For this Assignment, read the following article from CNN. Warning: the embedded video has images that may be very disturbing. The article itself may be very disturbing.
After reading the article, and reviewing your textbook material on Amendment #1 Freedom of Speech, esp. as pertains to obscenity, do you feel the existing Federal law (1999) prohibiting the sale and marketing of videos depicting animal cruelty (except if produced for religious, political, scientific, journalistic, educational, historical or artistc value) should be upheld.
Post your comment by clicking on the comment link below and following the instructions provided. You may need to create a Google, AOL or Yahoo account if you don't have one. You may comment on someone elses's post if you'd like. Provide your answer and the reasons for it. Due next Monday. All students and the public will view your comments.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/06/scotus.dogfighting/
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I think that the exisiting law should be upheld because, I think it is very sad that someone seeks to make money by profiting off of something else's misfortune. When someone kills a deer....it's for food, and its been done that way since the beginning of time, but when someone kills or hurts an animal to make profit off of it, that's just cruel. Though I would probably wear Gator shoes, or a coat with animal lining. -Darnell Roberts
ReplyDeleteI think animal cruity laws should be for evryone. What about cock fighting or bullriding isn,t that animal cruity they tie the bulls testicles together so the bull can buck a person off his back were he didnot belong in the first place. What is the difference farmers kill live chickens and cows to make money for profit everyday so does that make them right.It,s not like they slaughter sick animals and sell them they would not make any money
ReplyDeleteI don't think the law as it stands should be upheld. It is like having google's safe search “on” all the time. What about the med student trying to access medical journals. Would they be denied the education that could save your mother from dying of breast cancer, just because a breast is something you shouldn't look at! Businessmen have always profited from someone being in a position where they are not in a good bargaining position. Whether the they profit from animals or humans, well I would rather it be animals. As for what ever animal cruelty you decide to protest against, become a TRUE VEGAN before you try pleading your case to me!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the fact that it was filmed in
ReplyDeleteJapan, where pit bull fighting is legal gives
Stevens some merit in his claim of free speech.
The problem is he manufactured and distributed
the film within the U.S.,and not for artistic,
or political reasons,etc... but simply for
financial gain!
They do animal testing wouldn't that be animal cruelty? It is. but it's for a good cause. if it's just for your entertainment or for your enjoyment or just for money then its completely wrong. I'm totally against animal cruelty if it's slaughtering animals just because you can. Yes I'm against animal cruelty and yes i eat meat. that's how it has always been.
ReplyDeleteI believe that people who deliberatly make these 'crush' videos should be stopped. Congress should make a law prohibiting this act. Robert Stevens should not have shown his video in the U. S.,the idea that these videos are to bring attention to the matter is only an excuss. Animal cruelty cannot be compared to hunting.
ReplyDeleteSherifatu.
Selling animal cruelty videos is immoral and wrong. It shouldn't be allowed just because somebody wants to make a buck. It would be fine if the dogs were killed for a purpose, like food, testing products, or clothing, but they are killed for just gruesome entertainment. The law should be upheld with the current parameters. This allows people with a valid reason to have access to these kinds of resources.
ReplyDeleteJustin Price
Selling animal cruelty videos is completely wrong. It's honestly the same thing as putting a video of a kid getting beaten to death on youtube. Who honestly gets a kick out of someone beaten a helpless animal to death? And also doesn't some dog fights contain illegal gambling? Clearly, the law should be upheld. Unless these videos have an honest to god purpose of how it's right than I think it should be upheld completely.
ReplyDelete-Alexis Burlingame
I think that selling animal cruelty videos is horribly wrong. This is completly different if it was farmers slaughtering animals for meat and food, but for people to just do it for fun is just cruel and immoral.
ReplyDeleteBrittany Bretz
I think that he should have fined and made to do community service. Not jail time. But what we see as animal cruelty other se as entertainment
ReplyDeleteWhile I am against cruelty to animals for the most part, I don't see the big deal here really. People just get all self righteous about it. Pit bulls love to fight, people love to watch it and bet money on it. Dogfighting is going to continue anyway and if the guy wants to make a movie about it, I say he can go right ahead.
