The Supreme Court is deciding a case concerning the First Amendment rights of a high school student. CNN posted this article about it.
This is not a cut and dried case, and I expect it to be a close call on the court. The thing I find hysterical, and in some way very frightening about this is the comment made by Ruth Bader Ginsburg about the sign held up by the student which read "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." She said, "One can look at these words and say it’s just nonsense," she said. "It isn’t clear that this is ‘Smoke Pot.’ "
Really? Bong Hits doesn’t directly imply pot smoking? Really? The fact that Ruth Bader Ginsburg can look at that sign and think it’s just nonsense and not a direct drug reference displays a serious disconnect between her and the rest of the world. Words mean things, and the words "Bong Hits" mean smoke pot. She’s one of nine people who are applying the Constitution to our world as it is today and she has no idea what words mean in this word today. In 1789, "Bong Hits" would have been seen as nonsense, but so would about a million terms that are integral to the world in which we live.
I am in no way saying that "Bong Hits" are integral to the world in which we live, unless "we" means people at a Phish concert, but not knowing that it means what it means is just ridiculous.
I’d have to look much closer at this case to see where I come down on this one. Probably on the side of the Principal, but then again, I’m a teacher. Either way, Ruth Bader Ginsburg should figure out what things mean, otherwise when the Yahoo Serious Festival comes to town she’s going to be horribly confused and will miss the showing of Young Einstein.
Jeff Taylor Writes 