LeesburgSkinFan Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 ALAMOGORDO, N.M. – A New Mexico man's decision to lash out with a billboard ad saying his ex-girlfriend had an abortion against his wishes has touched off a legal debate over free speech and privacy rights. The sign on Alamogordo's main thoroughfare shows 35-year-old Greg Fultz holding the outline of an infant. The text reads, "This Would Have Been A Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To Not KILL Our Child!" Fultz's ex-girlfriend has taken him to court for harassment and violation of privacy. A domestic court official has recommended the billboard be removed. But Fultz's attorney argues the order violates his client's free speech rights. More at link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110606/ap_on_re_us/us_abortion_billboard Freedom of speech or invasion of privacy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rictus58 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I agree that he has a right to freedom of speech. But she should also have a right to privacy. I hate to admit I agree with the SCOTUS and their decision on WBC, but they were not giving out personal information about the soldiers they were protesting. While they would picket a soldiers funeral, it wasn't personal against the soldier him/herself. This guy has a vendetta and I would hope the court rules against him for the sake of his target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 So fathers should just shut up and take it?....Hell No Jessen says her client's ex-boyfriend has crossed the line. "Nobody is stopping him from talking about father's rights. ... but a person can't invade someone's private life." Removing any choice from the male AND telling him to shut up about it is invading his life....both public and private If the billboard does not name or picture her it should be acceptable and is simply a expression of the fathers opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I am sure TWA also would be okay if the woman had a billboard with all his faults and short comings and mistakes made posted for all to see She can start with how he is a fornicator also ---------- Post added June-7th-2011 at 08:38 AM ---------- So fathers should just shut up and take it?....Hell NoJessen says her client's ex-boyfriend has crossed the line. "Nobody is stopping him from talking about father's rights. ... but a person can't invade someone's private life." Removing any choice from the male AND telling him to shut up about it is invading his life....both public and private If the billboard does not name or picture her it should be acceptable and is simply a expression of the fathers opinion. Maybe he should have married her first and then planned for a child instead of getting her pregnant out of wed lock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I am sure TWA also would be okay if the woman had a billboard with all his faults and short comings and mistakes made posted for all to seeShe can start with how he is a fornicator also Why not? relegating someone taking a child from your life to a mistake or shortcoming is foolish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Why not?relegating someone taking a child from your life to a mistake or shortcoming is foolish It is not a mistake beyond forgiveness and if this is how he and you want to treat and judge others you can count on the same sort of judgement applied to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesburgSkinFan Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 While I don't like this guy's tactics, I don't see that he's done anything illegal or that he should be liable for. I don't see how it's an invasion of privacy - he's allowed to state what happened to his child. It's certainly not libel or slander as truth is an absolute defense for both of those. So I'm not seeing how she's got a case, quite frankly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 It is not a mistake beyond forgiveness and if this is how he and you want to treat and judge others you can count on the same sort of judgement applied to you We are speaking of rights not religion or matters of faith.....I'm fine with being judged How about we not sidetrack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 We are speaking of rights not religion or matters of faith.....I'm fine with being judged How about we not sidetrack? Hey if you and others want to assert rights on this matter than you can also take the responisabillity, if you want that control on another persons body they have the right to do the same to you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I don't like it but I'd like it being illegal even less. Assuming it's true of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 A father has legal responsibilities....and marriage changes nothing as far as a males choice in abortion. This is a suppression of the fathers opinion even being expressed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 How was her privacy violated by this billboard ? Were they a prominent couple in the area, whereas everyone would know who she was by seeing a picture of him ? I doubt it. Interesting tactic by him, but seemingly in poor taste. Also something that should have been discussed before they started to have sex unprotected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I don't see how it's illegal. She has the right to counter sue him for slander or libel if she wants. