Dem Planning Bill That Would Outlaw Threats to Lawmakers

[Demeter]

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article27236.htm

Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) reportedly plans to introduce legislation that would make it a federal crime to use language or symbols that could be perceived as threatening or inciting violence against a federal official or member of Congress.

Brady told CNN that he wants federal lawmakers and officials to have the same protections against threat currently provided to the president. His call comes one day after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was shot, along with 19 other people, at a public event in Tucson. A suspect is currently in custody.

"The president is a federal official," Brady told CNN in a telephone interview. "You can't do it to him; you should not be able to do it to a congressman, senator or federal judge."

Among the six people killed was federal Judge John Roll...

[Liberty Belle]

1. About time. Though no doubt Reps in the House will kill the bill.

But why should it be limited to Congress? Why shouldn't ALL Americans be protected from having someone post crosshairs over your image?

[Demeter]

2. I would prefer a broader, Hate speech prohibition

that would take down a number of problems in political discourse in this country.

[The Hitman]

3. One Problem:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

[Demeter]

4. On the Other hand, there's the Equal Protection Clause

The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws".

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Uxe&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&defl=en&q=define:Equal+Protection+Clause&sa=X&ei=OFksTZDVI8vwngfmtNzRDA&ved=0CBgQkAE