Erasing Protestors From The Constitution

When the US House of Representatives passed  H.R. 347 it took us one step closer to making it illegal to trespass on the grounds of the White House and government buildings. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, ‘There wasn’t a law for that already?’ Exactly, so you see, it’s no big deal. Or is it?

Here’s the catch. The “trespassing” is how it’s been soft sold to the public. The proposed law, like most laws seem to do these days, violates the Constitution. It violates your right to peaceably assemble and it violates your right to free speech. When this bill is passed into law, I say when, because the supreme ruler is guaranteed to sign it – come on, it violates the Constitution, how can he pass that up – anyway, when he signs it, your right to protest, your right to free assembly and your right to free speech will be further marginalized. Basically, the bill spells out that if you engage in “disruptive” behavior within “proximity” of “official events” then off you go. So, let’s examine this a bit. What’s an “official” event?

It is defined two ways, the first, is any event attended by a person important enough for Secret Service protection, and the second, is any event classified by Homeland Security as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). So, naturally one is forced to ask, who’s protected by the Secret Service and what is an NSSE?

Well, everyone knows who’s protected by the Secret Service, the President, silly. Oh, and former presidents, too. So, luckily it only applies to a few important folks. Oh, and foreign dignitaries. You know, leaders, diplomats or dictators that come here to visit us. Oh, and candidates, if they approve your application. Think of college admissions, if you’re “valuable enough” you get in, same thing here, I suspect.

Anyway, Homeland Security defines NSSEs and they are usually big things, as you would expect, like inaugurations and Democratic or Republican National Conventions. And DHS has labeled the upcoming G8 and NATO summit in Chicago as an NSSE. Convenient, yes? No protesting will be allowed there. Oh, and State of the Union Addresses because they’re such important speeches. And the funerals of Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford were NSSEs. And, of course, the Superbowl. Superbowl? Don’t look at me, I don’t make the rules, I just report them.

So, let’s recap this bill so far. If you trespass at the White House or a government building, off you go. If you’re at an NSSE event or an event attended by someone important enough to have Secret Service protection and you protest or disrupt the “official functions,” or engage in disorderly conduct “within such proximity” to the “event”, then off you go. Everyone follow?

And what exactly are “official functions”? Is a speech an official function? Seems likely. How about an interview with a reporter? I guess. What about a dinner? Or walking to the limo? I don’t know. But I’m willing to bet, because the person has Secret Service protection, everything the person does is an “official function.” Therefore, regardless of what the V.I.P. is doing, if you’re protesting and you’re in “proximity”, off you go.

So, what is this measurement “in proximity”? Conveniently, proximity isn’t defined in the bill, so clearly it is left up to the government guys involved with the event to define it. Which means, you guessed it, proximity is anything they want. That’s part of the problem. Is “proximity” five feet away? 20 yards? 100 yards? Beats me. But I do know this, if you define “proximity” far enough away, all of a sudden you don’t have protests, do you? I mean, what good is your sign if, at 6 blocks away, it can’t be read?

And that is exactly what this is all about. H.R. 347 has very little to do with trespassing the White House and everything to do with defining away American citizens’ rights under the Constitution. The ruling-class elite are about to abuse and violate the Constitution, once again, to ensure the masses are kept under their control. It’s maddening. It’s infuriating. It makes you want to scream out in protest, doesn’t it?

Go for it, just double check your proximity, or off you go.

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