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRSmith Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 A father has legal responsibilities....and marriage changes nothing as far as a males choice in abortion.This is a suppression of the fathers opinion even being expressed This is beyond legal resposibiliies this is dictate what a person does with their body for the next 9 months, in that time to be fair a woman should be allowed to tell a man what he will do with his body for the the same nine month period Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Right or wrong, I just can't see a billboard company in Virginia posting a giant sign with this content on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Right or wrong, I just can't see a billboard company in Virginia posting a giant sign with this content on it. Depends on where you live in Virginia and depends on the money spent. Same for pretty much anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 How was her privacy violated by this billboard ? Health records are confidential. Abortion is a medical procedure. Revealing her medical history is a violation of privacy. I'm not sure where I stand on this freedom of speech vs invasion of privacy, but it sure is an icky thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmySmith Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Interesting. If he was a total stranger and did the same thing, I would side with her right to privacy. But since they were essentially 2 parties in a contract, how can she have the expectation of privacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergasun Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Did he name her? She would've gone on in somewhat obscurity. However, now that she has decided to sue him we have major "Streisand Effect" going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesburgSkinFan Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 The boyfriend has no doctor/patient relationship with the girlfriend. He is not a "covered entity" and, thus, is free to reveal this information about her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Actually, Larry's opinion is: 1) Daddy doesn't have the right to know about the abortion. 2) But, assuming that Daddy learned about the abortion legally, then once he learns about it, he has the right to speak about what he knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 The boyfriend has no doctor/patient relationship with the girlfriend. He is not a "covered entity" and, thus, is free to reveal this information about her. Is that so, legally speaking? If I get hold of your medical records or find out about something about you can I just blurt it out and broadcast it to the world? I could be wrong, but I don't think that's the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcl05 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I'm pretty sure HIPAA makes it illegal for anyone to disclose her private health information without consent. EDIT: just read some stuff and now I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 While I don't like this guy's tactics, I don't see that he's done anything illegal or that he should be liable for. I don't see how it's an invasion of privacy - he's allowed to state what happened to his child. It's certainly not libel or slander as truth is an absolute defense for both of those.So I'm not seeing how she's got a case, quite frankly. I agree with you, but the bolded portion is where the majority will disagree. They don't see the fetus as his child until the woman gives birth. Then he is responsible financially until 18 (22 if college is involved) to the mother. Yeah, fathers are ****ed in the legal system in this country. Mom can abort at will, dad can sit there and wait and see what mom does. And then, some of the women in this country use the child/children as negotiating ploys to get what they want or divorce. What legal resort do men have?---------- Post added June-7th-2011 at 09:30 AM ---------- I'm pretty sure HIPAA makes it illegal for anyone to disclose her private health information without consent.EDIT: just read some stuff and now I'm not sure. Who Must Follow These LawsWe call the entities that must follow the HIPAA regulations covered entities. Covered entities include: - Health Plans, including health insurance companies, HMOs, company health plans, and certain government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid. - Most Health Care Providers—those that conduct certain business electronically, such as electronically billing your health insurance—including most doctors, clinics, hospitals, psychologists, chiropractors, nursing homes, pharmacies, and dentists. - Health Care Clearinghouses—entities that process nonstandard health information they receive from another entity into a standard (i.e., standard electronic format or data content), or vice versa. Who Is Not Required to Follow These Laws Many organizations that have health information about you do not have to follow these laws. Examples of organizations that do not have to follow the Privacy and Security Rules include: - life insurers, - employers, - workers compensation carriers, - many schools and school districts, - many state agencies like child protective service agencies, - many law enforcement agencies, - many municipal offices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Health records are confidential. Abortion is a medical procedure. Revealing her medical history is a violation of privacy.I'm not sure where I stand on this freedom of speech vs invasion of privacy, but it sure is an icky thing to do. IF he broke into the doctors office and stole her records to learn of it, I'd agree, but I don't think that's the case. Let's remove the abortion part from it. If somebody tells you they had a nose job and then you put up a billboard about it (w/o actually naming the person appearantly), would that be illegal? Should the rules change for an abortion vs. a nose job? Why? Or let's it make it even more mild. What about strep throat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.