free speech just ain’t what it used to be.
In today’s jingoistic “everything is terrorism” attitude it would seem murdering a doctor who performs abortions because that doctor performs abortions and the murderer wants to use violence or threats of violence to stop a lawful endeavor would fall under the heading of “terrorism”.
But it doesn’t.
On the other hand chanting “1, 2, 3 , 4, open up the cage door; 5, 6, 7, 8, smash the locks and liberate; 9, 10, 11, 12, vivisectors go to hell” and “we will never back down until you stop your killing” does create the crime of terrorism.
It’s true … more below …
First the citation for the above claim: US government’s motion to dismiss motion to dismiss terrorism charges against animal rights activists.
Thanks goes to the Center for Constitutional Rights and BuzzFlash for bringing to light the following:
U.S.A. v. Buddenberg is a federal prosecution of four animal rights activists in California-being referred to as the AETA 4-for conspiracy to commit animal enterprise terrorism. The 4 are being charged with a course of conduct that includes First Amendment protected activities such as protesting, chalking the sidewalk, chanting and leafleting.
At the behest of big corporations the US Congress in 2006 passed AETA (with the support of our ever effective Senator Leahy) to pursue the vital national interests in ending the (non existent) onslaught of terrorist attacks being perpetrated by animal rights activists.
So while the cheney/bush administration had us off chasing tourists terriers terrorists because they hate us for our freedoms, the cheney/bush administration with the active participation of Democratic and Republican politicians alike were labeling animal rights protesters as terrorists … because DC hates us for our freedoms??????
And so we’re now in a position where it is a greater danger to our nation to have folks chanting outside businesses and homes as opposed to actually pushing to physically destroy buildings and harm persons.
I guess in a torture nation like we now live in, it seems obvious the right to torture animals must be held sacrosanct.