Democratic Congressman Says He Will Introduce Bill To Ban “Crosshairs” Maps

[derby378]

Representative Bob Brady of Pennsylvania told The Caucus he plans to introduce a bill that would ban symbols like that now-infamous campaign cross-hair map.

"You can't threaten the president with a bull's-eye or a cross hair," Mr. Brady, a Democrat, said, and his measure would make it a crime to do so to a member of Congress or federal employee, as well.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/live-blog-latest-developments-on-arizona-shooting/?src=twt&twt=thecaucus#bill-to-ban-crosshairs

:wtf:

[leftstreet]

1. Pfft. The Capitalists have ALL us peons in their crosshairs

But this dickhead just wants to protect his own political class

:eyes:

[derby378]

2. As if restricting free speech was actually going to SOLVE the problem

The Left, as far as I know, had tried to maintain a sense of propriety and decorum despite loudmouths like me. It's all on the shoulders of the Right to tone this shit down.

[devilgrrl]

3. What's that going to do?

eom

[Atman]

4. Stupid.

Let's ban maps, too. Or addresses. Anything that would indicate where an individual resides. Let's ban images of anything because someone might get set off. Fer chrissake, how about a little common sense? There are more than likely a dozen different laws to cover both Loughner's crimes and those of Sarah Palin. Use 'em, but let's not resort to banning images of benign objects. The real cancer is in the right wing hatred...you could ban every image and icon in the world, and they'll still be hateful, mean-spirited, self-centered bigots.

[GeorgeGist]

5. Have they no powder to keep dry?

[HuckleB]

6. Come on, Brady, don't let the scumbags off the hook by going stupid.

Ugh.

[spin]

7. So some kid draws something that looks like a crosshair on a piece of paper ...

and gets expelled from school and sent to a special school for troubled children.

How many more symbols or signs will be deemed illegal.

How do we know that the shooter ever noticed the "crosshair map".

[valerief]

8. What about the damn guns???? And Rush???? nt

[MadHound]

9. More hyperbolic over the top reaction.

Our country seems addicted to it, that's how we wound up with the Patriot Act.

[kwolf68]

10. An interesting first amd discussion

On the surface, these symbols on maps are free speech, but how close is it to yelling FIRE in a crowded theater, which is NOT protected speech.

[Enrique]

11. crosshair maps don't kill people

guns do.

[Egalitariat]

20. Actually, it's the bullets. And spoons make people fat, too.

[Xenotime]

12. Can we add a few more symbols to ban in the bill as well?

I can think of about 10 ban.

[jdp349]

13. *swoosh*

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I guess I'm the only one who doesn't think this is such a bad idea

First of all, I doubt the legislation would pass. But I like it because crosshairs on a map = Sarah Palin. The more attention she gets, the more she is connected to this tragedy, the faster her political future is dead.

[kestrel91316]

15. Silly. We need to focus on prosecuting RW domestic terrorists as

the terrorists that they are. To the fullest extent of the law. And that includes the members of terrorist networks who are mere mouthpieces.

[woo me with science]

16. What an incredibly stupid idea. nt

[fishwax]

17. yeesh

:eyes:

[GSLevel9]

18. knee-jerk reaction at best. How about legislating a real Health Care system to treat thmentally ill

the mentally ill?

[GSLevel9]

19. fwiw... the Germans have banned swastikas and SS signs. nt

[alp227]

21. Free speech is for everyone...including bigots and idiots...

excluding slander/libel/defamation/threatening others' lives. This is probably just routine "dead in committee" legislation.

[Shandris]

22. IMO, this is a foolish move.

It only makes it appear that we are trying to score cheap political points, which will feed DIRECTLY into the mainstream media's description of anyone who considers a political component to the attempted assassination. We're practically writing the goddamned script FOR them. :mad:

[Saphire]

23. ban crosshairs???? really? that's the best solution he can come up with?

[Raine]

24. IDIOTIC ... it's not the crosshairs it's the

state of mind behind it, what about that??? GEEESH! :wtf:

[JoePhilly]

25. very weak

[Posteritatis]

26. I've yet to encounter a there-oughta-be-a-law reaction law that wasn't stupid. (nt)

[Richard Steele]

27. Dumfuck. nm

[Erose999]

28. Do we have to legislate EVERYTHING? One would think that with all the exposure this story has

recieved, no politician would be stupid enough to use a "crosshairs" anymore.

I guess you shouldn't underestimate the stupidity of the Palin camp though. Its still kinda Quixotic to charge at every windmill with a "ban" bill.