The US House and Senate have recently passed bills that place crippling new restrictions on the First Amendment rights of all Americans. This legislation is an attempt to limit protests by placing restrictions that would allow police to charge protesters with federal crimes if they protest on federal grounds. What are those?
They are being redefined to mean ANY location in which someone protected by the Secret Service (president, former president, a presidential candidate, or any number of domestic and international figures) or at ANY location sanctioned as being of “national significance” -- including the Democratic and Republican conventions and even Super Bowl XXXVI.
H.R. 347 and S.B. 1794 severely curtails the ability of Americans to exercise their First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly -- destroying a long tradition of American demonstrations. We are calling on Pres. Obama to veto this legislation and to stand up for those who wish to participate in the political process in deep and meaningful ways.
