ,   New York, USA   (02.05.11)
Sometimes it is hard to draw a border line where free speech ends. However there is also another aspect to this incident. Every conflict has at least two sides and both sides might have some valid and some outrageous claims. The only way to resolve the conflict is through constructive dialogue. When you do not allow your opponent to raise their voice this is not a dialogue it is a hostile activity that is counterproductive for peace. This incident where the Israeli ambassador was not allowed to talk demonstrates that those Arab students are against any peace with Israel.
54. #23 - this case was in a university setting
William ,   Israel   (02.05.11)
and under university rules which these student did indeed infringe on. You cannot compare this, an event given in a closed university setting, with a public forum where everyone is invited to attend and give their opinion. Again, one is an invitation to LISTEN to a speaker and other is an open forum urging people to SPEAK and discuss something that affects their lives directly. Two different things...even in Rochester.
55. #23 - response to #13 - speech disrupted in US
William ,   Israel   (02.05.11)
Really stretching for validation, aren't we Dougy? Notice the difference between these Muslims in California and the Jews you cited disrupting Bibi's speech. The Jewish students who disrupted Bibi's speech were ushered out by security and that was the end of it. No students returned. No additional heckling. Conversely, these Muslim students from California were thrown out, came back in, sat down, and heckled the speaker for 20 minutes even with the crowd booing them and trying to get these students to leave. Its clear the Muslims had a very extra bit of belligerency which is why their group was banned from operation on campus for 1 year. Even a Leftist university couldn't turn its back on such stifling actions.
56. #26 - Dems were bussed in, too
William ,   Israel   (02.05.11)
or did you conveniently miss that part on Democracy Now? Oh wait, only NPR reported it but they're too right-wing for ya. You also missed CNBC where no rightist goes unpunished (and no story goes un-distorted), when they mentioned that Tea Partiers are not exactly on the level with Republicans - infact, they are two very different thought groups.
57. #27 - in addition to #35's response
William ,   Israel   (02.05.11)
Hamas announced in December that over 900 people killed in Cast Lead were infact terrorists and not civilians as your ilk love to claim. Here's a question for you, and the students, if they disliked getting "bombed from the air" why do they insist on sending rockets into Israeli kindergartens and suicide bombers to kill people on uses and in hospitals. Perhaps they could, and should, focus on using even a % of their ill-gotten aid to build factories instead of smuggling weapons and terrorists. It's their choice...and they continue to make it wrong. Not Israel's fault.
58. UC Irvineistan has already been taken over
Lobo ,   USA   (02.06.11)
The MSA at Irvine is known for their extremist, anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, and even anti-USA views. Unfortunately, it seems that the University and the OC District Attorney's office seems to be scared of these terror-sympathizers. I'd expel these losers and put them on the next plane to the Punjab if I were head of UC Irvine
59. #42 in addition to #49 and #53
solomon ,   bklyn   (02.06.11)
Years ago, nazi-type organizations wanted to march through Skokie, IL, a place where many Holocaust Survivors lived. The Survivors sued to stop the march...and lost. The march took place. Read some of the other TB's about free speech, especially #49 and #53. You are the joke. Sorry.
60. 52 Al Levy - ACLU is Reviled
Mark ben Josuf ,   USA   (02.06.11)
The ACLU is reviled by the right wing in the US because they take on unpopular causes, even the right to bear arms. But in particular, they take on freedom of speech and religion cases. The speech of Oren's was political. So was the students. This case also opens the door to some NY or Pennsylvania prosecutor to arrest and try hundreds of thousands of tea-baggers and the ACLU will likely defend them, too, even Dick Armey when he is charged with conspiracy. The ACLU does this stuff and it drives the right wing nuts. Like when they took on and won the right for kids to attend desegregated schools.
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