(Photo : Photo by Al Drago-Pool/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 21: U.S. President Joe Biden during a meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the Oval Office of the White House on September 21, 2021 in Washington, DC. Johnson made a 24-hour visit to Washington to meet with the president, vice president and congressional leaders, while in the United States to attend the U.N. General Assembly.
A viral post is being shared by many online users on social media platforms that shows part of an article that claims that cursing United States President Joe Biden is illegal under American law.
Despite the claims of the satirical article, there is no evidence to prove that it was against the law to curse the president of the country. One post's description criticized how it was now dangerous and illegal to curse Biden. The post also questioned why the same was not happening during former United States President Donald Trump's administration.
Illegal to Swear at President Biden?
The headline of the article in the screenshots read, "It's Not Just Dangerous; Screaming F*** Biden May Also Be Illegal." The subheading of the post claimed that experts warned residents that on top of the violent incitement that cursing Biden could cause, the "threats" may also be considered as criminal.
Despite being authored by Eugene Bischvetz Ph.D., the article was not located online but was found to be on meme pages. On Instagram, a user of the same name posted the screenshot of the article's claims, Reuters reported.
The claims are not supported by evidence as legal experts are not warning residents that cursing President Biden will result in criminal charges. The Instagram account that shared the article screenshot also posted other fake news headlines.
Five legal experts were later consulted regarding the legitimacy of the article's claims and they said that using swear words against the president of the United States was not subject to criminal charges. Any individual who uses profanities against the U.S. president is protected by the First Amendment. They said that while there were some instances where screaming expletives could result in an arrest, it would not be a result of the word itself.
Lack of Evidence to Support the Claims
A professor and constitutional law expert at Northwestern University, Andrew Koppelman, called the claims a "silly notion." He urged people not to start screaming in the public library or in a courtroom during a trial. But Koppelman said that if people wanted to go out in public and yell expletives, they were free to do so and protected under the First Amendment, the Associated Press reported.
A professor at Arizona State University's law school, James Weinstein, noted that in the United States, Americans can generally say anything about the president and not be prosecuted unless it was considered a true threat, which is well-defined.
The recent incident comes as Biden's approval ratings have fallen following the effects of his decision to withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan. The removal of soldiers allowed the Taliban to take control of the war-torn country's government and persecute its people.
A new poll showed Biden's approval rating was currently at 44%, which is down eight points from what it was in May. His disapproval rate is now 51%, a nine-point increase from the same period. The poll also found that while 77% of Americans supported the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, 60% disapproved of the way that Biden conducted the process of taking the soldiers home, Newsweek reported.
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