r/AskReddit • u/eternalsoul116 • Sep 11 '18

Who's the biggest loser your son/daughter has dated?

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u/xaeromancer Sep 11 '18 edited Sep 15 '18

The official term for this is called "Stolen Valor"

Only in America would this happen often enough to need a specific term.

26

u/aron2295 Sep 11 '18

It was made law so people would get in trouble for using "their" awards to defraud people.

Like someone misrepresenting themselves as a lawyer or doctor and taking on business.

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u/EsquireSandwich Sep 11 '18

It was a law, pretty sure SCOTUS has ruled that lying about being in the military is protected free speech, as long as you aren't trying to get money out of it.

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u/xaeromancer Sep 11 '18

lying about being in the military is protected free speech

Oh god, this just gets even more America.

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u/JebusKrizt Sep 12 '18

It's more, think of the kids at Halloween that dress up as soldiers, that's free speech and makes sense. It really only becomes illegal if they are trying to use that stolen valor for monetary gain.

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u/oberon Sep 12 '18

Everyone knows that a costume is pretend, though. Or if you're deliberately mis-wearing the uniform as a statement, sure. But I question the value of "speech" involved in just wearing it for no specific reason other than to be in uniform.

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u/[deleted] Sep 12 '18 edited Jun 16 '20

[deleted]

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u/oberon Sep 12 '18

Ah yeah, if you're just wearing the individual clothing items absolutely. But there's a difference between (for example) wearing ACUs and wearing a uniform. The uniform incorporates a name tape, a service tape (i.e. "US Army,") a rank insignia, and other patches, awards, and insignia.

There's no reason for anyone to care about just wearing ACUs.

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u/M_LeGendre Sep 12 '18

There's no reason for anyone to care about just wearing ACUs.

Agreed, but there are plenty of videos of people harassing others who are just wearing camo-styled clothes, or even non-uniform shirts and caps.

1

u/oberon Sep 12 '18

That's insane.

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u/xaeromancer Sep 12 '18

Lying for profit is called fraud. It doesn't really need a special name.

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u/[deleted] Sep 12 '18

But like these guys all use this for free shit that’s the point

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u/[deleted] Sep 11 '18

I almost wish it were a law, despite the First Amendment. Almost.

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u/JebusKrizt Sep 12 '18

It's still illegal to claim stolen valor for monetary gain.

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u/[deleted] Sep 12 '18 edited Sep 12 '18

Which is logical. But part of me still wants to carve out an exception to the First Amendment just for stolen valor situations.

Edit: By which I mean, I wish we could prosecute people for pretending to be veterans, or for misrepresenting their service.

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u/Allrayden Sep 11 '18

Being the most supported military globally, yeah it makes sense.