California legislature is attempting to overrule First Amendment
A new bill making its way through the California legislature is taking direct aim at the First Amendment.
The Bill, SB 742, creates a jail sentence and fines for anyone that tries to protest at vaccination sites. Yes, the measure would make it against the law to practice your constitutional right to protest COVID-19 vaccinations.
The bill was in response to a January event where protestors shut down a COVID vaccination clinic at the Los Angeles Dodgers stadium. The event was only closed for a short time, but the occasion gave lawmakers concern.
Specifically Democrat State Senator Richard Pan. According to Kaiser Health News, Pan is a pediatrician and was concerned that vaccine locations, such as his clinic or pharmacies, could be at risk due to lack of security. According to that article, Pan has been a target as he has been a staunch supporter of eliminating a parent’s right to choose in regards to vaccines.
They described a vaccination site experience that Pan shared where he was interrupted by protestors with a bullhorn. He shared it prevented healthcare workers from being able to interact with patients appropriately.
So his response was to write a bill that eliminates the ability for someone to protest at these events. How so? It describes a protest as harassment.
The Kaiser article shares, “The bill defines harassment as getting within 30 feet of someone to hand them a leaflet, display a sign, participate in any kind of verbal protesting like singing or chanting, or conduct any education or counseling with that person.” That’s far from harassment.
I do not believe that protestors should shut down vaccine clinics, that’s beyond a peaceful protest. But talk about the ultimate display of hypocrisy from the radical left.
I have watched countless videos online of so called “harassment” from Antifa, BLM, and other domestic terrorist groups. They have “harassed” drivers by blocking roadways. They have “harassed” business owners by destroying buildings and property.
In each of these instances, those individuals actually prevented someone from driving or doing their job. Those actions that these groups took part of was an actual crime.
But here, the action of sharing information is now going to be a crime? It’s a direct violation of the First Amendment at its very basic meaning.
What’s next? Are we going to label advertisements as harassment? Because I have been handed information for businesses on countless occasions which I did not want. Or are we to label a person handing out a gospel tract as a crime? After all, if we are going after the First Amendment why not go after the entire thing.
The idea that you can simply label something as harassment if it interrupts your agenda is ridiculous. This is just another woke radical attempt to continue to force people into compliance with vaccines.
On countless occasions I have shared, if you want a vaccine then you should go take it. If you weigh it out and choose that you do not want the vaccine, you should not be forced to take it. We should be focused on sharing both sides and allowing someone the right to choose.
Instead, we find ourselves in the middle of a battle over a vaccine, proof of vaccines, and the elimination of any voice that may be against a vaccine. What should we expect from a radical left that wants to force everyone into compliance without question.
This bill is most certainly a direct violation of the First Amendment rights of Californians. If it passes, it will be interesting to see what the Supreme Court does with the case. Because that is where this will end up.
If the Supreme Court allows this, they will claim it is in the interest of public health safety. If that happens, it’s a precedent that will have significant fallout in the years to come.
Content syndicated from TheLibertyLoft.com with permission.
