[xanaxnewtrader]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011...see-bookstore/

But others find the outrage over “Disappoint-mints” to be curiously strong – suggesting that removing the products is a form of censorship.

“Let me make very clear, there is no candy exception to the First Amendment,” Glenn Reynolds, a constitutional law professor, told the newspaper.

“Free speech is free speech. If you make fun of the president in a mint, it is just as much free speech as it is if you make fun of the president in a political cartoon.”

The bookstore manager said the shop previously carried breath mints satirizing former President George W. Bush – but no one ever complained.

[ffflyer]

There is no First Amendment issue here. The bookstore got a little criticism and decided not to sell the candy.

The Freedom of Speech also allows someone to criticize your speech.

[MaigicyuNinia]

^Yeah, that.

Compete non-event. Nobody was hindering the bookstore's free speech. The owners just decided the joke wasn't worth losing business over.

[Abaronos]

The Freedom of Speech is a limit on what the government can do. It does not limit a private individual's ability to pressure a store to stop carring a particular product.

[pharweqto]

Depends what is meant by "pressure". Complaints, yes. Boycotts, yes. Breaking windows - no.

So in this particular case, nothing wrong happened. But we need to remember that an individual using force on another individual to shut him up is still wrong.

[duexjepevef]

I just thought that it was odd for someone to complain about this and no one complained about the Bush stuff.

This was the first part of the article:

State Rep. Joe Armstrong told The Knoxville News Sentinel he found the breath mints offensive.

He said a student had notified him of the mints so he decided to go to the bookstore to investigate.

He said the breath freshener was “very specifically insulting to the president” and said the university should be sensitive to what he called “politically specific products.

So yes the bookstore just avoided any controversy but if they hadn't, what would this Rep have done? I mean there are a lot of things that are "offensive" to one person and not to another. Is it offensive because he's a Democratic president or just because he's the President? Was this guy "offended" when people mocked the last President?

It's not a huge deal but it just caught my attention was all. I think there are probably worse satires of Pres. Obama out there than this candy...

[Enalsebeerkawl]

Supply and Demand.

Don't sell a product where there is no demand for it. Its as simple as that.

[GOLAGLULT]

Nobody wants to buy my "I *heart* Osama" t-shirts.

[Nurba]

You might be selling to the wrong demographic. Are online purchases available in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

[Ecurrexchangess]

Nobody wants to buy my "I *heart* Osama" t-shirts.

I can't keep the "I *heart* Bush" t-shirts in stock they sell so fast....

Who knew he had so many supporters at WNBA games and LPGA tournaments?

[PypeDeft]

I can't keep the "I *heart* Bush" t-shirts in stock they sell so fast....

Who knew he had so many supporters at WNBA games and LPGA tournaments?

Good one.

[wmzeto]

You might be selling to the wrong demographic. Are online purchases available in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

They are indeed available... for all 12 Pakistanis who own personal computers.

[aburva.org]

So are the mints only half-white?!

[Biradallo]

Yup. They're also Muslim with forged wrappers.