Thought Crime Bills Threaten Talk Radio

HR 1966 has cleared the House and now faces the Senate as S.909, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (officially, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act)
source

Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce [radio, TV, internet] any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated, and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. (HR 1966, SEC 3, Sec. 881a)

In other words, if a talk show host engages in “hostile” speech against a person or persons of the above mentioned federally protected group that talk show host will face federal prosecution and the prospect of a two year prison term.

Looks like they found a way to implement the 'fairness doctrine' without actually getting that exact bill passed. I doubt this beautiful little piece of totalitarianism will have any difficulty making it through the senate. I wonder if this post is considered “hostile” speech? Don't guess it really matters, I'm probably already on the DHS watch list anyway. Just thought I would tell everyone the wonderful news. Enjoy your talk radio while it's still legal.


TA

Goodbye free speech - everyone is already so concerned about 'hurting someones feelings' - oh stiff # - say whatever you like and go to jail - they can't lock everyone up.

reply to post by Amagnon


that seems similar to MLK's protests. you can try to arrest all the civil disobedients, but gettting anything done other than trying to find places to put them all is impossible.

if it does get bad enough where they come and arrest people in masses we might as well make it a thing of pride. make the prisons fun. we should work on games that dont require anything that you wont get in a holding cell.

reply to post by Amagnon


Yeah, I seriously doubt it will end with censoring talk radio; we're all going to end up targets. Political correctness is a disease and if we don't deal with it as such, there's not going to be a First Amendment.


TA

S&F good catch.

I certainly hope this doesn't get past the senate.


Although I don't see many senators with the gall to stop it.

Free speech is so important and sadly, it appears to be a fleeting idea.

We are becoming a neo-fascist state.

Sad, sad, sad. People are too busy trying "to get laid" (metaphorically speaking) to concern themselves about the realities of the moment.

I feel sorry for those that have been conditioned to have a "slave" mentality and to take it up the asre without questioning. But once the SHTF, I will feel sorry for you no longer.

Originally posted by ELECTRICkoolaidZOMBIEtest
reply to post by Amagnon

 

that seems similar to MLK's protests. you can try to arrest all the civil disobedients, but gettting anything done other than trying to find places to put them all is impossible.

if it does get bad enough where they come and arrest people in masses we might as well make it a thing of pride. make the prisons fun. we should work on games that dont require anything that you wont get in a holding cell.

The sad thing is that MLK died fighting the core of these very same issues 40 years ago.
40 years of time has passed. That's a lot of time.