Censor the Internet, Say Drug War Senators
A monstrous Internet censorship bill has been proposed before the U.S.
Congress that would ban Internet *discussions* of the use of illegal drugs.
Also banned would be sites - or even *links* to sites -- that sell "drug
paraphernalia" (such as bongs and rolling paper) or that merely discuss how
such items are used.
As WIRED News notes, "Even editors of news organizations that publish
articles about drug culture and link to related sites will be subject to
arrest and prosecution."
The bill covers "the use of any communications facility to post, publicize,
transmit, publish, link to, broadcast, or otherwise advertise" drug
paraphernalia-related information. The bill would make such acts punishable
by a fine and three years in prison.
A second part of the bill makes it a felony - punishable by up to ten years
in prison - to distribute "by any means" information about "the manufacture
or use of a controlled substance" if the recipient of such information
intends to use it to get high or otherwise violate the law. (Thought crime,
anyone?)
Even something as seemingly mild as a link to "High Times" magazine could
become a felony under the bill.
The bill, deceptively entitled the "Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation
Act," was introduced in early August. (Too bad we don't have
truth-in-labeling laws regarding bill titles. "The Anti-First Amendment,
Anti-Liberty Internet Censorship and Control Act, Spawned by Despots and
Tyrants," for example, would be so much more accurate.)
A dozen or so senators have signed on as supporters. The Clinton
administration thus far has refused to take a position on the bill.
Primary supporters of the bi-partisan bill are Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and
Orrin Hatch (R-UT). This same duo brought us 1996's "Dirty Pixels" law,
which made it a felony to own or manufacture computer-generated (i.e., not
real) images of nude children.
In the past Feinstein has also supported encryption bans, censoring of
Internet bomb-making information, mandatory national ID cards, and gun
bans. Jeesh.
(Sources: WIRED News, Aug. 14; "Time"; Associated Press; NORML)
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