General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: So now we're expected to have serious "debates" about whether journalists need to be approved [View all]Bernardo de La Paz
(49,089 posts)Anyone who doesn't meet the definition in the proposed law is not protected in the same way as the officially recognized "journalists" would be.
Many hateful laws had deceptively mild beginnings. Like civil forfeiture, for example, that pushes the theory that civil property has no need for due process regardless of whether it is a drug-smuggling boat or a family farm some third party planted in an abandoned corner.
Like the application of huge $23,000 fines by the RIAA against grandmothers because a sub-teen granddaughter downloaded a few songs.
Like the "voter fraud" bills that end up denying elderly voters the vote because of so many hurdles being placed in their way.
Like trans-vaginal probes and the reality of their application versus the wording of the statute.
Can you imagine the effect of denying protection to whistleblowing bloggers this law would have in the hands of the likes of Governor Walker or Justice Samuel Alito or Bush III?