Let's breakdown what this article is really saying. Shall we.
"Last week, I reported that such efforts were afoot in five states: In Minnesota, Washington state, Michigan, and Iowa, Republican lawmakers have proposed an array of anti-protesting laws that center on stiffening penalties for demonstrators who block traffic; in North Dakota, conservatives are even pushing a bill that would allow motorists to run over and kill protesters so long as the collision was accidental. Similarly, Republicans in Indiana last week prompted uproar over a proposed law that would instruct police to use “any means necessary” to clear protesters off a roadway."
Awesome...idiots who block a highway are idiots. Stiffen the laws as they are idiots. Bravo there. The second bolded part was is great...allow to run over on accident...nothing hypocritical at all with that wording as that is as mindless as they come...from the author of the bill and this hit piece. Now on to the third one here...I guess that means they line up and shoot them. Yeah...that is what they meant, cops are going to go Red Dawn style and line them up to mow them down. I love the choice of words this click bait idiot uses. Ooooh, that author has me scared now.
Getting people off a road is a safety concern, but don't dare say that...it means you're un-American with authors like this. WTF. Sorry ambulance with the heart attack patient...The millennials need another participation trophy...you have to wait.
"Although Sonnenberg’s bill touts itself largely as a public safety measure and makes no mention of protesters, its language broadly includes anyone who “attempts to alter, obstruct, interrupt, or interfere with the action of any equipment used or associated with oil or gas gathering operations.”
So those hopping on a gas truck may get stiffer penalties....woe is them. Not to mention we are talking about flammable and explosive materials here. Good thing is to make them a sitting target around a crowd of people.
In Virginia, state lawmakers are considering an anti-protesting law that is apparently broader in scope. A bill pending in the state’s Senate would dramatically increase penalties for people who engage in an “unlawful assembly” after “having been lawfully warned to disperse.”
So an unlawful assemble and then will not disperse on their own when asked may get a stiffer penalty. Well, crap...America's done. You got me Judge. To think I served and now my country is asking protestors to hold lawful and peaceful protests as well as listen to the police for their own safety as well as the police.
In Missouri, a bill is pending that would make it a crime for anyone participating in an “unlawful assembly” to intentionally conceal “his or her identity by the means of a robe, mask, or other disguise.” Sponsored by Republican lawmaker Don Phillips, the bill would classify such crimes as a Class A misdemeanor, meaning that anyone caught concealing their identity at such a protest could face up to a year behind bars. The bill contains a section that would exempt identity-concealing coverings for the purposes of religion, safety, or medical needs.
So again this is about unlawful assembly...mind you they aren't banning or punishing any peaceful and lawful protests...far from it. Now it seems like your really concerned about those blocking highways or holding unlawful protests, but I'm not. I'm all for people speaking their mind and holding people accountable with lawful protests, but I don't feel that gives them the right to disrupt whoever they feel like and then cry foul if they have to face a consequence. It sounds awesome if you write an article saying your rights are going away, but some of these are basic safety concerns for both the police and the protesters....but if you word it right...it can get sensationalized really quickly.
