A protest T-shirt with the words Bush Lied They Died and the names of all the soldiers who have died in Iraq is now a free speech issue. Oklahoma and Louisiana recently passed laws intended to outlaw such products. A third bill is pending in the Louisiana legislature with more draconian penalities. Meanwhile, two bills have been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would effectively ban such products in all 50 states.
To my doubting commenter - maybe he would believe Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: You took your anger to the Oklahoma legislature. What happened?UPDATE 2: Welcome Houston Chronicle readers.
VINCENT: I took my anger to my state representative, and we got together and I directed a deal.
And Oklahoma governor signed the bill, the bill into law of May of this year.
O'REILLY: What does the law say?
VINCENT: And—it's illegal to use the fallen without our permission.
O'REILLY: Illegal to use anyone killed in combat without a family member's permission for profit - profitable gain? Is that it?
VINCENT: Yes, sir, that's right.
O'REILLY: OK. I think Louisiana also has a law like that. It may be unconstitutional, because free speech. We don't know yet. But he operates out of Arizona, this guy. And, as you said, he's selling off the Web site. So you'd have to get him on a federal beef. Unless he came through Oklahoma or Louisiana. Then you could arrest him. Because the law did pass. It is in play?
VINCENT: Yes.
O'REILLY: Are the feds going to do anything about him?
VINCENT: Governor—not Governor Boren—Congressman Boren introduced a law into Washington July 11 of this year. And currently, they are on recess, though we're just waiting to see...
Tags: free speech, Bush lied they died, Iraq, soldiers
2 comments:
ALthough I agree with the shirt's message, this story has got to be an exaggertation. Sources, plase?
Congratulations on the Chronicle link!
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