There are few things lower than doing this and Stolen Valor. If you never walked the walk do NOT pretend you have.
Court: Wearing unearned military medal is protected by Constitution
SAN FRANCISCO (Tribune News Service) — A federal law that prohibited people from wearing military medals they didn’t earn is unconstitutional for the same reason as a law that made it a crime to lie about earning a medal, a federal appeals court ruled Monday: It’s a falsehood that is protected by freedom of speech.
In an 8-3 ruling, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said the now-repealed law against wearing unearned military decorations was a ban on a type of “symbolic speech.” Although the government can forbid falsehoods that cause tangible harm, like fraud or perjury, the Constitution restricts government regulation of expression based solely on its content, the court said.
“Suppressing a symbolic communication threatens the same First Amendment harm as suppressing a written communication,” Judge Sandra Ikuta said in the majority opinion. “Wearing a medal has no purpose other than to communicate a message.”
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Is it illegal to wear a military uniform if you are not in the military? Or a cop uniform? I am guessing but I would think it definitely is?
If so, for me that is reason enough not to allow military awards as well. I might let a terrorist into an even simply because I wanted to honor his "purple heart" he earned in Iraq.
It is not illegal to wear a military uniforms. They are available to the public. BDUs make great work clothes. The don't wear out, rip, or tear easily.
Thanks for informing me. Fabric, great idea. But surely, no one is stupid enough to put on the full regalia of a military uniform, etc. and walk around acting as though that is who they are or were? I guess I have heard of a few lunatics like that.
But even a policeman or highway patrol uniform? Who would dare try to get away with that?