May 08, 2009
Linda Sanchez' Dirty Attack on Free Speech
Linda Sanchez seems very interested in introducing and then defending a bill written so broadly that it can be used for imprisoning online critics such as hostile bloggers.
You and I understand that Congress is full of less-than-stellar intellects that put up horribly-written bills as a matter of course, but what makes this particular bill of interest is that Sanchez is willing to defend it, and that she doesn't seem to have any interest in re-targeting the language of the bill so that it narrowly focuses on the cyber-bullying of children.
Instead, Sanchez seems to be fighting to justify the much broader language that has the potential of be used abusively as a procedural weapon against legitimate criticism. When politicians attempt to justify bills written so broadly they often do so with ulterior motives.
With her unwillingness to consider more tightly-focused language, there is no reason to assume that Sanchez' involvement is anything other than the censorship bill that Wired blog Threat Level suspects it may be.
The beauty of internet freedom is that any idiot (such as myself) can yell in all caps, YOU SMELL LIKE AN ELEPHANT'S BUTT, CONFEDERATE YANKEE! And suffer no repercussions.
She's a real enemy of freedom if she tries to take that right away.
To be fair, I've never smelled an elephant's butt or the Confederate Yankee. I was just using that as an example. He probably does not smell like an elephants butt.
But I can say he does!
Posted by: Kevin at May 8, 2009 12:16 PMGod help us all. We are in so much trouble. If the Empty Suit in Charge wants this passed, it will be. And then we'll all have to go underground to comment on what condiments the man puts on his burgers ... oh... wait... that's how it is already.
I'm sure legislation like this will make the lefties in this country soooooo happy. After all, the only time dissent is patriotic is when the dissent expressed agrees with the liberal party line.
Posted by: Mad Monica at May 8, 2009 12:35 PMThis is extremely OT, but have you looked at whitehouse.gov lately?
The agenda has been completely changed, and from I can see the gun control passage is gone.
Probably doesn't mean anything, but it's useful to know for those who want to cite that website for the gun quote.
Posted by: stace at May 8, 2009 01:11 PMMeanwhile, my kids school took an hour out of normal skrool edumacashion to teach the kids all about cyber-bullying... or in my daughter's words - "now I what it is, and how to get away with it" /s/ that and "sex-ting".
Prior to the assembly she just figured if someone were to post/IM something offensive/bullyish online she would just block them or delete them as a friend - silly kid, when all the while she needed the nanny state to protect her. And it never occured to her to send nekkid phone photos before the assembly - thanks public school for bringing that idea up!
Kids don't need the gubmint to protect them from cyberbullying, kids they need their parents. How about a bill that gets the gubmint out of the business of parenting everyone?
Posted by: batterup at May 8, 2009 04:05 PMwithin a few years 1984 and Animal Farm will disappear from courses in American colleges and high schools. They will be called irrelevant, or racist, if they are referred to at all. They will be replaced by works of "official liers", like the NYT. "I want to be read" said N ick Kristoff. This statement is all one needs to know to understand the Press anywhere today.
Thanks for passing on this information!
I have posted this on my blogsite as well.
If you get a chance - come on by and say hi - I would love some feedback if and when you have time.
I added you to our blogroll!
Keep up the good work!
Posted by: dirtyrottenscoundrels at May 10, 2009 01:17 AMMakes you wonder if she's ever heard of that Constitution thingy at all.
Posted by: Larry at May 11, 2009 01:56 AMThis bill, as it's written now, will end up on the trash pile of history. I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it. Even if it were to become law it would never hold up in the Federal Court system. Worry about other things.
Mad Monica, You are delusional if you think that you "have to go underground" to speak your mind. In case you haven't noticed, the internet has thousands if not millions of websites where you may express whatever opinion you wish to vent. In fact, this very website allows you to do just that.
Furthermore, for about 100 bucks per year you can buy your very own domain and pay for hosting service which will allow you to rant and rave to your heart's content about whatever topics you wish without fear of censorship from anyone. You can rant all you wish against the mean old lefties!
Speaking of underground, how are things down in the hole where you obviously live if you think that you don't have the right to speak your mind?
Posted by: Dude at May 12, 2009 12:58 AMThe entire intent of this is to attempt to control us. You know it, I know it. It was written so broadly to allow for JUST that. As for the "judicial system"? It is to laugh.
Posted by: cmblake6 at May 13, 2009 10:45 AMIn a rational party, a member making this kind of bill suggestion would have the leadership coming over with a ClueBat(tm), to impact the cranium of said turkey until actual sense (or daylight) leaked into their brains.
Posted by: Georg Felis at May 14, 2009 10:01 AM
