Summary: Eight states have proposed laws that could negatively impact peaceful protesting.

There is no doubt that the United States is experiencing a period of political turmoil. In response to that, Republican lawmakers in eight states have called for legislation that can increase penalties for protesting, even the peaceful kind.

According to The Intercept, lawmakers from Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, Iowa, Indiana, North Dakota, Virginia, and Colorado are pushing for laws to punish protestors. This includes creating penalties for dissenters who stop traffic, allowing drivers immunity if they accidentally kill a protestor on the street, and giving police the right to end protests using “any means necessary.”

These controversial proposals are a response to the high-profile protests that have occurred around the country. For instance, millions of women marched around the nation on Saturday to protest the inauguration of President Donald Trump, a man with a history of misogynistic comments and alleged nefarious actions. Before the Women’s March, our country saw a huge wave of other organized protests in 2016. People gathered for months in North Dakota to challenge the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline. They were opposed to the project’s potential environmental impact and infringement on Native American rights. Additionally, in almost all major cities, the Black Lives Matter movement gathered to call for an end to police brutality against African-Americans.

Liberals have already decried these proposed protestor bills, stating they violate people’s Constitutional rights of free speech and assembly; but conservatives state that these laws are necessary to stop violence and maintain safety. For example, at some protests in 2016, people blocked freeways or looted stores.

In Minnesota, the blocking of roads prompted Republican House Representative Pat Garofalo to call for the “obstruction” charge to become a felony. The obstruction of justice charge is a common charge used against protestors, and Garofalo wants higher penalties inflicted upon people who block roads during peak hours. He said that these protestors’ actions could stop ambulances and police from reaching their destinations and that they are a public nuisance.

“We have a professional protester class that is jeopardizing public safety with their actions,” Garofalo told The Twin Cities Pioneer Press.

In Virginia, state lawmakers want to curb “unlawful assembly” so they are upping the current fines for people who refuse to leave after being told to disperse. Currently, disobeying orders results in a $500 fine, but if the bill from Republican Senator Richard H. Stuart passes, protestors could expect one year in jail and a fine of $2,500. That could mean that anything from a small adult gathering to peaceful student sit-ins could result in jail time. While Republican senators reportedly believe they have a good shot of passing this law, The Intercept said there is a high chance Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe will veto the bill if it reaches his office.

Senator Jerry Sonnenberg of Colorado has introduced a bill that would make any obstructing or tampering with oil and gas equipment a felony instead of the misdemeanor it is classified as of now. Although the language of his bill does not specifically target environmental protestors, this change is intended to curb them from damaging property, a problem that occurs in Colorado due to the fierce fight between environmentalists and the oil and gas industry in the state. According to The Intercept, “With control of Colorado’s legislature split between parties and a Democrat in the governor’s office, the future of Sonnenberg’s bill is uncertain.”

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• Related: Charges Against Amy Goodman Dismissed

Do you agree or disagree with the new proposed legislation? Let us know in the comments below. 

The post Lawmakers Want Increased Penalties against Protestors first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

On Tuesday, first lady Michelle Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Committee fundraiser was interrupted by a woman shouting statements about equality for gays and lesbians. Obama was 12 minutes into her speech when she was interrupted by Ellen Sturtz, a member of the LGBT rights group GetEQUAL.

What Sturtz initially shouted is unknown, but Obama paused her speech to address the disruptive guest. “One of the things that I don’t do well is this,” said Obama, a statement that was met with applause. “Do you understand?” Obama then left the lectern and approached Sturtz, saying “Listen to me or you can take the mic, but I’m leaving. You all decide. You have one choice.” The crowd began to shout that they wanted Obama to remain on stage, and Sturtz was escorted out.

As Sturtz was brought out of the event, she shouted that she was a “lesbian looking for federal equality before I die.”

Sturtz spoke with the Washington Post shortly after the event, saying “She came right down in my face. I was taken aback.” Sturtz told the Huffington Post that she didn’t go to the event with the intention of interrupting Obama, but rather to reach out to members of the DNC that were present. Sturtz said that she was moved by the first lady’s urging of the audience to make the country a better place for the next generation to voice her concerns.

“I want to talk about the LGBT young people who are being told, directly and indirectly, that they’re second-class citizens. I’m tired of it. They’re tired of it. They’re suffering,” said Sturtz. “We’ve been asking the president to sign that Employment Non-Discrimination Act for five years. How much longer do we need to wait?”

“Basically, I was asked by the first lady to be quiet, but I can’t be quiet any longer. I was surprised by how negative the crowed seemed to be. It was actually a little unsettling and disturbing.”

Another GetEQUAL activist, Autumn Leaf, interrupted DNC Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s speech just prior to Obama’s.

President Barack Obama was heckled during a speech he made last week, when an anti-war protester interrupted his speech about drones and national security. The president handled the heckling well, saying that the protester’s voice was an important one and “worth paying attention to.”

White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that Michelle Obama handled the heckler “brilliantly.”

The post Michelle Obama Interrupted By Gay Rights Protestor first appeared on JDJournal Blog.

On Friday morning, the National Rifle Association held its first press conference following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last Friday morning in Newtown, Connecticut. The NRA had previously released a statement following the shooting.

During the press conference, which was being recorded, a protestor stood up in the front row, blocking the view of NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, while holding a bright pink sign. LaPierre was offering the NRA’s solution to recent gun incidents across the country in Connecticut, Oregon, Wisconsin and Colorado.

LaPierre suggested that an armed police officer should be present in every school across the country by the end of this year. The sign that was held up by the protestor read: “NRA killing our kids.”

The protestor was removed from the room rather quickly while screaming, “we should not arm teachers … we’ve got to stop the violence … we’ve got to stop the killing in our schools, stop the killing in our streets, the NRA is killing our children.”

The protestor was from the group called Code Pink. Code Pink is a self-described “women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement.”

The video of the incident has been embedded in this post. Take a look at it and let us know your thoughts in our comments section.

The post Protestor Gets Message Heard During NRA Press Conference first appeared on JDJournal Blog.