Comments on: Now, feel free to impersonate war heroes, judge rules.

By: Jared

Jared — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 20:54:39 +0000

This i completely wrong, he claims a mental illness. This Rick Strandlof is a dirty god damn maggot. He doesn’t deserve to even be in the presence of someone to actually served their country, and to lie about going to one of the most prestigious schools in the nation makes it all the worse. This man has hurt veterans causes everywhere and i hope he burns in hell eternally for it.

By: jim fiorentino

jim fiorentino — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 23:13:25 +0000

I came to your site while googling the body bomb soccer kid from The Hurt Locker and appreciated your take on the movie. As an attorney i have always been frustrated at the ridiculous way most trials are shown in movies and tv even when the movie, like the Locker, puts itself out as serious.
Then i read this post and went to read the Judge’s entire opinion. The jerk did claim all sorts of honors and bragged about service he did not perform for his country but he was not charged with the wearing of medals but of claiming Valor through speech. The part of the original law that banned the wearing of medals is still the law as it wasn’t an issue; only the relatively new Stolen Valor law was found unconstitutional as it specifically seeks to ban speech. You can lie about yourself. I’m guessing exaggerations about military service are being heard by young woman regularly and i doubt anyone would want to police that. obviously this guy was way over that line but his speech is just as protected
Neither defamation nor slander are crimes or illegal although a person could sue in civil court to stop or punish another person for doing them. If the slander damaged their reputation. So you could call the Judge anything in person but once you begin to tell others you get into an area where damages could occur
Also impersonating a Judge could get you arrested but i imagine so could impersonating a member of the service as long as that act wasn’t just sitting in a bar bragging about being a Judge or a General but actually attempting to hold court or give orders or some other act in the official capacity of the person being impersonated.
it’s a sad state of affairs when a real hero is denied his due so i wish you the best in your quest for justice

By: J.Steve Bogie

J.Steve Bogie — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 20:59:04 +0000

Vietnam vet here; outrage at the judge for declaring “freedom of speech” in this issue is absurd, assinine, ludicrous and a disgrace to this country. Not onlt Strandlof have a tidy “big” blanket party, the Most Honorable Judge Blackburn should be the honorer guest, giving him the right to “second in line under the blanket”! What if Strandlof was outside the courthouse calling the judge a homo and a faggot, I KNOW the ruling would be different. Asshole! Can someone send me his email address? Maddog5340@cox.net

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:49:21 +0000

I’m only 13 and yet I realize that this is completely wrong. I’m actually more outraged at Blackburn than Strandlof. If this violates the First Ammendment then maybe congress should try to change it because this is unacceptable. If Blackburn believes that this is okay to do, to impersonate a person that actually WAS wounded, actually DID serve his country, and actually WAS attacked on 9/11, then maybe he should be removed from the court.

By: Johanna Stubblefield

Johanna Stubblefield — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:30:45 +0000

I hope you get your Purple Heart one day, Mark! I really do!

By: Artur

Artur — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:35:29 +0000

If a U.S. citizen agrees to give six years of their life in service of thier country, leave their family and home behind and step into a hostile country facing possible death; they deserve to display every medal they earned in testimony of their loyalty and comadreship. I beleive it is a great injustice that you did not receive the purple heart you deserve, and hopefully, unlike James Garner, you will be awarded it soon and not wait 32 years. To just put on a medal you bought and call yourself a veteran, it is the same as spitting on the flag becuase the real veteran promises to protect the flag.

By: wilson

wilson — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:25:51 +0000

as bad as that pisses me off it does not suprise me. on the same token ive heard stories from other marines,grunts, get shafted that like all the time. when these marines shoulda been gettin navy crosses for going through or doing crazy ass shit to save their fellow man POGS who never left the wire get nams with combat v for updating a web site in a combat zone in their air conditioned hooch eating kfc chicken. or cooks getting the same thing for cooking chow. some guys get the purple heart for cutting their leg on a humvee door.so fuck them. if thats what it takes to make them feel better fuck them. and fuck that judge he can suck a big green cock. that just comes to show you the fuckin morons they make as judges and senators.

By: Lydia

Lydia — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:32:21 +0000

Thats disgraceful… i agree with everything you’ve just said… i just cant believe someone would do that!