PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

FREE SPEECH
by JOEBIALEK Friday, Apr. 04, 2003 at 6:34 PM

LIMITS ON FIRST AMENDMENT

One of the issues begining to concern me is the efforts by some to shut down main thoroughfares in major United States cities across the country. This is done as an extension of the anti-war protest against President Bush. Let us look at the first amendment of the United States Constitution:

AMENDMENT I
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

The key word in this particular case is "peaceably". When a crowd of protesters goes beyond the rules of organized protest and begins creating such a ruckus as to serve as a diversion for a potential terrorist attack, that expression is as dangerous as shouting "fire" in a crowded theatre. Accordingly, I am calling on all political leaders across the country to speak out against these mob tirades. Public safety should not be compromised because certain protesters do not understand the boundaries of public protest.

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