First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me. - Martin Niemoeller, Christian leader in pre-war Germany, imprisoned by Hitler. Link
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
"It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
"Here's the relevant language. "Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
""The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else.""
Widely reprinted. I think this is the original article. Source.
So long as this law stands, political debate is muzzled in America. Calling someone 'annoying' is all it will take to silence any critic of the Administration if he has not fully identified himself.
What do we do next, here? Everyone here is annoying to a degree. Do we need to publish our identities, home addresses, etc before resuming posting?
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me. - Martin Niemoeller, Christian leader in pre-war Germany, imprisoned by Hitler. Link
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
"It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
"Here's the relevant language. "Whoever...utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person...who receives the communications...shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
""The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else.""
Widely reprinted. I think this is the original article. Source.
So long as this law stands, political debate is muzzled in America. Calling someone 'annoying' is all it will take to silence any critic of the Administration if he has not fully identified himself.
What do we do next, here? Everyone here is annoying to a degree. Do we need to publish our identities, home addresses, etc before resuming posting?
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