Can the Secret Service tell you to shut up?

Andrew Napolitano says it so well:
http://www.wnd.com/2012/03/can-the-secret-service-tell-you-to-shut-up/

Read the whole essay, he articulates the issue clearly.

Last week, President Obama signed into law the Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011. This law permits Secret Service agents to designate any place they wish as a place where free speech, association and petition of the government are prohibited. And it permits the Secret Service to make these determinations based on the content of speech.

Thus, federal agents whose work is to protect public officials and their friends may prohibit the speech and the gatherings of folks who disagree with those officials or permit the speech and the gatherings of those who would praise them, even though the First Amendment condemns content-based speech discrimination by the government. The new law also provides that anyone who gathers in a “restricted” area may be prosecuted. And because the statute does not require the government to prove intent, a person accidentally in a restricted area can be charged and prosecuted, as well.

Related articles

• NAPOLITANO: Can the Secret Service tell you to shut up? – Washington Times (gds44.wordpress.com)
• No More First Amendment – Thanks Obama! (stoshwolfen.wordpress.com)
• Joe Wolverton II – The New American – President Signs Law Placing Prior Restraint On Free Speech – 13 March 2012 (lucas2012infos.wordpress.com)
• Former Agent: New Bill Effectively Outlaws Protests Anywhere Secret Service Deems Off Limits (tarpon.wordpress.com)
• Breaking: Obama Signs Anti-Free Speech Bill into Law (destructionist.wordpress.com)
• GWU: Secret Service Sends Alert of Possible Gunman (abcnews.go.com)
• Hillary Clinton treated Secret Service like servants (fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com)
• Secret Service Protection For Gingrich (myfoxphoenix.com)
• Secret Service Protection For Gingrich (myfoxny.com)

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Tags: Andrew Napolitano, Barack Obama, First Amendment, First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Freedom of speech, government, Official, United States Secret Service