Billy Long, Vicky Hartzler, and GOP Kill First Amendment With HR 347 Vote

Our Founding Fathers risked their lives protesting King George. They did through illegal protests that showed courage knowing they would be killed for even placing their names on a declaration that presented the crimes of their king against the colonies.

Our Founding Fathers formed a new Republic shortly after victory over the oppressive King of England, they debated in Philadelphia over a new Constitution nearly failing to do so until a Bill of Rights ensured people would have the power over any federal government.

In that Bill of Rights is the right of free speech that protects from the threat of the federal government from passing laws that threaten or infringe upon free speech. Our founding fathers knew for people to truly be free they must have the right to free speech--to protest and petition the federal government if and when it grew powerful threatening the rights granted by the creator in which the Republic was built.

Now in Washington, thanks to Republicans like Billy Long and Vicky Hartzler, the First Amendment is dead. They have voted to make random acts of protest against the federal government illegal giving prosecutorial powers to the federal government. This all comes after two years of claiming just the Democrats were statists and Republicans love the Constitution.

The Missouri Tenth reports on HR 347:

As reported at rt.com, the United States House of Representatives (which carries a strong majority of Republicans) overwhelmingly approved H.R. 347 with a vote of 388-3. Also known as the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011, H.R. 347 outlaws protests whenever government officials are nearby (whether or not this is public knowledge), makes it illegal to trespass on the grounds of the White House, and allows the Federal Government to bring charges against United States citizens who are engaged in activism, political protests, or demonstrations anywhere in the nation.

The new Federal decree allows prosecutors to charge those who intend to disrupt a government function with a federal offense, including any person, or site, protected by the Secret Service. This expands the list to presidential candidates, visiting dignitaries, and even the grounds of a National Special Security Event that is “restricted in conjunction with an event designated as a special event of national significance.”

But take note! With some states, if an individual intends on fighting such charges, they may not be able to utilize their own evidence. For instance in Illinois, videotaping the police can bring it’s own set of criminal charges.

U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (MI-03), one of only three lawmakers who stood against the act, explained his decision through his Facebook page: “The bill expands current law to make it a crime to enter or remain in an area where an official is visiting even if the person does not know it’s illegal to be in that area and has no reason to suspect it’s illegal…Some government officials may need extraordinary protection to ensure their safety. But criminalizing legitimate First Amendment activity — even if that activity is annoying to those government officials — violates our rights…”

Missouri Tenth noted the following Congress Critters voted to infringe upon the First Amendment:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R) -Phone: 202-225-2876 (voted yes)
Rep. Sam Graves (R) -Phone: 202-225-7041 (voted yes)
Rep. Billy Long (R) -Phone: 202-225-6536 (voted yes)
Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R) -Phone: 202-225-4404 (voted yes)
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R) -Phone: 202-225-2956 (voted yes)

I remind Congress Critters Hartzler, Graves, Long, Emerson, and Luetkemeyer what the First Amendment says.

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.

Everyone of you violated the First Amendment. Everyone of you violated your oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Everyone of you should be forced to step down and or voted out of office.