View Single Post
Old 02-08-2010, 15:47   #17
craigepo
Quiet Professional
 
craigepo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Southern Mo
Posts: 1,541
Richard

"And if lying is a protected 'right' under the 1st Amendment - how can one then be threatened with punishment for commiting perjury - an impossibility under such reasoning."

The distinction between perjury and lying is that perjury is generally committed while the speaker is under oath. This law is quite old, and probably dates back at least to the biblical commandment of "Thou shall not bear false witness".

This is an interesting argument. More to follow
craigepo is offline   Reply With Quote