CT Radio Host Arrested for Inciting Catholics

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Beau_Ouiville

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I really have not been following this whole subject, so my only comment would be that let’s give him his day in court. This case has constitutional implications.

“Internet radio host Hal Turner — accused of inciting Catholics to “take up arms” and singling out two Connecticut lawmakers and a state ethics official on a website — was taken into custody in New Jersey late Wednesday after state Capitol police in Connecticut obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Turner, who has been identified as a white supremacist and anti-Semite by several anti-racism groups, hosts an Internet radio program with an associated blog. On Tuesday, the blog included a post that promised to release the home addresses of state Rep. Michael Lawlor, state Sen. Andrew McDonald and Thomas Jones of the State Ethics Office.”

courant.com/news/local/hc-turner-arrest.artjun04,0,99236.story
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
I really have not been following this whole subject, so my only comment would be that let’s give him his day in court. This case has constitutional implications.

“Internet radio host Hal Turner — accused of inciting Catholics to “take up arms” and singling out two Connecticut lawmakers and a state ethics official on a website — was taken into custody in New Jersey late Wednesday after state Capitol police in Connecticut obtained a warrant for his arrest.

Turner, who has been identified as a white supremacist and anti-Semite by several anti-racism groups, hosts an Internet radio program with an associated blog. On Tuesday, the blog included a post that promised to release the home addresses of state Rep. Michael Lawlor, state Sen. Andrew McDonald and Thomas Jones of the State Ethics Office.”

courant.com/news/local/hc-turner-arrest.artjun04,0,99236.story
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I agree, but if the news account is accurate it seems likely that he is guilty of some kind of incitement type crime. At a minimum, it seems prudent for the authorities to step in and investigate. Note that the local bishop has condemned his statements.
 
from the story:
"It is our intent to foment direct action against these individuals personally,’’ the blog stated. “These beastly government officials should be made an example of as a warning to others in government: Obey the Constitution or die.”
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I’m a big fan of the First Amendment but it isn’t unreasonable to read foment as “incite” and direct action as “violence”. Funny how his sort would rather incite others that take “direct action” themselves.

I’m more interested in this:
Last week, the controversy flared again when the Diocese of Bridgeport filed a federal lawsuit against state ethics officials, who are investigating whether church officials violated lobbying laws by organizing a rally at the state Capitol to protest the measure earlier this spring and not registering as lobbyists.
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I saw something about this story last week but nothing since, anybody know about it?
Speaking of the First Amendment, the right of the People to petition the Government for a redress of grievances seems to have gone out the window. Here in NY you can’t just run up and down the halls of the Capitol buttonholing legislators and telling them “Bill S. 123 stinks” without registering as a lobbyist.
 
didymus said:
from the story:
I’m a big fan of the First Amendment but it isn’t unreasonable to read foment as “incite” and direct action as “violence”. Funny how his sort would rather incite others that take “direct action” themselves.

I’m more interested in this:

I saw something about this story last week but nothing since, anybody know about it?
Speaking of the First Amendment, the right of the People to petition the Government for a redress of grievances seems to have gone out the window. Here in NY you can’t just run up and down the halls of the Capitol buttonholing legislators and telling them “Bill S. 123 stinks” without registering as a lobbyist.
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Dale_M said:
The Diocese of Bridgeport has the court documents available online, as well as a letter from the bishop which was read at all masses. The diocese also invites discussion on Bishop Lori’s blog.
bridgeportdiocese.com/story_Ethics.shtml
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Its a tough issue. Everyone says that want something done to contain and control lobbyists, but no one wants their own First Amendment rights infringed. It’s that unprincipled, loony guy on the other side that needs to be regulated, not me!

There aren’t easy answers to how to regulate lobbying. In an ideal world we would elect honest fairminded politicians, and wouldn’t have to worry so much about registering lobbyists. These sounds like a situation that has gone beyond what is reasonable. I hope that Connecticut and the diocese will work this out.
 
You statements are very true as to how free speech rights must be balanced as to protection of the public.

What really angers me are those folks who incite hatred and then sit back and claim innocence as to the violent attacks which occur. That is just irresponsible. I don’t know if it is necessarily criminal, though.
 
Beau_Ouiville said:
You statements are very true as to how free speech rights must be balanced as to protection of the public.

What really angers me are those folks who incite hatred and then sit back and claim innocence as to the violent attacks which occur. That is just irresponsible. I don’t know if it is necessarily criminal, though.
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This guy wrote on his blog that he would be giving out the addresses of public officials that should be targeted for direct action on his radio show. He said the lesson to be learned was “Obey the Constitution or die.” OK, that is at least borderline. He then wrote: “If any state attorney, police department or court thinks they’re going to get uppity with us about this, I suspect we have enough bullets to put them down, too.”

That is clearly a threat to kill law enforcement officers. I am guessing that is a crime in Connecticut. I am sure that it was prudent for the officials to step in and intervene in what was looking like a cycle that would spin out of control and very likely end in violence.
 
This is the type of incitement to violence that should be prosecuted… he pretty clearly called for violence against public officials. IMO he has nothing to do with the Catholic position and we shouldn’t try to defend him. This is very different from free speech issues surrounding “hate speech” which is actually an attempt to stop people from expressing opinions that might just be hurtful to some people.
 
And the same guy is in *more *trouble today:

“Hal Turner, an occasional talk show host on internet radio and blogger, was arrested today by the FBI in his New Jersey home on charges he threatened to murder three federal appeals court judges in Chicago following their recent ruling upholding handgun bans.”
 
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