The First Amendment and the U.S. Supreme Court

The strange case of Hodge v. Talkin may be headed to the U.S. Supreme Court…which is strange because the Court will be ruling on its own ban on politically expressive activity on the grounds of the U.S. Supreme Court. Wait…a ban on rights protected by the First Amendment? That can't be, can it? Ask Mr. Hodge, who, on 28 JAN 2011, was peacefully standing in the Supreme Court plaza (a public place) wearing a sign that proclaimed government mistreatment of Blacks and Hispanics. He was then arrested for violating 40 USC Sec. 6135, which prohibits, are you ready…protected First Amendment rights. Oh, the shame of it, you say! Wait, there's more: with express approval from Chief Justice John Roberts, the Marshall for the Supreme Court issued even more strident regulations prohibiting expressive activity on the public grounds of the U.S. Supreme Court building.

Consider this: "If citizens cannot stand out in the open and voice their disapproval of their government, its representatives and its policies without fearing prosecution, then the First Amendment is little more than window-dressing on a store window- pretty to look at but serving little real purpose." -John W. Whitehead, attorney and president of The Rutherford Institute.

What say you to this latest in the organized rollback of Constitutional rights?

 

Asked & answered: http://forums.13x.com/showpost.php?p=4706726&postcount=3

 

I can't agree with that; civil and legal rights have increased over the years, but suddenly seem to be diminished at every turn by the same people and institutions sworn to uphold them.

 

If it can be taken away, it's a privilege.

 

Well, see, this is the thing: they have not been 'taken away,' just diminished and tarnished. If American citizens want to retain these rights, they better step up to the plate.

 

I suppose we'll have to wait and see how it is argued in the Supreme Court, on appeal, given the other decisions by the same court upholding First Amendment rights

 

reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions... gov't has been able to restrict speech on it's own property for a long time. nothing to see here, i don't imagine.

a discussion of the decision:

http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/08/court-now-can-ban-protests-on-its-threshold/#more-231594