tiredThe legislative branch just sent a bill to to the president to be
signed. This bill severely restricts your freedom of speech by making
it illegal to protest disruptively in the general vicinity of anyone
afforded protection by the Secret Service - like presidential
candidates or the president himself.
What is disruptive?
"knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct
of Government business or official functions, engages in disorderly or
disruptive conduct in, or within such proximity to, any restricted
building or grounds when, or so that, such conduct, in fact, impedes
or disrupts the orderly conduct of Government business or official
functions;"
That means that shouting from the gallery of the capitol could land
you in jail for a year. Or shouting in the vicinity of a politician
under Secret Service protection.
Read the law yourself. I've linked to the final version here that was
sent to the president to sign. See for yourself what the politicians
in DC think of your right to protest.
By the way, protest is SUPPOSED to be disruptive. THAT is what makes
it EFFECTIVE! THAT is why our founding fathers identified the right
to freedom of speech with the very first amendment - it meant that
much to them!
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c112:7:./temp/~c1124tlEDC::
Cross-posted from Dreamwidth ( http://nimitzbrood.dreamwidth.org/255744.html ) but feel free to comment here as well.
