Friday, September 27, 2013

The First Amendment according to Lindsey Graham, Dianne Feinstein & Dick Durbin. (John Peter Zenger they ain't.)

Is any blogger out there saying anything — do they deserve First Amendment protection? – Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Feds move to limit who is a “covered journalist” deserving constitutional protection, And believe me, these guys ain't John Peter Zenger.
“What is a journalist today, in 2013? We know its someone who works for Fox or AP, but does it include a blogger? Does it include someone tweeting? Are these people journalists and entitled to constitutional protection?” Durbin not only labels freedom of the press as an entitlement, he goes on to suggest that the Bill of Rights is outdated, saying, “We need to ask 21st century questions about a provision in our constitution that was written over 200 years ago.”
Maybe we can get some GOP folks to invite bloggers who have broken real stories to the hearings on the House side. Nah, too "controversial."

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't realize that ANYWHERE in the 1st Amendment it mentioned it being for "real" journalists only.

Politicians pulling context out of their asses again. Kinda like the whole "sporting purposes" aspect or National Guard/Reserves membership they keep trying to apply to 2nd Amendment protections.

Those rights are not ours because we are American. Those rights are not ours because some piece of paper says they are. We have those rights and infinitely more simply for being human. That piece of paper simply tells the Government where IT may not tread. It is our job to ensure it does not tread there. By any means necessary if required.

Jacob Gittes said...

The DC criminal, I mean political, class is transparent in their aims: they want to turn us (those not in DC or in the corporate elite) into serfs. Serfs get special dispensations and privileges: they don't have "rights."

The only solution is that we must claim and exercise our rights, without prejudice. When arrested for exercising our First Amendment rights (or others) we must demand jury trials, and go through with the whole process, not settling for lesser charges. We must get the word out on jury nullification.

Those of us who support liberty need to come together - some of us started out from the "liberal" side (I am from a rural northern area that was religious, pro-gun, anti-abortion, but working class Democratic), some from the conservative or libertarian perspectives.

However, there is only one main divide now: that between the political-corporate neo-feudal elite, and the rest of us. We must stick together. Unfortunately, those who still watch the MSM are easily led like sheep into petty divisions.

Anonymous said...

IF they were trying solely to insure that 'real' journalists sources are properly shielded, they 'might' have a case. But it is blatantly obvious that the real goal is for them to be in control of all aspects of the media at all levels. I just re-checked the 1st Amendment - it gives equal protection to ALL who desire to speak their piece, not just those that the overlords deign to allow a podium.

Dick B said...

Whether one qualifies as a "Journalist' is immaterial, the First Amendment GUARANTEES the right of free speech, which includes writings, regardless of the originator's status. Period.

These Apparatchiks know that, and they're just muddying the water to deceive the proles with what sounds like 'reasonable' controls.

Of course, the Constitution will only protect you against those who respect it. It has no effect on enemies such as these.

Charles N. Steele said...

Part and parcel of the totalitarianism of our political class. The First Amendment is not about protecting "journalists." It's about protecting freedom of the press, i.e. the right of every person to write his/her opinion. In the same way, it protects the right of every person to speak freely, but I have little doubt that soon we'll hear a similar "debate" about who is really a professional speaker deserving of protection.

SWIFT said...

With government attempting to control the internet, track all credit card transactions, monitor ALL phone calls, photograph snail mail, (including mail traps for the usual suspects) control sales of guns, and the massive labeling of almost all citizens as terrorists, the noose has tightened to unexceptable levels. This is an orchestrated, multi-faceted attack on all rights. Resistance: If not now, when?

Paul X said...

Why should we care what an official journalist is? To me, being called that is a mark of shame. Might as well be called "official propagandist and shill for the regime". I don't read newspapers any more, so I certainly don't want to read any official journalists any more either.

Anonymous said...

THE BILL OF RIGHTS....are NOT granted by the government to the people...DURBIN and his ilk are FUCKING Traitors and Liar's....THE BILL OF RIGHTS. guarantees what is said in them for ALL Americans...yes dickhead even bloggers....you deserve NO respect..so Fuck You

Yank lll said...

Since we've allowed them to rewrite the 2nd Amendment its only logical they can also rewrite the rest.. they have never paid the price for their treason.. yet.

Yank lll

Anonymous said...

Ya, with all the "journalists" joining the regime like they have been lately, I can see them wanting to be very selective about who they protect and not protect.

Always good to be a protected species on Obama's farm. Just don't expect to wander far or leave the yard.

"Licensed Journalist" ...ya baby! That'll fly like a methane zepplin.

Anonymous said...

What part of...“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or the press.." don't these stinking scumbags understand?
If this "law" isn't "abridging", I don't know what the fuck is. While we all know what these bastards are trying to pull off, in reality they are simply putting a target for voters on their foreheads.

Anonymous said...

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”

“Think of the press as a great keyboard on which the government can play.”

The above quotes were all from Joseph Goebbels, a truly horrible man but a master of his craft. It would seem that someone in Washington D. C. has been studying Herr Goebbels' work.

gunnyg said...

I'll shut up all right, when I'm frigging dead and NOT before. I WILL NOT COMPLY