Police state: Go to jail for 2 years if you post an "annoying" email/msg

[StefanX]

"It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.

"In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for small favors, I guess."

http://news.com.com/Create+an+e-annoyance%2C+go+to+jail/2010-1028_3-6022491.html?part=rss&tag=6022491&subj=news
http://atrios.blogspot.com/2006_01_08_atrios_archive.html#113681627728160792

This "law" appears to be unconstitutional -- not to mention too vague to be enforceable.

Does this mean if I get an annoying spam in my inbox, I can send the spammer to jail for 2 years?

I guess Bush REALLY hates the internets!

[Fridays Child]

1. It sounds toothless but it probably could be used to levy...

...frivolous charges against someone--a favorite Bushco activity.

[babylonsister]

2. Why aren't they

chasing terraists? :grr:
And what happened to free speech?

[RufusEarl]

3. Kiss my butt, is my real name!

[bananas]

7. I don't intend to be annoying - it just comes naturally.

[Lerkfish]

4. I wonder who gets to decide what's "annoying"?

I find republican hate speech annoying....do I get to jail someone?

[Toots]

5. This is an annoying post..what did you say your name was again?

TIA is in effect don't ya know.

[MindPilot]

6. So every time I get one of those freeper emails

about the liberal media not reporting the reality of an American-created Iraqi utopia, or the millions of blacks getting wealthy off the welfare state, some morAn is going to jail? Hot Damn! :woohoo:

[chat_noir]

8. you can use any name that you want unless it is used to defraud

How many of you married women changed your surname to that of your husband's without going to court to do it? All of you, right?

[rpgamerd00d]

9. Fuck Bush

Signed,
Anonymous

p.s. Fuck you, try to prosecute me.

[StefanX]

10. More from the article -- 1st Amendment protects ANONYMOUS, annoying speech

"The First Amendment protects our right to write something that annoys someone else.

"It even shields our right to do it anonymously. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas defended this principle magnificently in a 1995 case involving an Ohio woman who was punished for distributing anonymous political pamphlets."

http://news.com.com/Create+an+e-annoyance%2C+go+to+jail/2010-1028_3-6022491.html?part=rss&tag=6022491&subj=news

Congress and Bush violated the Constitution by passing this law. Trouble is, they're just too dumb to realize it. Even Clarence Thomas is smarter than them on this one.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. If I were a lawyer (I'm not) I would argue that ... (pertinent text here)

Whoever ... utilizes any device or software that can be used to originate telecommunications or other types of communications that are transmitted, in whole or in part, by the Internet ... without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person ... who receives the communications ... shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

If I were a lawyer (I'm not) I would argue that:

1) If you maintain a single or predominant identity in a forum, especially when posting on a single topic area or to another user, your identity can be anonymous to other users if it is known or knowable to the forum owners.

2) To prove "annoy" or "abuse" or "harass", multiple postings would be required to establish a pattern. However, a single death threat or threat of bodily harm is probably sufficient, given current laws even before this law.

3) First Amendment. Duh. (Double duh to myself. Now you know why I'm not a lawyer.)

[rpgamerd00d]

14. This law is flawed. "Intent"

Fuck You, Bush!
p.s. I am not *intending* to annoy you with this message.
p.p.s. Fuck You! Neener neener.

[converted_democrat]

12. When will the law go into effect? n/t

[SmokingJacket]

13. If I'm reading this right...

the govmint can now shut down any anonymous website that gets on Bush's nerves.

That sounds totally nuts.

[StefanX]

15. Did you know Wolf Blitzer is a pseudonym?

Wolf Blitzer is not his real name, and he's annoying. Lock him up.

[Chiyo-chichi]

18. He can share a cell with Jeff (not his real name) Gannon.

[StefanX]

19. Good point!

JimmyJeff was really annoying!

[StefanX]

20. Also, Michelle Malkin is a pseudonym... and SHE's annoying

Sentence: 2 years.

[chat_noir]

23. Michelle Malkin = Michelle Maglalang

Michelle Malkin: Michelle Malkin is my professional name; Michelle Maglalang is my legal/maiden name. I hate bureaucracy and never bothered to change it after I got married.

[helderheid]

16. suppose I could legally change my name to my nick :)

[mikelewis]

17. Okay - FUGWB

I am Mike Lewis and I do think Bush is a fascist bastard turd blossom.

[Sparkman]

21. So when did * identify himself truthfully? Can lying about true identity..

ALSO be cause? While telling all on national media how glorius he'd be as our Pres, his true nature took our national treasury surplus, thousands of U.S. soldiers' lives ruined, our privacy and liberty subjugated to warrantless searches and our freedom of association stunted and monitored. Fake status as true-blue weekend warrior/fighter jock. Faked his squeeky-clean Dudely Doorite image of himself and his kids. Oh, and remember his claims as a UNITER of the political chasims, that personality seems never to have existed at all.

[havocmom]

22. And they whine about libs being too PC! They're gonna bust for "annoying"?

:rofl:

[yknot]

24. And best of all, there doesn't even need to be a complaint

The NSA can flag you with a "annoying filter" during their mass data sweeps.

[Straight Shooter]

25. So you flame someone under your real name and they come after you?

Wow. That's just rich. The whole point of anonymity is being able to express what you think about something (or someone) without placing yourself at risk from people who go too far in expressing their personal sense of revenge.

bush is the most thin-skinned prickly prick on the planet.