Reply #8: Tyranny protects its power by controlling the means of its demise [View All]

[lbr]

It’s been happening since the beginning of civilization…Don’t feel bad. You’re in good company, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton and Franklin all got a bit sweaty under the powdered wig about this sort of thing too. History repeats itself, and in 2004 we find ourselves re-fighting our revolution all over again against another King “George”. lbr


"No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now
trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that
man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should
therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The
most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is,
therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of
their actions." --Thomas Jefferson


The "Royal Gazette" “Our first Fox News”.

James Rivington began his newspaper in 1773, under the rather formidable title of Rivington's New York Gazette. The imprint read as follows: "Printed at his ever open and uninfluenced press, Hanover Square." Rivington was the American colony’s printer to the king during the Revolutionary War. The title of the paper originally contained the cut of large ship under full sail. In 1774 the ship sailed out of sight, and the King's Arms appeared in its place; and in 1775 the words "ever open and uninfluenced" were withdrawn from the imprint. These symptoms were greatly disliked by the patriots of the country; and in November, 1773, a party of armed men from Connecticut entered the city on horseback, attacked his dwelling, broke into his printing office, destroyed his presses, and carrying away his type, melted it and cast it into bullets.


Also see how Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798 parallel the USA Patriot Act at


http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/04.03D.JVB.Patriot.htm


The Sedition Act was unconstitutional. ... The First Amendment was intended to supersede the common-law on speech and press. Freedom guaranteed by the amendment was absolute as far as the federal government was concerned because it could not be abridged by any United States Authority. James Madison, 1798