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"Can't you just sit back like the rest of us and accept the encroachment on our 1st Amendment rights?;-)

Yeah, why don't we all just mind our own business, and let the Government tell us what we can and cannot say during the height of a political campaign?"

You know.. I told my friends up here about this law. One of them said, "you mean they passed something like that?"

I said, "they not only PASSED it, the Supreme Court UPHELD it."

Their jaws dropped to the floor--that is NOT the reputation that the United States has regarding freedom of expression. Indeed, in this regard, the U.S. is the role model on this planet.

The parliament is debating whether or not the Bible is hate speech up here (I'm not kidding). In opposing this, some politicians have made comparisons with the U.S.

If the U.S. loses freedom of speech, then any shred of free speech elsewhere will quickly follow. Obviously, that's not the main concern--but we are the guardians of not only freedom, which we have done so admirably in Iraq, but also of liberty.

Iraq is developing a new government. What kind of example does this law set?

Valin, would you please send this thread to the CFR ping list? Thanks. :)

I completely agree. I'm disappointed that anyone could possibly think that this is a good law. Unfortunately, enough Republicans in Congress thought that the president should get whatever he wants, not to mention the fact that the last hope for stopping it- those who did not need to win elections or keep their poll numbers up- thought that this was a good idea. IMNTBHO, those five justices should be impeached and thrown out.

"Iraq is developing a new government. What kind of example does this law set?"

Excellent question -- and a frightening one. Our system of government is/was our stock-in-trade. If it becomes no better than the systems we are trying to replace, it'll be time to bring all of our troops home.

Is the 'Gem of the Ocean' going to end up looking more like the shards of a shattered whiskey bottle?