Sunday, April 14, 2013

The US Sedition Act

From Daniel:  "Insulting the Emir of Kuwait:
"Kuwaitʼs information minister is defending a proposed media law that reports say could bring fines of about $1 million for insulting the Gulf nationʼs emir and other members of the ruling family." This is what for America is the "Arab spring". (thanks Sultan)

It's actually quite American behavior, given that the Sedition Act was passed soon after the formation of the Republic in 1798 and which stated:

"Definition of offence: To write, print, utter or publish, or cause it to be done, or assist in it, any false, scandalous, and malicious writing against the government of the United States, or either House of Congress, or the President, with intent to defame, or bring either into contempt or disrepute, or to excite against either the hatred of the people of the United States, or to stir up sedition, or to excite unlawful combinations against the government, or to resist it, or to aid or encourage hostile designs of foreign nations."