A Suggestion/Request re: Thought Crimes Bill

Back in May, I wrote about the annual Jefferson Muzzle Awards. These awards are awarded each year on or about April 13 -- the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jefferson -- by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. I wandered by there yesterday to double check when the 2008 Muzzles would be awarded. One would think that I would remember old Tom's birthday because it's four days before mine which gives credence to the astrological contention that we Aries types don't like to be silenced but I digress.

The Center is a strong defender of the First Amendment of the Constitution which states:

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.

These words are inscribed on the First Amendment Monument, a 54-foot-long wall of shale where the public can express their thoughts in chalk on anything they wish. It's probably the only interactive monument in the country. Also inscribed on the wall are these wonderful words of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall:

Above all else, the First Amendment means that government has no power to restrict expression because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter, or its content. To permit the continued building of our politics and culture, and to assure self-fulfillment for each individual, our people are guaranteed the right to express any thought, free from government
censorship.

The Jefferson Muzzle Awards were established to celebrate Jefferson's birth by, according to the website, "by calling attention to those who in the past year forgot or disregarded Mr. Jefferson’s admonition that freedom of speech ‘cannot be limited without being lost.’"

I think you can guess where I'm going with this given that I've been very vocal about it. HR:1955/S:1959, aka the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 aka the Thought Crimes Bill is the most blatant and frightening assault on the First Amendment we've seen in our lifetime and I contend that the 110th Congress is worthy of this award. It won't be the first time Congress has received this dubious award and probably won't be the last. Do y'all get the feeling that a large percentage of our Congress Critters in both houses have never read the Constitution despite having sworn to uphold it?

While visiting the site I discovered that anyone can make a nomination for this award so I did. Y'all can, too. Please join me here in nominating the 110th Congress for considering (and in the House's case, passing) this heinous legislation. They need a wake up call from us! If we all stand up and shout, they can't ignore us.

Happy Blogging!!!!!!!!!!

Kay