Originally Posted by skchin
If OP really wanted to make his opinion known, he could have wrote his senator or congressman, filed a complaint against TSA... but no, he wrote his comment down to get a reaction from the TSA. It's like you telling your friend a nasty joke about his mother and trying to get his reaction. And then he complains about his friend's reaction. Grow up! OP's action in my opinion was very immature.
You're entitled to your opinion. The SCOTUS sez so, over and over and over.
In fact, they also ruled that you're also entitled to outrageous political opinions. To wit,
Falwell v. Hustler.
Cheif Justice Rehnquist delivered the (unanimous) opinion of the Court:
[...]At the heart of the First Amendment is the recognition of the fundamental importance of the free flow of ideas and opinions on matters of public interest and concern.
[...]
Despite their sometimes caustic nature, from the early cartoon portraying George Washington as an ... down to the present day, graphic depictions and satirical cartoons have played a prominent role in public and political debate ... From the viewpoint of history it is clear that our political discourse would have been considerably poorer without them.
[...]
An "outrageousness" standard thus runs afoul of our longstanding refusal to allow damages to be awarded because the speech in question may have an adverse emotional impact on the audience. See NAACP v. Claiborne Hardware Co., 458 U.S. 886, 910 (1982) (
"Speech does not lose its protected character . . . simply because it may embarrass others or coerce them into action"). And, as we stated in FCC v. Pacifica Foundation, 438 U.S. 726 (1978):
"[T]he fact that society may find speech offensive is not a sufficient reason for suppressing it. Indeed, if it is the speaker's opinion that gives offense, that consequence is a reason for according it constitutional protection. [485 U.S. 46, 56] For it is a central tenet of the First Amendment that the government must remain neutral in the marketplace of ideas." Id., at 745-746.
While we have the right not to be harassed or persecuted about our political opinions, none of us have the right *not* to be annoyed. Hawley's Angels have no right to parlay their personal annoyances into pax harassment.