Arizona law would criminalize being lewd or annoying on the Internet

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/30/arizona-law-would-criminalize-being-annoying-on-the-internet/

As summarized by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, “The bill is sweepingly broad, and would make it a crime to communicate via electronic means speech that is intended to ‘annoy,’ ‘offend,’ ‘harass’ or ‘terrify,’ as well as certain sexual speech. Because the bill is not limited to one-to-one communications, H.B. 2549 would apply to the Internet as a whole, thus criminalizing all manner of writing, cartoons, and other protected material the state finds offensive or annoying.”

The bill is currently awaiting Governor Jan Brewer’s signature, and the Media Coalition, which defends first amendment rights in the media, has sent her a letter outlining some of the problems with the legislation.

“H.B. 2549 would make it a crime to use any electronic or digital device to communicate using obscene, lewd or profane language or to suggest a lewd or lascivious act if done with intent to ‘annoy,’ ‘offend,’ ‘harass’ or ‘terrify,’” the letter notes. … ‘Lewd’ and ‘profane’ are not defined in the statute or by reference. ‘Lewd’ is generally understood to mean lusty or sexual in nature and ‘profane’ is generally defined as disrespectful or irreverent about religion or religious practices.”

It appears that the Arizona law could criminalize the recent interview in which Meghan McCain — daughter of Arizona senator John McCain — told Playboy, “I’m strictly dickly. I can’t help it. I love sex and I love men.” Or any random atheist saying, “There is no god” — provided some official was prepared to conclude it was done with the intention of annoying believers.