SCOTUS gets it right on the Stolen Valor Act  In the Vince
Vaughn/Owen Wilson film, “Wedding Crashers” two bachelors attend
a wedding uninvited to pick-up women.  In one scene they bring
fake purple hearts to a wedding while claiming to be war heroes
in order to receive free drinks.  Hilarious in a movie.  Not so
funny in real life.  The Stolen Valor Act was one of those
republican, feel-good, patriotism bills that made it a federal
crime to lie about one’s involvement in military service, if the
liar was not a service member.  Two weeks ago, in a 6-3 opinion,
Justice Kennedy sided with Xavier Alvarez, who admitted that
while he lied about his non-existent medals of honor, his lie
was protected by the First Amendment.   He was right.  Scalia,
Thomas and Alito who are brilliant heroes to American
jurisprudence got it wrong on this one.  This is really
intuitive.  Unless a lie is being told under oath or to obstruct
justice, perpetrate a fraud resulting in the loss of someone
else’s life, liberty or property, t