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Title: Arizona Passes Sweeping Internet Censorship Bill; Illegal To Use “Offensive” Language Online
Source:
Infowars.net
URL Source: http://www.infowars.com/arizona-pas ... ping-internet-censorship-bill/
Published: Apr 2, 2012
Author: Steve Watson
Post Date: 2012-04-02 17:04:47 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 4930
Comments: 19
The state legislature of Arizona has passed a bill that vastly broadens telephone harassment laws and applies them to the Internet and other means of electronic communication. The law, which is being pushed under the guise of an anti-bullying campaign, would mean that anything communicated or published online that was deemed to be “offensive” by the state, including editorials, illustrations, and even satire could be criminally punished. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund breaks down Arizona House Bill 2549: “The bill is sweepingly broad, and would make it a crime to communicate via electronic means speech that is intended to ‘annoy,’ ‘offend,’ ‘harass’ or ‘terrify,’ as well as certain sexual speech. Because the bill is not limited to one-to-one communications, H.B. 2549 would apply to the Internet as a whole, thus criminalizing all manner of writing, cartoons, and other protected material the state finds offensive or annoying.” First Amendment activist group Media Coalition has written to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, urging her not to sign the legislation into law. The letter notes that the terms used in the bill are not defined in the statute or by reference, and thereby the law could be broadly applied to almost any statement. “H.B. 2549 would make it a crime to use any electronic or digital device to communicate using obscene, lewd or profane language or to suggest a lewd or lascivious act if done with intent to ‘annoy,’ ‘offend,’ ‘harass’ or ‘terrify,’” the letter notes. … ‘Lewd’ and ‘profane’ are not defined in the statute or by reference. ‘Lewd’ is generally understood to mean lusty or sexual in nature and ‘profane’ is generally defined as disrespectful or irreverent about religion or religious practices.” “H.B. 2549 is not limited to a one to one conversation between two specific people. The communication does not need to be repetitive or even unwanted. There is no requirement that the recipient or subject of the speech actually feel offended, annoyed or scared. Nor does the legislation make clear that the communication must be intended to offend or annoy the reader, the subject or even any specific person.” the letter continues. In this respect the law could even technically be applied to someone posting a status update on Facebook. “Speech protected by the First Amendment is often intended to offend, annoy or scare but could be prosecuted under this law.”The Media Coalition letter continues. “A Danish newspaper posted pictures of Muhammad that were intended to be offensive to make a point about religious tolerance. If a Muslim in Arizona considers the images profane and is offended, the paper could be prosecuted. Some Arizona residents may consider Rush Limbaugh’s recent comments about a Georgetown law student lewd. He could be prosecuted if he intended his comments to be offensive. Similarly, much general content available in the media uses racy or profane language and is intended to offend, annoy or even terrify.” “Bill Maher’s stand up routines and Jon Stewart’s nightly comedy program, Ann Coulter’s books criticizing liberals and Christopher Hitchens’ expressions of his disdain for religion, Stephen King’s novels or the Halloween films all could be subject to this legislation. Even common taunting about sports between rival fans done online is frequently meant to offend or annoy, and is often done using salty and profane language.” This type of legislation is far from unprecedented. Last year, former president Bill Clinton proposed a law to censor internet speech. “It would be a legitimate thing to do,” Clinton said in an interview that aired on CNBC. Clinton suggested the government should set-up an agency that monitors all media speech for supposed factual errors. “That is, it would be like, I don’t know, National Public Radio or BBC or something like that, except it would have to be really independent and they would not express opinions, and their mandate would be narrowly confined to identifying relevant factual errors” he said. “And also, they would also have to have citations so that they could be checked in case they made a mistake. Somebody needs to be doing it, and maybe it’s a worthy expenditure of taxpayer money.” Cass Sunstein, head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, has also proposed banning speech on the internet that the government disagrees with. Sunstein proposed the creation of an internet “Fairness Doctrine” similar to the one that was used for years to limit and eliminate free speech on the radio. This legislation represents yet another move to police and control freedom of expression via the internet. Once again it grants the state and the government the direct right to determine what is and is not “offensive” on a whim. It then allows for the prosecution of individuals and organisations based on such summations – an extremely dangerous precedent to set.
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#1. To: Brian S (#0)
My guess is that the elected officials of Arizona are getting very tired of receiving their daily dose of obscene/S&M Leftard hate e-mails/phone calls.... It would be funny to see some of them end up in jail and have them whining about getting what they deserved.... LOL....
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
Ahhh...another liberty/freedom loving 'conservative' checks in. {{{chuckle}}}
Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'! Well F' that, come and get me copper.
Obama's watch stopped on 24 May 2008, but he's been too busy smoking crack to notice.
A Leftard practicing his communication skills.....
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
Occupy a rest room!
Obama's watch stopped on 24 May 2008, but he's been too busy smoking crack to notice.
