Since when did your exercising first amendment right become terrorism?
@thegreatdebater (7316)
United States
March 26, 2012 6:32pm CST
A business owner in New York who advertises on a local talk radio station during Rush Limbaugh's "entertainment" broadcast has a big problem with the first amendment of the constitution. Recently Mark Stevens decided to publicly support Rush Limbaugh's most recent sexist comments. This produced a huge amount of e-mails flooding his in box with the vast majority supporting him. However, according to Mr. Stevens, 2,000 of the 40,000 e-mails were attacking him for his support of the long time sexist (rightfully so). But, on FOX Business News (I am sure you didn't hear about this, because NO ONE watches FOX Business) he called the people that disagreed with him TERRORIST!!! Now, he has blamed a left wing organization for an organized attack on him personally that has been in plans for 3 years (Do you think this guy is a little paranoid? I wonder if he sees black helicopters everywhere he goes?). Now he didn't attack all of the supporters who I am sure overwhelmed his in-box and I am sure it cost him a lot of money responding to all of the e-mails (which he said he is trying to do). Instead he attacks Americans who are just exercising their first amendment rights. Is e-mailing someone who you disagree with an act of terrorism? Are we all terrorist on here, because most of us don't agree on things? Should I be on the no fly list because I am exercising my first amendment right?
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2012/03/21/eib_sponsor_mark_stevens_stands_up_to_the_left_s_coordinated_attack_and_is_flooded_with_support_from_you
2 people like this
6 responses
@debrakcarey (19887)
• United States
27 Mar 12
Matersfish and Rollo and Crossbones may all be right;
I just want to know we can't call a TERRORIST who blows up people or shoots people, a terrorist?
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
Deb, I have no problem with someone a terrorist if they are blowing people up, or inciting terror. But, e-mailing someone to say they are boycotting your store, who will probably NEVER get near your store is not TERRORISM. Everyone on here expresses their first amendment right, and knows that people will disagree with you. When someone disagrees with you NO ONE on here calls those people terrorist. The thing that got me was his claim that the 2,000 people were flooding his e-mail. Yet, he isn't upset with the 38,000 that flooded his e-mail. What an idiot!!!
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
Fat, if Bill Ayers did this than why isn't he in jail? If he did all of this he should be in jail!!!
@Fatcat44 (1141)
• United States
27 Mar 12
Just remember, Bill Ayers and his sweetheart wifes who blew up building, like the pentagon, are not terrorists according to the left. Billy-bomb bomb even admits doing it.
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
27 Mar 12
You really should stop pretending to be so offended by this debater. It's not like left wingers aren't out there calling Rush a terrorist for exercising his own first amendment rights.
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/justin-mccarthy/2008/10/22/joy-behar-rush-limbaugh-terrorist
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
I agree that the only thing this guy wants is attention. But, it amazes me that more people haven't stood up to this idiot, and questioned him about his comments. Or the idiots at FOX that just went along with his rants. For people who want to hold the constitution as a blueprint to run the country, then agree with someone who is abusing an amendment is comical. You can't just pick and choose our freedom when they suit you, and then throw them out when they don't. That is what got us in this constitutional mess in the first place!!!
@laglen (19759)
• United States
28 Mar 12
Kind of funny. But you have to admit this kind of hypocrisy is on both sides. No these people emailing him are not necessarily terrorists just like Limbaugh isn't for his comments. People throw this accusation around a bit too much so now it loses its meaning/impact.
Regarding the no fly list, maybe all of us are on it now.... 
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
29 Mar 12
I agree that when you marginalize something it loses all meaning. Both sides are wrong for using the term terrorist.
I don't fly much, so I guess it wouldn't really bother me that much.
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
27 Mar 12
I agree with matersfish, terrorism isn't just about blowing up buildings. The word terrorism can be used to describe any tactics used to intimidate, coerce or influence through fear or threats. Do you know what is in the emails he got that attacked him?
I have seen tweets that would come under the definition of terror, tweets sent to public figures. Some people find it difficult to express themselves when their heads are up their a$$es and so they resort to blind hatred, profanity and threats.
Since the attacking emails were attacking Mark Steven for his exercise of free speech, I guess I have to assume they are against free speech. That's where it gets sticky, huh? Everyone gets free speech, not just those who want to send threatening emails.
Free speech might include speech that could be described as terror tactics. I hear free speech being used to incite people all the time. Al Sharpton does it all the time.
Now, when Mark Stevens takes steps to have those email senders arrested for using their free speech, you let me know. Until then, he's got a perfect right to object to what they say, just as they objected to what he said. Seems pretty fair all around, I would say.
1 person likes this
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
27 Mar 12
Oh come on... just BEING a right-winger puts you on the list of potential terrorists with the Department of Homeland Security. So does being an evangelical Christian, a veteran or a person who likes to pay in cash. I hardly worry that normal Americans (which from your sentence I take you to mean "non-right-wingers" since they are who the "normal" Americans fear) are very much afraid of being called terrorists. They have that covered by Janet Napolitano's labeling of EVERYONE who is right of center as a terrorist.
