Freedom of speech issues?

[caravel]

Has this chap really been banned for life for an email? It seems extremely heavy handed to put it mildly.

I suppose he's lucky he wasn't extradited.

[Vladimir]

I suppose he's lucky he wasn't extradited.

17 is too young for rendition. Now 18...

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Very sparse article as starting material.

there have been over 20 known attempts to kill sitting and former Presidents as well as Presidents-elect. Four attempts have resulted in sitting Presidents being killed: Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President), James A. Garfield (the 20th President), William McKinley (the 25th President) and John F. Kennedy (the 35th President). Two other Presidents were injured in attempted assassinations: then former President Theodore Roosevelt and then sitting President Ronald Reagan.

President Barack Obama has been the target of several assassination threats and alleged plots since first becoming a presidential candidate in 2007. Secret Service protection for Obama began after a death threat in 2007, when he was still serving as the junior Senator from Illinois and running for president.[36] Some commentators have suggested the unprecedented number of death threats against Obama are at least partially tied to racist imagery and words used by some of his critics to describe the president.[37] Among the most serious threats were an alleged plot by three men in Denver to shoot Obama during the 2008 Democratic National Convention,[36][38][39] and an alleged plot by two men in Tennessee to kill Obama as part of a planned murder spree targeting African Americans later the same year.[40][41]

What did the email say? A good bit of the article is quoting a "spokeswoman". He claims he doesn't remember exactly what he said. It seems like a fair guess that it was threatening and possibly racist

[Beskar]

There is another article which is in the weird news section which has some more information on, including some naughty words.

[Joooray]

There is another article which is in the weird news section which has some more information on, including some naughty words.

But if this really all because he called Obama a prick, I'd find a bit harsh.
Even if he was being racist and threatened to kill him, I still would be wondering if they have nothing else to do than banning people that had a few too many. But I at least would understand their concerns.

[Skullheadhq]

I read this article. As can be seen it's on the BBC which isn't known for its sense of humour or being sensationalist.

Has this chap really been banned for life for an email? It seems extremely heavy handed to put it mildly.

So, banning anyone for life based on an email is normal behaviour in the USA?

In America, threatening the President is a massive offense.

I know of some one when they were 13, they draw a picture of Bush jr getting killed, and the school found out and reported it, and he was taken away by the Secret Service and questioned.

What would happen if an American sent such kind of message? Would he be disallowed to enter the US? Exiled? Or worse, granted french nationality?

They get visited by the Secret Service.

I wonder what will happen if an American sends such a message to David Cameron, will he get banned from the UK, or will the UK say sorry and compensate the said American?

Amurrica, home of the free...

[Fragony]

At least harmless cartoonists don't get their door kicked in by a SWAT-team, like here.

State intimidation, yes Co-hen

I can tell from personal experience that such a thing can happen to you here as well. I, my words, 'nominated Tjibbe Joustra for the golden neckshot' on Geenstijl and was summoned and charged, was interrogated for 6 hours they had over 20 pages on me despite me not having a criminal record. It was like a scene out of 'Das Leben die Anderen'. Creepy. Good thing that I know that you don't ever ever EVER talk to the police, was 2 years ago heard nothing about it