The Case Of Elonis V. United States - 948 Words

Judiciary Assignment While, reading the case, Elonis v. United States, I was astonished to see that someone would post something so explicit, offensive, and inhumane. Basically, the case of Elonis v. United States is about a man named Anthony Elonis who is an upcoming rapper and used his stage name, Tone Dougie. His Facebook page consisted of him posting disturbing rap lyrics. Even though Elonis was going through a divorce with his former wife, which did not stop him from writing and posting crude lyrics. Eventually, it got to the point where his wife felt that she was being targeted by his lyrics. According to an article on, New York Times, Elonis wrote that he wanted to see a Halloween costume that included his wife’s â€Å"head† on a stick. Obviously, she felt threatened and reported the assaults to the police. Anthony Elonis was convicted for posting threats that targeted his wife, his coworkers, police officers, a kindergarten class, and even an FBI agent. Although Elonis argued that h is posting are not considered to be a â€Å"true threat† and that he is protected under the First Amendment. I believe he wanted to cause fear towards his wife, Tara and therefore, is his lyrics are a true threat. Basically, a true threat is defined as something a person would consider to be â€Å"purposely† harmful and cause pain. Elonis mentioned that his post were not offended nor were the threatening anybody. He stated that he did not have the intent of trying to harm anyone, he was just tryingShow MoreRelatedElonis V. United States950 Words   |  4 PagesKhin Pont Pont Kyaw POLS Y305 Professor Judy Failer 19 February 2016 Elonis V. United States In the case of Elonis v. United States, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Elonis’s speech did not count as a â€Å"true threat† since a subjective intent to threaten was needed. An objective standard would not be sufficient in this case because we want to separate actual criminal acts from heat of the moment mistakes. However, the decision of the Supreme Court does not include intended victims of theRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Free Speech1328 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Elonis v. United States sase is of particular notoriety due to its exemplification of both the role in which social media play in free speech, as well as the fine line between free and hate speech. Multiple stances and theories can be utilized as a means of understanding and justifying the Elonis case, including Mill’s theories of liberty, free speech, and the public and private spheres. Ultimately, the Elonis case was unethical and derived a need for legal action against Anthony Elonis, establishingRead MoreA Brief Note On Crime And Social Media Essay947 Words   |  4 Pagesdetermining whether or not certain actions preformed online are in violation of the United State’s law. Elonis v. United States is the result of social media posts by Anthony Douglas Elonis. Under a pseudonym â€Å"Tone Dougie† used on the social media website Facebook, Elonis, after his wife left him, posted self-styled rap lyrics (University). The rap lyrics in questions contained vividly violent language and imagery. Elonis often included disclaimers that the lyrics were fictional, that he had no intentionRead MoreElonis V. United States1334 Words   |  6 Pages Elonis v. United States In the Supreme Court case, Elonis v. United States, Anthony Elonis, the petitioner, claimed that his First Amendment rights were being denied. Elonis used Facebook as a platform for venting comments about people who he felt had done him wrong. Elonis’ words, however, were interpreted to be threats. As an American citizen, Anthony Elonis is protected by the First Amendment as he claims. Having freedom of speech, however, does not mean that a person can say anything theyRead MoreSocial Media And Its Impact On Society1497 Words   |  6 Pagesrelationship and challenges between the First Amendment and social media in 2015, ruling that it is difficult to accurately evaluate the intentions of others through social media posts. Social media is creating a new communication revolution in the United States and is generating more effective means to address government issues, but the challenges have demanded policy changes and clarifications of the First Amendment. Social media first experienced it boom of popularity with the birth of MySpace in 2003Read MoreIn Order To Measure The Legal Realm Of Social Media, It1616 Words   |  7 Pagesof speech: The First Amendment. The First Amendment specifically states in the United States Constitution, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.† This Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America is what gives people the right to practice religion,Read MoreAccording To The First Amendment Of The United States Constitution,1747 Words   |  7 Pagesto the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the people of the nation are entitled to the freedom of speech, but not all speech is the same. The internet provides us with an infinite amount o f information, grants us access to virtually everything we could want and acts as an unrestrained vehicle of communication. In the day and age where technology is advancing and social media and internet are of rising importance, the Supreme Court of the United States has been faced with the challengeRead MoreBrown V Board Of Education1386 Words   |  6 PagesLandmark Supreme Court Cases ï  ¬ Brown v Board of Education (1954) ïÆ'Ëœ The Background: In the 1950’s, schools were separated by race. Linda Brown and her sister had to walk down a dangerous railroad switchyard to get to the bus stop to their all-black elementary school. There was an all-white school closer to the Brown’s house, and the Brown family believed that segregated schools violated the Constitution. ïÆ'Ëœ The Constitutional Issue: This issue violated the Equal Protection Clause of the FourteenthRead MoreAssignment 1 : Free Speech During Wartime1352 Words   |  6 Pagesand reported and had no filter. But they deserve to properly inform the people, especially when the government is limited the information, that could ease families minds and calm tension between the citizens and the government. Debs v. United States, (1919), Eugene V. Debs, a leader of the American Socialist Party, addressed an anti-war rally in 1918. At this rally, Debs praised other Socialist leaders who had previously been arrested for opposing the draft law. Debs told his audience (which includedRead MoreThe First Amendment Of The United States Constitution1943 Words   |  8 PagesThere are many elements of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to address. The area of the Freedom of Speech applies to every aspect of our daily lives. An examination of this area shows us why there are protect ed and unprotected areas of speech: speeches and actions that have been debated throughout our nation’s history and why they are important and have such an impact on our individual lives and social activities today. The adoption of the First Amendment drafted by James Madison