August 5, 2003
Civil Rights
So much for the First Amendment.
CNN.com - Man jailed for linking to bomb sites.
A federal judge sentenced a man to a year in prison Monday for creating an anarchist Web site with links to sites on how to build bombs.
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Austin must also pay a $2,000 fine and is barred for three years from using a computer without approval. Wilson said he also may not associate with anyone from a group that "espouses physical force as a means of change."
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Austin said he took a plea bargain because he feared his case was eligible for a terrorism enhancement, which could have added 20 years to his sentence. The plea deal had called for him to serve four months.
So. You don't have to write the stuff, all you have to do is link to it and you're a "terrorist." The worst part of this is that Ashcroft's plan is working: Rather than fighting the accusation, Austin just caved in out of fear that he would be so labelled.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Emphasis mine, of course.