Lies of honor.

• Position: Stolen Valor Law

Impersonating a decorated serviceman is appalling. George Washington I thought so. "Should any who are not entitled to these honors have the insolence to assume the badges of them, they shall be severely punished," he wrote in 1782 of the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart.

Congress originally passed the Stolen Valor law in 1948, making it a federal misdemeanor to wear unearned medals and decorations. It was expanded in 2006 to include "falsely representing oneself as having been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces."

It's a difficult law to enforce, however. And twice, courts have ruled the federal law to be unconstitutional because it restricts free speech.

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The difficulty in enforcement, however, hasn't stopped states from banning this kind of chicanery. Since most of these impersonators are brought to light in the state and local arena, California Assemblyman Paul Cook introduced a bill in 2007 "to mirror current federal law, thus giving state and local authorities the ability to prosecute these individuals."

Nine states--California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah--have Stolen Valor laws. California's law specifies that to be prosecuted, charlatans must have the intent to defraud. Kentucky's law specifies further that the deception requires the intent to defraud, obtain employment, or be elected or appointed to public office.

In addition to state versions of the Stolen Valor Act, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Nevada prohibit impersonating or falsely representing any...