EDITOR: I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of opinions and
the right to make choices. And, I appreciate the opportunity of
living in a democracy such as the United States, in order to do
that, but it is also important to understand that we live in a
country with established laws.
EDITOR:
I believe in freedom of speech, freedom of opinions and the right to make choices. And, I appreciate the opportunity of living in a democracy such as the United States, in order to do that, but it is also important to understand that we live in a country with established laws.
Many United States citizens and non-citizens may not be aware of our laws regarding “Acts of Sedition”… actions that are performed for incitement of, resistance to or insurrection against lawful authority.
Please assist me in ensuring our public is reminded and made aware of this law. As noted, it is designed to protect our country and our troops during acts of war. And, we are currently at war against terrorism; this war never stopped.
The Espionage Act of May 16, 1918
Be it enacted, That section three of the Act … approved June 15, 1917, be … amended so as to read as follows:
SEC. 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall wilfully make or convey false reports or false statement with the intent to interefere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States, or to promote the success of its enemies, or shall wilfully make or convey false reports, or false statements or say or do anything except by way of bonafide and not disloyal advice to an investor … with intent to obstruct the sale by the United States of bonds … or the making of loans by or to the United States, or whoever, when the United States is at war, shall wilfully cause … or incite … insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall wilfully obstruct … the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, and whoever, when the United States is at war, shall wilfully utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States, or the flag … or the uniform of the Army or Navy of the United States, or any language intended to bring the form of government … or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces … or the flag … of the United States into contempt, scorn, contumely, or disrepute … or shall wilfully display the flag of any foreign enemy, or shall wilfully … urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production in this country of any thing or things …. necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war … and whoever shall wilfully advocate, tech, defend, or suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in this section enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the cause of the United States therein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both … .
Courtesy of the U.S. Historical Documents Archive http://w3.one.net/~mweiler/ushda/espion.txt
Zeta Peterson,
Morgan Hill
