FC: Free Congress' Lisa Dean: Anti-war protester committed treason

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

Some of the folks at the Free Congress Foundation have been longtime 
subscribers to Politech, so it's a shame to see them toss about the term 
"treason" so loosely.

Treason is a deadly serious crime, and accusations should not be made 
lightly. The U.S. Constitution says: "Treason against the United States, 
shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their 
Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of 
Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or 
on Confession in open Court."

It's not just Free Congress:

"'It's almost like treason' not to back troops, vet says"
http://miva.jacksonsun.com/miva/cgi-bin/miva?NEWS/news_story.mv+link=20030327481001 
0

"Treason in Ithaca"
http://frontpagemag.com/articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=6819

At least in 2001, the Free Congress foundation was a close ideological ally 
of Ashcroft's and worked diligently to ensure Ashcroft's Senate 
confirmation as attorney general 
(http://www.freecongress.org/media/2001/010131.asp). Let's hope that 
Ashcroft's Justice Department doesn't take such a loose view of what kinds 
of antiwar protests are treasonous.

Unfortunately, this doesn't reassure me at all:

"Ashcroft likens criticism of DOJ power grab to 'aiding terrorists'"
http://www.politechbot.com/p-02900.html

-Declan

---

Free Congress Foundation's
Notable News Now
March 28, 2003

The Free Congress Commentary
Anti-war Protestors: It's Time YOU
Start Imitating Our Troops!
By Lisa S. Dean

When it comes to supporting freedom of speech, I'm right there fighting with
the next guy. But as with anything, there are limits to what freedom of
speech can tolerate.
In San Francisco last week, protesters rallied carrying a banner reading,
"We Support Our Troops Who Shoot Their Officers."  Now, moronic slogans such
as "Bush is Hitler" and "Uncle Sam is a Terrorist" are tolerated because we,
as a nation, support the right for even the dumbest of our citizens to
publicly dissent.  That's what democracy is all about, or so they say.
But that banner isn't expressing dissent and it's not freedom of speech.
It's supporting sedition and is downright treasonous.
In an attempt to calm the fury of patriots who wanted to rip these
protesters in two, an apparently soft-hearted resident of San Francisco
rationally explained where these protestors were coming from.  He opined
that they have fallen on hard times because of the dot.com failures and are
lashing out at anything in order to vent their frustration.  Nice try but NO
SALE!  You mean to say that someone can act irresponsibly, even going so far
as to put the lives of others at risk, just because you are throwing a
temper tantrum over your miserable, sorry life?  I don't think so.
Look, whatever you may think about this war, remember that these men and
women are serving their nation and as a citizen of their nation, they are
serving YOU.  They are putting their lives at risk FOR YOU.  They aren't
doing this for publicity, or for some other self-serving reason, they are
doing it FOR YOU.  And in case you didn't hear me, let me say it again, THEY
ARE RISKING THEIR LIVES FOR YOU!
So instead of insulting them, why not try imitating them?  Skip Starbucks,
throw down your protest banners and go help out in a soup kitchen.  Go
mentor a needy child.  Go do something thoughtful for a family who has a
loved one in Iraq right now.  In other words, go and do something other than
sitting around feeling sorry for yourself and taking out your self-pity on a
society that you think owes you the comfortable lifestyle to which you have
become accustomed.  Spend some time contributing something to the country by
serving somebody else, just like our troops.
Lisa S. Dean is Director of the Center for Technology Policy at the Free
Congress Foundation.




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