Government Designated Free Speech Zone at the DNC Boston, 2004 Photos

Home

First Amendment to the Constitution

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security might not have read the constitution.  For several months now there has been an increase in the limitation and separation of those who wish to exercise their right to freedom of speech.  Many of recent appearances by President Bush have been accompanied by "free speech zones" areas in which protestors are placed.

The free speech zone is a special area designated by the government in which protests are to occur.  First created by the Bush administration and now agreed to by the democrats, the "free speech zones" are typically away from the general area of the event and designed to keep freedom of speech in a controllable and convenient area. 

This is, of course, unprecedented in US history as it is now illegal to demonstrate or protest in areas other than those the government tells us to.  Due to extremely poor acoustics, remote locations and nearly non-existent visibility, the message of the people in the zones cannot be heard by the intended audience and their free speech in essentially silenced.

This is not about national security in any way, it is about limiting speech and ideas.  As you can see, many of these people are very dangerous: photos include a man in a wheelchair, a woman with a guitar, two teenage girls and some bible evangelists.

This is not about any one issue, this is about our right to speak about any issue. 

What if Martin Luther King spoke "I have a dream" from a free speech zone?

What's next?

Click on any image to enlarge  (for all large photos at once click here)

The entrance to the free speech zone	The rules of free speech		Dangerous free speakers?	An armed guard, one of many, watches over the free speech zone
Are John Ashcroft and Tom Ridge afraid of these people?	at the free speech podium
	Barbed wire, fences, armed military and a net surround the free speech zone		More dangerous people
High above the free speech zone, snipers and other military patrol
				in the free speech zone

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Site content © Copyright 1999-2004 Brumax,  All Rights Reserved. Not to be reproduced without written permission.  Article contact is property of publisher where noted.