The First Amendment is back in the spotlight as a former Coast Guard officer was acquitted of soliciting a crime of violence.
Peter Stinson pushed the idea of freedom of speech to its limits when he called for someone to “take the shot” and said things like, “Realistically, the only solution is violence.” In another instance, he said that he “would twist the knife after sliding it into [Trump’s] fatty flesh” and “would be willing to pitch in” for a contract with a hitman.
“He wants us dead. I can say the same thing about him,” he said during the pandemic.
University of Maryland’s Professor Jen Golbeck argued for the defense, pointing out that people “rooting for Trump to die online” isn’t exactly a rare occurrence.
“On one hand, I would not encourage anyone to post those thoughts on social media,” Golbeck said, according to a report by the Washington Post. “On the other hand, I can’t count the number of people who I saw post similar things. . . . It’s a very common sentiment. There’s social media accounts dedicated to tracking whether Trump has died.”
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s Brennen VanderVeen also argued that, despite the nature of the charges, it’s difficult to say whom Stinson was soliciting to carry out any of his murder fantasies.
“Solicitation is when it’s directly tied to the crime. So, if he contacts an actual hit man and tries to arrange some sort of hit contract, that’s solicitation,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Without more . . . that probably does not meet the elements of actual solicitation.”
Political violence and First Amendment protections have been in the news more lately due to the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk and the celebratory reactions from the left.
X users had a lot to say about the decision:
But he can still be booted from the military with a dishonorable discharge!!!
UCMJ says so!!!
— Chris (@HelmerChris) October 31, 2025
People have gone to prison for much less than that.For talking about governors and judges.
— Deo Vindice (@DrTechNC) October 31, 2025
So it will be interesting to see if this precedent holds up when someone tests it threatening Obama, Hillary, Schumer, Pelosi, AOC, or any other Democrat.
— Joe Dean (aka Jaded Joe) (@Myjdean3) October 30, 2025
So, I can sit here and make a list of people I’d like to threaten, post about having them removed, and I’m basically untouchable, because… Free Speech?
This is tying the meaning of our Constitution into knots….— Michael Grubb (@Mdgician) October 31, 2025
Calling for violence is protected speech? Ok. Game on, then.
— Michael (@HawkeyeMogul) October 30, 2025
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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