Is the first Amendment dead?

Temporarily partially suppressed . Things will be get better after Trumps second term ends in 8 years.

It may get worse. Trump is “reviewing” libel laws in the hope of making it easier to sue people who criticize him.

Enforcement of the first amendment will be lost if more people don’t stand up to every violation against it, including “Free Speech Zones.” Our forefathers wouldn’t stand for this and we shouldn’t stand for this. That might even mean going to jail—in droves—which isn’t a very high price to pay if you consider the amount of American and non-American lives that have been forfeited in defense of it.

RESIST!

RDG. Fifty bucks says Trump won’t get a second term.

Dear god, free speech zones freak me the fuck out.

@RedDeerGuy1 If you can temporarily suppress free speech then it is as worthless as the paper it is written on. Any time you suspend any amendment to meet your needs than it is no longer law. They all become suggestions at the will of the Attorney General. He works for the people of the United States to uphold the law as it stands. No temporary adjustments.

@Pandora It seems from my tongue in cheek belief perspective is that “The Constitution” is protected mostly because of nostalgia all over the world. In Canada and the USA. Maybe it is time for a rethink and reconsider the constitutions to something that everyone can stand behind? To modernize it? Its scary but maybe its time to get rid of the flotsam?

@Pandora Yes the first amendment is dead. Its time for a rethink. Also its about time to find out what our new values are.

@RedDeerGuy1 , I don’t believe we need to modernize it. It stands pretty much as it should. If I can accept that the KKK and Breitbart can flout their hate speeches everywhere because it is their rights as citizens, then the same should apply for all. Even those who laugh at the Attorney General.
If we do change it, to we can sue, then the people should be able to sue Trump for all the lies he has spread nation wide and has been proven to be a lie.

@Pandora Yes I agree. It’s slightly less scary up north in Canada. The world is coming to a bureaucratic nightmare soon. If President Trump doesn’t start WWWIII soon, with (name random country here). North Korea, China, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Russia, ect.

I’m one of the staunchest defenders of free speech that anyone is likely to encounter. I absolutely support the right of citizens – even non-citizens – to speak freely in opposition to the government or any other groups or individuals. And I am also as generally anti-government as you’re likely to find outside of a jail. So I support the right of people to have strong opinions that are directly contradictory to the Administration, and to express them publicly.

But not everywhere and at every time. Disruption of government functions is not protected speech. If this is permitted, then it would be okay to disrupt court proceedings, town hall meetings, congressional debate, and any other government functions. Do y’all want that, really?

@CWOTUS If you read the article they were not charged with disruption. And the laugh was said to be low sounding, like a small sneeze. I would call that a snicker. Hardly enough to charge someone with a 1000 fine or imprisonment of 6 months. Wife beaters get less in many cases and she could have tons of bruises.

I really don’t think these charges will stand up in court. This is just another attempt to move this country towards the fascist dictatorship Trump would love.

@Pandora the charge was “disorderly conduct”, and given the costumes that were worn it was pretty obvious what their intent was. That they were allowed into the hearing room in the first place is evidence that their free speech was not greatly infringed, however they were on a short leash – and they were probably already known to those in charge of security because of their prior records. I can disagree with Trump’s government and his appointees, but if I disrupt the official hearings for their confirmation I would expect nothing different.

Nor would I if I had pulled a similar stunt during the Obama administration.

The best thing you can do to bolster free speech in America is donate to the ACLU. They are the ones fighting in the courts for free speech.

I kind doubt this will hold up on appeal.

@RedDeerGuy1

Let me just say: thank fuck you aren’t an American voter.

That is horrible. Trump is a monster.

@Darth_Algar Sorry. I’m being tongue in cheek. I’m sorry. I’m not a nut.

@RedDeerGuy1 Typical Canadian to apologize first ask questions later. Lol. I’m still not a nut, just a typical Canadian. Sorry

@CWOTUS This is from the article. – ” Barry and Bianchi were each found guilty of parading/demonstrating and unlawful display but were found not guilty of disrupting Congress.” Two things that could’ve been prevented before they entered. So it’s like saying, we know we will find your signs and clothing disrupting but we are going to let you in anyway and then claim your signs and clothing were objectionable, but not disruptive.

Now imagine your boss says, every one can wear short sleeves tomorrow and then at the end of day, say, but I’m going to fire you now because you came in clothing that I find objectionable. The moment they let them through the doors with their signs and clothing, they gave consent.

Yes

I’m going to say the same type of thing I said when people were loud and demonstrating against Trump during the presidential race. I completely support demonstrating, but inside, or during his spiels I do not agree with people interrupting and creating havoc, especially when it will not result in anything.

I think that those people were let in is not permission for them to be unruly, I disagree with you there @Pandora.

^^ @JLeslie!

The 1st. Amendment is not dead but it is being bludgeoned into submission by certain powerful interests.

There was also a woman in Oklahoma (I believe) that was thrown out of a town hall meeting for holding up a small piece of red paper.