Isn't Gatlin/Tater from Arizona? LOL! This will be struck down by the SCOTUS, but ol' Taterhead will have to play nice for awhile.
Rules for Leftards #40). Freedom of Speech means I can say whatever I want to whoever I want no matter how offensive, rude, crude, abusive and inaccurate it is, and not be held accountable for those words…. In fact you have to shut up and listen to my rant no matter what!!!. This especially applies to those who would refute (in a respectful manner) what I am saying with the truth!!!!
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
It would be funny to see some of them end up in jail and have them whining about getting what they deserved.... LOL.... My advice to you is, if you visit Arizona keep your mouth shut just in case the law applies "real" conservatives too.
Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady
Only "real" conservatives assert as truth that which has never happened.
Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady
He'll wear that big 'C' on his forehead when he visits, hoping he gets a pass.
Almost every country in the Middle East is awash in oil, and we have to side with the one that has nothing but joos. Goddamn, that was good thinkin'. Esso posted on 2012-01-13 7:37:56 ET
What do people from the nether world know about what happened !
If you ... don't use exclamation points --- you should't be typeing ! Commas - semicolons - question marks are for girlie boys !
Thank you for illustrating my point.
Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady
Do you think science is composed of building blocks made by liberals !
If you ... don't use exclamation points --- you should't be typeing ! Commas - semicolons - question marks are for girlie boys !
Do you think science is composed of missing link make believe building blocks by liberals ! I have a new hobby - pastime ! Laughing at regressive trodglodytes - idiots like you !
If you ... don't use exclamation points --- you should't be typeing ! Commas - semicolons - question marks are for girlie boys !
So you think I'm a Conservative???? LOL... (this is a real stretch of the imagination even for you)... Is it because I get so much joy out of incessantly making fun of Leftards, the scourge of the planet?? Or is it because I disagree with everything that Leftards "think" they know???? (just using the word "know" by itself would be another stretch)... I mean seriously Leftards are the only people on the face of the planet that can come up with a solution for a problem that doesn't even exist.... And then this solution in itself actually creates a problem (that didn't exist before) that they "JUST HAVE TO" find a solution for!!!! This process seems to go on into Ad Infinitum and that's why things are so screwed up in the world right now..... Aahhh yes life on the plantation!!!!
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
Well you ain't no moderate.
Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady
AAhh yes the next worst scourge of the Planet!!! Well put it this way when I take those little political ideology tests it never tells me I'm a Conservative, even after I go back and change my answers numerous times just to see how much it would change the outcome.....
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
So where DO you land on those tests... in the I want to be the dictator of the world area?
Almost every country in the Middle East is awash in oil, and we have to side with the one that has nothing but joos. Goddamn, that was good thinkin'. Esso posted on 2012-01-13 7:37:56 ET
There hasn't been a dictator of the world on any of those tests I've taken.... But I just imagine that if you come up as a Leftard (being narcissistic and all) it asks you to take another test that does include wanting to be dictator of the world!!!
"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."
The state legislature of Arizona has passed a bill that vastly broadens telephone harassment laws and applies them to the Internet and other means of electronic communication.
#2. To: CZ82 (#1)
It would be funny to see some of them end up in jail and have them whining about getting what they deserved....
#3. To: Brian S, *Jack-Booted Thugs* (#0)
(Edited)
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#4. To: Brian S (#2)
Ahhh...another liberty/freedom loving 'conservative' checks in
#5. To: CZ82, *Liberal Rehab Staff* (#4)
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
#6. To: hondo68 (#5)
#7. To: Brian S, AKA Stone (#0)
#8. To: CZ82 (#1)
My guess is that the elected officials of Arizona are getting very tired of receiving their daily dose of obscene/S&M Leftard hate e-mails/phone calls....
#9. To: CZ82 (#7)
This especially applies to those who would refute (in a respectful manner) what I am saying with the truth!!!!
#10. To: lucysmom (#8)
My advice to you is, if you visit Arizona keep your mouth shut just in case the law applies "real" conservatives too.
#11. To: lucysmom (#9)
(Edited)
never happened.
#12. To: BorisY (#11)
What do people from the nether world know about what happened !
#13. To: lucysmom (#12)
#14. To: All (#13)
#15. To: lucysmom (#8)
(Edited)
My advice to you is, if you visit Arizona keep your mouth shut just in case the law applies "real" conservatives too.
#16. To: CZ82 (#15)
So you think I'm a Conservative???? LOL... (this is a real stretch of the imagination even for you)...
#17. To: lucysmom (#16)
(Edited)
Well you ain't no moderate.
#18. To: CZ82 (#17)
Well put it this way when I take those little political ideology tests it never tells me I'm a Conservative, even after I go back and change my answers numerous times just to see how much it would change the outcome.....
#19. To: mininggold (#18)
So where DO you land on those tests... in the I want to be the dictator of the world area?
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