warmaker :

"There are many things not protected by the 1st Amendment in the U.S.: ... threats ..."

Wrong. Threats of violence are considered protected speech unless it is considered to cause imminent lawless action.

The kid didn't do anything illegal. Period. He doesn't belong in jail. He shouldn't have to perform community service. He shouldn't be punished at all.

What really gets me is that... it was CLEARLY a joke. If you look at the context, the the lol jk, and the fact that people are constantly making sarcastic statements, how can you honestly think he was making terrorism threads.

This is ridiculous! Sentencing a kid to 8 years in prison... he's 19 now, so all of his early and mid twenties in jail because of one stupid joke that happened to catch some idiot woman's attention.

He's suffered enough, learned his lesson not to trust that the world in reasonable, he won't do it again. If he IS sentences to 8 years for that... justice more dead than I thought.

New updates.
A mysterious Donor gave $50,000.00 to get the kid out on bail.
Plus his Lawyer is working "pro-bone-o".
Things are looking up for the kid but slowly.
Hopefully everything works out for the best.

What judge could do such a thing to a kid? I may not know if the dude has a past or not but something does not smell right over a Bail set for $50,000.00 Bucks. Over internet talk?

I honestly have little faith in the system but "For Pete's Sake". What the heck could this all be about?

One would suspect our American Right to Freedom of Speech is being attacked "with a vengeance".

The Mysterious Donor thing is kinda funny too. Someone in the system pulling strings? What is this case really about?. $50,000.00 Bucks is allot of money for a stranger. Who is this kid? I saw photos of him. Hint: He aint James Bond. Not by a long shot.

So, what gives with the harsh charges and the crazy bail price?
This Story gets bigger and Weirder every day.
Anyone else got some updates?
Please post em and help out. Thanks.
Good Luck.

Good Luck to All.
I'm done. Stick a fork in me.
Peace.

Place yourself in this fictional person's shoes.
Your 30 years old, you live in a quiet town where everyone cares for everyone. You have a Facebook, You're sifting through posts and liking status' and funny pictures. You then see a post by an 18 year old kid saying he'll shoot up a school jk. You see the Jk and don't do anything about it because, well he's joking. The next day or so, you hear police sirens and people screaming and running towards the school somebody shot up the school and it turns out it was the kid. And you know that you could have prevented it if you weren't in a "Facebook daze."
Sure the kid didn't "know about current events" ie the Connecticut shooting and a lot of other school shootings. But he knew about 9/11 and 9/11 has changed the way America looks at threats, jokingly or not. We have been losing our rights since then and ignorance does not justify a threat. Jokingly or not

The point I'm saying is, would you rather it actually happen or better safe than sorry ? Yes, it's an unfortunate that he just possibly screwed up his life but he needs to be mentally aware that Facebook isn't a game and life has consequences.
I believe some type of counseling is needed because if that's the first "joking* thing he jumps to when someone says your "messed up" or whatever the other kid said, then something is definitely wrong.

Now seeing as this is a debate forum I would appreciate not being ostracized for my opinion.
and
MegaRevolution1 : Columbine School Shooting. Did you know that on the day Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold participated in the school shooting they actually went to bowling class *their first period class* before doing the actual shooting, Their partners for bowling *two females their names escape me right now* didn't even notice anything was going to happen or if they were acting strange at all before the happening.

Chindogu :
As much as I'd like to respond to everyone on this thread.
I can not.
So, I'll Speak briefly.
In most countries. Many common dudes gave their life for simple rights to express distress in the most silliest ways.
That sacrifice I think deserves a slight notation in any ones journal.
Just because They lived and died before you were born.
Does not mean that that service should go unnoticed.
Take your rights that are paid for in blood or leave em.
I leave it to you and the rest.
I could care less about the consequences.
This kid though may not be 100% Righteous. But he is not a threat to society.
No time should ever be served. No penalty either. The kid is just a kid. Say what you want but we have our rights paid for in advance.
Tossing that to the winds?
Would be a great disservice to the people that paved the way for their idea of a model society for their kids. And So fourth and so fourth.

I think we owe it to them to at least pay a little respect to the blood spilled to have our freedoms that many take for granted.
Just a thought.

Good Luck.
Peace.

He said something he shouldn't have, that country goes through a lot of terrorism and shootings but... Jail is a little extreme don't you think? It was an obvious joke and he shouldn't go to jail. Punished? Maybe. Jail? No.