What a tempest in a teapot. I have heard some much stronger and more outlandish terms used on television by people on both sides (which I say to sound impartial and to avoid pointing out that the exaggerated rhetoric is usually from the left). I can't believe that this guy using the word 'terrorist' is really keeping you up nights worrying that you, as a normal American, will be called a terrorist by some rabid right-winger.
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
I have not seen any of Mr. Stevens e-mails that he CLAIMS were attacks, but that is because he won't release them. He said that some of the e-mails threatened to BOYCOTT his business, and because those people don't live in New York the wasn't worried about it. But, the continued to call THOSE people TERRORIST. I have no problem with people boycotting businesses owned by liberals or conservatives. I have myself, and I will continue to choose where to spend my money when it comes to things that are important to me.
There are many people that abuse the freedoms our constitution grant them. Rush Limbaugh also has used his freedom of speech to incite people, and influence elections. But, as long as he doesn't break the law than he is fine.
I have no problem with him attacking the people that are attacking him. But, to call people TERRORIST waters down the term, and make normal Americans afraid to stand up because some right winger will call them a TERRORIST!!!!
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
27 Mar 12
He has been on TV multiple times explaining his position. He mentions where the word "terror" comes from, and frames it quite well stating that to "terrorize" someone, to threaten them and to be make them fearful, is an act of terrorism.
He is correct. 100%.
Now, it's not the strap-a-bomb-to-your-nuts-and-kiss-your-a$$-goodbye type of terrorism that our minds pull up when we hear the word "terrorist." But whose fault is that?
Shame on anyone who associates the word terrorist with someone who kills people! How bigoted!
To threaten someone in a coordinated attack is an act of terror. Not the same kind of terror we fight wars over, but terror nonetheless.
It's not simply a First Amendment "right" to threaten someone and to continuously attack them verbally.
If people disagree and choose to personally boycott a business, that's their choice. But to coordinate an attack and threaten and use fear tactics to pressure the business to go out of business, that is to terrorize the business, and thus those who would terrorize are terrorists.
1 person likes this
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
I have yet to see any e-mail from him threatening him personally, or to do anything to his business. He has only said that people who don't live in New York, and are not customers of his have said they wouldn't shop at this business. IS THIS TERRORISM???? REALLY!!!!! By using Mark Stevens definition of terrorism than all of the evangelicals that protested FOX back in the 80's should be called terrorist. I am a terrorist, because I have boycotted Target when they supported Glenn Beck. Every person who has ever contacted a company saying they wouldn't buy from that company is now considered a TERRORIST!!!
So Mark Stevens would like us all to believe that the 38,000 e-mails he SAYS he received that supported him were an example of freedom of speech. But, the 2,000 negative ones that were using their same rights under the constitution of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA were all TERRORIST.
Can you please show me where ANYONE threatened Mr. Stevens? I am sorry, but threatening to NOT shop at your place is NOT TERRORISM!!!!!!
Do you really think that Media Matters was waiting for Mark Stevens to do this so they could attack him personally? This guy must have an ego the size of New York to think he is so popular!!!
1 person likes this
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
27 Mar 12
According to him, some people have been threatening to bus people in to stage boycotts, calling and harassing his female employees, leaving threatening messages in emails, and all of this is being done not by customers just refusing to use his business, but by a coordinated group threatening to ruin his business.
It's not like random people are upset and letting him hear about it. A lot of it is a coordinated attack - a group (we all know the group!) working to intimidate yet another business.
Whether or not he's telling the truth is another story. You'll have to settle that with him.
But in terms of the definition of "terror," what he described is a type of terror. From his mouth, not regurgitated through the blogosphere with the worst bits edited out. I saw him talking about it yesterday with Megyn Kelly. As I said, if you don't believe him, that's between y'all.
Intimidation and making people fear for their safety and their livelihood is not a freedom of speech issue. It's striking terror into people. Those who would strike terror = good, patriotic citizens?
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
27 Mar 12
Since when was threatening a boycott TERRORISM? You notice how he hasn't provided one e-mail that supports his story. The last time I checked, boycotts were protect under the constitution, but who really cares about that unless it helps my point!!!!
What he is describing is what happened to FOX back in the 80's. Unfortunately for Mr. Stevens I don't think he has the kind of money to start up a right wing news organization to shut them up, like Murdock did!!!!
@crossbones27 (52907)
• Mojave, California
27 Mar 12
While I say emailing someone is not an act of terrorism. To me this is just another scare tactic to get people all riled up over nothing. I just think our society has reverted to calling each other names, instead of logically talking about things like normal adults do. It is 2012 why are so many of our leaders and people in power acting like such little children. All though maybe we could use that terrorist email logic to fight spam.
1 person likes this
