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“Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) reportedly plans to introduce legislation that would make it a federal crime to use language or symbols that could be perceived as threatening or inciting violence against a federal official or member of Congress,” The Hill notes. Brady said referring to Sarah Palin’s map, "You can't put bull's-eyes or crosshairs on a United States congressman or a federal official," he said, adding, “"The rhetoric is just ramped up so negatively, so high, that we have got to shut this down.”
But “Freshman Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who was elected to office with significant Tea Party backing, said it would be ‘disrespectful’ to use the recent shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) for political gain,” The Hill adds.
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That's right Mr. Congressperson, you go right after the first amendment.
Chef - I, like Rep. Brady am a '(D-PA)' - so I'm relatively sure you and I would agree on little else; but you're right on this one.
Understandable frustration on the Congressman's part, (Palin, and anyone else who thinks that "cross-hairs" literature was ok, is a FOOL!) - but a misguided solution, nonetheless.
I'm an (I-VA) so we may agree on more than you think.
Palin is guilty of using poor judgement with regard to the campaign graphics, but I hardly think she was trying to incite violence. I just can't make the leap from targeting a congressional district for voters to get to the polls to senseless murder.
I think we need to have discussions concerning the security requirements of members of Congress, in and out of Washington, but this proposed bill is a political reaction and not a real look at security requirements. In and of itself, what the Congressman proposes would not necessarily make the members safer.
A bipartisan look at security requirements and an across the aisle resolve to eliminate the rhetoric, lebeling and hate speech from the political process and to boycott all media outlets that do not will be a real step forward in making members of Congress and America a better, safer place to live.