[ExI] yelling fire

[spike at rainier66.com]

I heard an expression this week that reminds me of my cheerfully misspent
childhood: You can't yell fire in a crowded theatre.  I always assumed it
true.  But. is it?  I understand it is a reference to the limits of free
speech.  It makes reference to something the old timers all understood but
moderns do not.  

 

In the old days, theatres were made of wood and were full of flammables.
They had no sprinkler systems, no smoke detectors, no fire alarms, no
extinguishers, grossly insufficient emergency exits.  Proles would trample
each other in panic trying to get out if anyone screamed fire.  

 

What would happen if someone did that now?  Answer: probably nothing.  I
wouldn't get out of my seat.  Any building that meets modern fire code
doesn't really burn worth a worry.  The carpet is fire suppressed, drywall
doesn't burn at all, there are smoke detectors everywhere.  If someone
started screaming fire, the bouncer would likely throw the bum out, but I
doubt there would be legal consequences.

 

Conclusion: you can yell fire in a crowded theatre.

 

spike

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