From the horribly depressing files of "duh" (or what happens when you put power-mad, secretive, uber-sensitive dullards who can't see beyond the end of their self-obsessed noses in charge of the country) ...
Section 602 makes holding an un-authorised sign at a Democratic or Republican National Convention, a Presidential, VP, or Candidate appearance, and any other event designated by the Secret Service as a "national special security event" a felony punishable by a year imprisonment. A not much more farfetched interpretation would have made felons of the entire Wisconsin Delegation to the 1968 Democratic Convention when Mayor Daley ruled them out of order for moving to adjourn the Convention and reconvene outside Daley's bailiwick.
Section 603 makes a seperate offence of entering the Convention (or other designated event) with forged credentials, possessing such, or even perhaps the time-honored tradition of passing ones' entry pass to a friend.
Much like I find it not just appalling but simply astonishing that we now live in a time when supposedly respectable Americans regularly advocate torture, I'm similarly appalled and astonished that even in this millenium when live in an age when the Republican powers that be are intent on making even the smallest forms of dissent or political engagement felonies.
God Bless the ACLU for fighting these fights and protecting freedom and democracy (and Majikthise for alerting readers to this outrage and the fun of Go Fug Yourself).
Posted by armand at December 13, 2005 01:01 PM | TrackBack | Posted to The Ever Shrinking Constitution