ReplyDeleteAs for the "crush" videos, while it's sad that people do that, The amount of people that find that sexually stimulating is a vast minority, and who cares about rabbits anyway?
-Matt Hazlett
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the law should stay broad. Animal cruelty often has a fine line based on the circumstances of the event. That is why the National Rifle Association is so involved in this case, because the are worried that the government will make further restrictions on them. If the cases were judged on a case by case bases then people who participate in animal cruelty for profit and entertainment will be differentiated from hunters and farmers for instance.
ReplyDelete-Jennifer Hageman
Selling animal cruelty video's are very wrong and immoral practice. I know in our country we have the freedom of speech, but there is some limitations on what you can do. I believe that people who produce these video's should be punished in our justice system.
ReplyDelete-Jon Pedrozo
I feel that the selling of animal cruelty videos is extremely wrong. But, the law should not be upheld. According to the Miller Test, the issue lacks value and is extremely offensive, so it is considered obscene. But, the law is only stopping the sale and marketing of videos depicting animal cruelty. So, it will not stop people from doing the acts. If you want animal cruelty to stop you need to make a law that bans all forms of animal cruelty just not the sales of videos.
ReplyDelete-jonathon morris
I agree such videos that show animal cruelty should be banned or at least made a lot harder to get a hold of. Those "Crush Videos" are sick, wrong and I don't see how those involed in making them can live with themselves.
ReplyDeleteOther videos like the dogfighting one are a little tougher. Dogfighting is legal in other countries and while I'm sure people there believe that is animal cruelty, there's not many attemts to stop it. I've heard the same for bull riding here in the U.S., but it's such a big industy no one goes up against it.
I think these videos should be banned, but people who are into this stuff will fight it all the way.
~Casey Church
I agree that that the law should be upheld, however we are in a recession and there is a lot of money to be made that way. Somtimes you are faced with a decision. You can feed your family of do what you know is right. If it was my last resort I would do it. Look at it this way, its the nature of the dogs to be violent that is why most people say that they don't make good pets.
ReplyDeleteI think that the law should be upheld. The sale of animal cruelty videos should not be allowed just for entertainment. The actions are terrible and should not be allowed to be filmed and distributed to the public.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Farmer
Who is black1lynn? You didn't sign your statement??
ReplyDeletebf
after carefully revieving the article into to careful cosiderationg i just believe that owners do have the right to train there dogs to do what they want them to do but i also believe that the man should not have to serve time for making the dogs fight because dogs and owners also have the right to tell the dogs what too do as well
ReplyDeletei dont agree that he should sell those videos in usa where pit fighting is illegel so let him sell them where it is
ReplyDeletedidn't leonardo da vinci say; "there will come a time when men such as i will have to look upon the murder of animals as they say now look on the murder of men."?
ReplyDeletecruelty to animals is appalling which is a reason some states are beginning to investigate and propose legislation to protect animals, particularly pets. animal abuse and cruelty is directly linked to other types of maladaptive behaviors either occurring currently or later in life. the justice systems needs to take these awful offences just as seriously as the crimes committed against humans. i mean, if we don't work on rehabilitating people with these tendencies, they will eventually commit a crime against another human being, in my opinion. whats even more disturbing is that he posted those videos for the sheer assistance to his financial region. what ever happened to "an eye for an eye" type punishment?
-BRITT REINING
Being an owner of 2 pitbulls, I am against it. Only because, if we legalize such videos to be made into profits, there will be an epicdemic of dogs and other fierce animals over bred. Breeding vicous animals is dangerous. Accident of animal attacks happen all the time. These tapes will always be around just like all other illegal things. Its every where and can be got from any where. Esp. the internet. I watched them free researching more info for this assignment
ReplyDeleteDe'Aundria Dukes
ReplyDeleteI think the law should be upheld because dogs shouldnt be used as enterteinment in this cruel way. Dogs are man's best friend, they shouldnt be used to fight another dog. Dogs used in this manner are usually killed or horribly maimed and anyone who takes part in something like this should be jailed