Floyd's in trouble again?

Mott the Hoople

Mott the Hoople

Sweet Jane
Originally I was going to post this in the sports section but thought that this is really a broader issue and that it truly illustrates the advantages we have living in America vs Europe. Here in America we have free speech. We are allowed to criticize the wealthy and the powerful. Not so in Europe where if you do that you could land in serious trouble.

The case of Floyd Landis is a good example to demonstrate this difference of free speech rights. Granted, Landis is not the most credible person in the world but he made serious allegations about the systemic nature of doping in pro-cycling and it's covert support at the highest levels of the sport. In the USA his claims have resulted in a Federal Investigation to determine the facts. In Europe his claims have resulted in powerful members of the UCI filing a lawsuit against Landis. In other words, Landis is being persecuted in Europe for exercising his free speech rights. Kind of scary to think if you make a criticism of the rich and powerful they can drag you into court and prosecute you. Makes you kinda glad your an American doesn't it?

These guys at the UCI must be incredible idiots or completely ignorant of US legal jurisprudence as Landis's comments are fully protected free speech in the USA. To me that gives Landis's comments a huge amount of credibility as it makes you wonder why these guys are trying to shut him up.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110504/sp_afp/cyclingusaucilandisdoping
 
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Mott the Hoople said:
Originally I was going to post this in the sports section but thought that this is really a broader issue and that it truly illustrates the advantages we have living in America vs Europe. Here in America we have free speech. We are allowed to criticize the wealthy and the powerful. Not so in Europe where if you do that you could land in serious trouble.

The case of Floyd Landis is a good example to demonstrate this difference of free speech rights. Granted, Landis is not the most credible person in the world but he made serious allegations about the systemic nature of doping in pro-cycling and it's covert support at the highest levels of the sport. In the USA his claims have resulted in a Federal Investigation to determine the facts. In Europe his claims have resulted in powerful members of the UCI filing a lawsuit against Landis. In other words, Landis is being persecuted in Europe for exercising his free speech rights. Kind of scary to think if you make a criticism of the rich and powerful they can drag you into court and prosecute you. Makes you kinda glad your an American doesn't it?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110504/sp_afp/cyclingusaucilandisdoping
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if this is truly the case, then why do you and yours continually compare our incivility to other civilized societies like england?
 
why has no one kicked floyd's ass yet.

I nominate him for the gay'est athlete since Greg Lemond
 
again, this isn't about Landis in my book. Landis has no personal credibility.....but why are these UCI guys trying to shut him up? Every one knows Landis is a cheat and a liar but he has free speech rights so why are these guys trying to shut him up?
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Wouldn't that be Greg Lougainis....or Jamarcus Russel?
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Greg would be awesome, shame on you. Understandable from someone supporting a pussy school like Ohio Slow.
Jamarcus, come on man. A guy needs a little purple drank every once in a few minutes.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Well before I can answer your question I have to ask you one. WTF are you talking about?
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your OP here seems to be trying to tell us how great it is to live in the USA with our grand free speech rights, as compared to England where your example shows that free speech is severely limited based upon your net worth. Yet, many other threads on here and other places on the net bash the USA for it's supposed stone age barbarism in matters concerning other rights that this country still tries to maintain, like gun rights or property rights. Liberals and progressives are constantly belittling those of us who still support and exercise some of these rights as they tell us that we should be like the more civilized nations LIKE ENGLAND, where gun and property rights are severely restricted or removed outright.

so which is it to be? do you embrace all of our rights as being sacrosanct and inviolate? or do you want us to be more like england where your rights are based on your worth?
 
Hey, I admire Lougainis tremendously but there's no arguing the gay thing! LOL As for Jamarcus.....maybe a little purple drank every few minutes might just have been a wee bit to much, don'tcha think? LOL
 
SmarterThanYou said:
your OP here seems to be trying to tell us how great it is to live in the USA with our grand free speech rights, as compared to England where your example shows that free speech is severely limited based upon your net worth. Yet, many other threads on here and other places on the net bash the USA for it's supposed stone age barbarism in matters concerning other rights that this country still tries to maintain, like gun rights or property rights. Liberals and progressives are constantly belittling those of us who still support and exercise some of these rights as they tell us that we should be like the more civilized nations LIKE ENGLAND, where gun and property rights are severely restricted or removed outright.

so which is it to be? do you embrace all of our rights as being sacrosanct and inviolate? or do you want us to be more like england where your rights are based on your worth?
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OK....maybe you didn't understand my question. WTF are you talking about and what does it have to do with this thread?
 
Mott the Hoople said:
Hey, I admire Lougainis tremendously but there's no arguing the gay thing! LOL As for Jamarcus.....maybe a little purple drank every few minutes might just have been a wee bit to much, don'tcha think? LOL
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Real Men use gay as a crack on fanny pack weareers or guy's who narc on former friends ie landis. I don't use it as a sexuality tag.
 
Mott the Hoople said:
OK....maybe you didn't understand my question. WTF are you talking about and what does it have to do with this thread?
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I understand your reticence in confronting the liberal hypocrisy of dual standards in nation comparing. I wouldn't want to try if I were in your shoes either. It's much simpler to try to break it down to 'how does this apply to doping in cycling' or some other such nonsense.
 
SmarterThanYou said:
your OP here seems to be trying to tell us how great it is to live in the USA with our grand free speech rights, as compared to England where your example shows that free speech is severely limited based upon your net worth. Yet, many other threads on here and other places on the net bash the USA for it's supposed stone age barbarism in matters concerning other rights that this country still tries to maintain, like gun rights or property rights. Liberals and progressives are constantly belittling those of us who still support and exercise some of these rights as they tell us that we should be like the more civilized nations LIKE ENGLAND, where gun and property rights are severely restricted or removed outright.

so which is it to be? do you embrace all of our rights as being sacrosanct and inviolate? or do you want us to be more like england where your rights are based on your worth?
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Just to point out this case cited, concerning the UCI and Floyd Landis, has nothing whatsoever to do with England and involves the Swiss courts.

(Although you do have a point about the awful state of freedom of speech in England and the oppressive nature of our Libel laws)
 
Topspin said:
Real Men use gay as a crack on fanny pack weareers or guy's who narc on former friends ie landis. I don't use it as a sexuality tag.
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Again, that's not my point here. I'm not defending Landis. The man cheated, lied about it and took advantage of a lot of people in the process. I'm glad he came clean about it but that hardly makes him credible.

My point is, in the US his comments, no matter how unpopular, are protected free speech.

but in Europe you can and will be prosecuted for exercising such free speech.

That makes me very suspicious of the UCI officials. Why are they trying to shut Landis up? What are they hiding?
 
SmarterThanYou said:
I understand your reticence in confronting the liberal hypocrisy of dual standards in nation comparing. I wouldn't want to try if I were in your shoes either. It's much simpler to try to break it down to 'how does this apply to doping in cycling' or some other such nonsense.
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Well if you were actually making sense or even making comments that were germain to the conversation I would respond but to be quite honest, you're sounding a lot like Asshat and I haven't a clue what the hell you're talking about. I doubt that I'm the only one either.
 
Especially in Sports. England and Franch are shuch vagina's that they will actively pursue legal action against an American embarrassing them at thier own sports. The French activly pursued lance like he was Al Queda.
 
Topspin said:
Especially in Sports. England and Franch are shuch vagina's that they will actively pursue legal action against an American embarrassing them at thier own sports. The French activly pursued lance like he was Al Queda.
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I think your confusing the press with the government. The French government has never filed a single legal action against Armstrong related to cycling where as the French media has been very critical of him.
 
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