Is this freedom of speech or libel and slander?

2015-09-09T01:49:19-04:00

Recent news articles have Hispanic organizations comparing Donald Trump to Adolph Hitler, complete with graphic photographs. Is this typical of the mudslinging of modern-day presidential elections or is this carrying libel and/or slander to indefensible levels?

URL:http://www.fox13news.com/news/17650337-story

Dallas anti-Trump rally compares GOP frontrunner to Hitler

Hispanic groups raised their voices against GOP frontrunner Donald Trump and his proposed immigration policy at a Dallas City Hall rally on Monday.

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Sep 9 at 2015 1:57 AM

2015-09-09T01:57:10-04:00

Lol, Trump compared to Hitler. Right

Response by PO1 Tony Holland made Sep 9 at 2015 2:22 AM

2015-09-09T02:22:58-04:00

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Don't be surprised when cutting remarks come back to haunt you - a lesson Mittens learned in 2012.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 9 at 2015 2:35 AM

2015-09-09T02:35:41-04:00

The scouts had ruled years ago that rhetoric against politicians and those seek political office are exempt from making libel claims. So legally speaking the answer is no.

Response by SSG Michael Hartsfield made Sep 9 at 2015 5:07 AM

2015-09-09T05:07:51-04:00

I feel that it's something that's now typical in American politics. The sad thing is many politicians feel that they can say and do anything they want and expect every citizens to tolerate it as "politics as usual." I have always felt that the First Amendment does give you the right to say whatever you want but it doesn't exempt you from the consequences of what you say. Do many people tend to throw around the Nazi/Holocaust/Evil Empire analogy around far too often? Absolutely because it still resonates today, however I feel that if politicians want other people to start showing them respect, then they to need to start showing them that same respect. Remember, as we've all been taught from basic training, respect goes up and comes down.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Sep 9 at 2015 6:46 AM

2015-09-09T06:46:25-04:00

It's not Libel/Slander (depending on whether printed/said) in that the statements are not strictly "false."

It is however a "lazy" comparison.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Sep 9 at 2015 8:24 AM

2015-09-09T08:24:52-04:00

He does spew some Xenophobic Crap but he has quite a bit further too go to make the "Hitler" Grade. My question would be how far do we let someone go with Xenophobic Propaganda before we say that is enough?

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Sep 9 at 2015 8:35 AM

2015-09-09T08:35:30-04:00

I'm probably going to take a lot of flak for this one...... I find it interesting that a group that have large numbers living, and working, illegally in the US would (of course) attack anyone who challenges their "Free Ride". This is the result of people like Jorge Ramos, who has the Hispanic community believing his lies about statements made by Trump.

No doubt, Trump does brings a lot of heat on himself, but he was the first candidate to "pull back the curtain" on the problems of illegal immigration. A problem that the current administration has totally ignored. This problem costs all working Americans money that they should be using for their own families. Maybe it's time to put someone into office that actually believes that.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Sep 9 at 2015 8:59 AM

2015-09-09T08:59:17-04:00

I believe it's only libel or slander when individuals try to state it as a fact rather than an opinionated statement.

Then again, in political campaigns, you can see "libel and slander" all over. "This person supports so and so, this person does not", when some of the statements are pretty untrue.

Response by MSgt Barry Frasier made Sep 9 at 2015 11:09 AM

2015-09-09T11:09:37-04:00

Speech is not free anymore. I am not sure that it ever was. This rally is not in the national news as a lead story but an ESPN commentator compares Muslim extremists to Nazis and he is force to aplogize. He is then suspended for the rest of the year. It seems that in today's America you can express your point of view freely but only if you agree with certain parties. Censorship for some while others are allowed to slander and libel without repercussions.

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Sep 9 at 2015 10:58 PM

2015-09-09T22:58:06-04:00

its not slander/libel its too over the top.

Response by PO1 Cameron Rhyne made Sep 10 at 2015 12:13 AM

2015-09-10T00:13:49-04:00

It's a shitty comparison, because while Trump is a Xenophobic blowhard who spews garbage whenever he speaks, he's not Hitler. Hitler and the Nazis built an entire bureaucracy to murder people who didn't fit their ideal of a perfect human and that's a special kind of evil that shouldn't be trivialized.

It's still freedom of speech though and I don't have any sympathy for the multi-billionaire asshole who will say pretty much anything about people who annoy him, regardless of how stupid or nasty it is.

Response by PVT Roger Delgadillo made Jul 6 at 2022 11:23 PM

2022-07-06T23:23:38-04:00

Freedom of speech

Response by SP6 Peter Murphy made Jul 27 at 2022 10:28 PM

2022-07-27T22:28:03-04:00

I believe from reviewing historical archives that this mud slinging has been ongoing since we became a republic--a constitutional democracy. Whenever and wherever there are human contests in the form of public elections, and the resulting rewards of winning such a position of privilege and power there will continue to be mud slinging. I'm guilty of it too in the case of expresident trump. Go figure.