Would you care if your Freedom of Speech was taken away?

Question

Senate Bill 1959 Criminalizes Thoughts, Blogs, Books and Free Speech Across America-- The end of Free Speech in America has arrived at our doorstep. It's a new law called the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, and it is worded in a clever way that could allow the U.S. government to arrest and incarcerate any individual who speaks out against the Bush Administration, the war on Iraq, the Department of Homeland Security or any government agency (including the FDA). The law has already passed the House on a traitorous vote of 405 to 6, and it is now being considered in the Senate where a vote is imminent. All over the internet, intelligent people who care about freedom are speaking out against this extremely dangerous law.

http://www.newstarget.com/022308.html

Thanks to all the posters on this question. I honestly went through and read each response, even the lengthy analyses and took them into serious thought. It's good to know that this country still has intelligent and aware individuals loyal to America's founding principles. While I can see the bill may not at once be employed to strip free speech off-hand, I am always reminded not to be lured into a false sense of security. Sometimes, it is those inside our very gates of whom we must be vigilant. The biggest threat to free speech in our country is public complacency, but looking at some of these responses I know that there is still alot of hope left for America. Thanks. God Bless and keep exercising your rights.

Answer 1

I spent 20 years in the USAF defending this right as well as to protect the constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Just because I retired doesn't mean my oath no longer applies. We must speak out and defend our rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America, especially in this crucial election year upon us.

Answer 2

the last part of the bill ----


“(a) In general.—The Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to prevent ideologically based violence and homegrown terrorism as described herein shall not violate the constitutional rights, civil rights, or civil liberties of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents.

if the bill does pass through the senate and isn't vetoed then i dont think it will be taken to such a huge extremity to where normal people walking down the street would be arrested for talking about iraq or terrorism in general.

but if it ever did reach a point to where peaceful protests were 'against the law' & conversations about terrorism were cause for arrest, then i definently think that would actually CAUSE radicalization because that WOULD be against the constitution and our rights.

Answer 3

Here is a copy of the bill that you can read.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s110-1959

Here is a VERY important part of the bill

`SEC. 899E. PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES WHILE PREVENTING IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE AND HOMEGROWN TERRORISM.

`(a) In General- In carrying out this subtitle, the Secretary shall ensure that the efforts of the Department to prevent ideologically based violence and homegrown terrorism as described in this subtitle do not violate the constitutional rights, civil rights, and civil liberties of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents.

`(b) Commitment to Racial Neutrality- The Secretary shall ensure that the activities and operations of the entities created by this subtitle are in compliance with the commitment of the Department to racial neutrality.

`(c) Auditing Mechanism- The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Officer of the Department shall develop and implement an auditing mechanism to ensure that compliance with this subtitle does not result in a disproportionate impact, without a rational basis, on any particular race, ethnicity, or religion and include the results of its audit in its annual report to Congress required under section 705.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 899 the following:

It is very important to keep informed of bills, but whenever you read what a bill is going to do, make sure you read the whole bill, not an edited version of it.

I am not knocking you, just reminding you that everyone has an agenda. Don't let someone sucker you into falling into their agenda without full knowledge of what it is.

I am going to read this again to see if anything can really take away our right to free speech. In the interium, relax and receive.

Answer 4

Well, since I have no verbal filter and I am not fond of Bush, I guess I get to go to jail. I can't live in a place where free speech is removed. Half of what I say is out the mouth before I can stop it.

EDIT: Yep, just read the bill and I am doomed if it passes.

Answer 5

Fundamental Conservatives already know this because the Hate Crimes Bill which has already passed both Houses is waiting for President Bush to sign. Ted Kennedy has attached it to the support of our Nation's Defense budget to force the President to sign it. It will make it a Felony to read the Bible in Public! The Liberals are shutting down our freedom of speech because they can not hope to win a debate unless we are in fear of going to jail and our mouths are gagged.

Answer 6

I just had another answer deleted here so freedom of speech isn't on YA.

Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental freedoms. Without it you cannot criticise authority and this is one of the signs of a robust democracy. Without vocal opposition, the state becomes totalitarian and would be no better than the countries invaded on the pretext of bringing democracy.

There are many such laws that take away our rights that are less critical to our democracy but impinge on our freedom nonetheless.

Answer 7

The difference between a slave and a serf, which is a free man with minimal rights, is that the serf is allowed to have a family, his wife and children cannot be sold; from there evolved the right for schools and free speech.

People actually died to gain those rights, I don't want their blood on my hands for sitting on my buts while my rights are stripped away from me and my children.

Answer 8

Well then I have to take a look at this. And I don't care, looks like I'm gonna be arrested for excersing my freedom of speech. Call it what you will, but if I do not like something, I'm gonna speak up about it! Do you know a place to where people could, perhaps, petition it?

Answer 9

the quick answer is that you do not have a properly to loose speech legally enforceable antagonistic to the leaders of this club. they could have damaged distinctive the club's inner regulations, yet that could want to in basic terms be dealt with interior the club. So except they are unexpectedly going to commence playing by ability of the regulations, you're especially a lot out of success. the in basic terms different decision i can imagine of might want to be in the adventure that your college has some body that regulates all of its golf equipment and institutions, perhaps they could help you.

Answer 10

Free speech is over rated. Some people need a law to know when to shut up. I don't care to hear everyone's opinion on everything. Do you?

If I can't pray in school, you should not be able to do what is most important to you either, and thats mocking the Government.

If they want to make arrests on this matter, start with every liberal journalist who makes a living mocking the government and Bush.