The First Amendment Right to Free Speech: Revoked
The inevitable has happened. If you are a citizen of Chicago Illinois your U.S. Constitutionally protected right to freedom of speech has been officially revoked. You are no longer allowed to criticize the government in thought, spoken word, or written media of any type whether physical or virtual.
As I've mentioned before the right to speak critically of the government in our fair city is under attack. It seems as if those looking to suppress the voting citizens of Chicago have been successful. FixWilsonYard.org is a group of over two thousand tax paying citizens in the Uptown neighborhood on the north side of Chicago that is currently battling city hall with a lawsuit to halt the Wilson Yard redevelopment from happening. This is a development of slums that the neighbors don't want here. Our Alderman and our Mayor do. Apparently they feel all the poor people on the public dole should be housed in half-million dollar condos for free an all in one neighborhood. The developer issued a subpoena for information about two websites that have written about this slum, www.buenaparkneighbors.com and www.uptownupdate.com. Both websites have commentary by the tax payers in the area about their disapproval of this slum, Uptown Update is run by an anonymous blogger. The city wanted the names and personal information of anyone who posted on these websites. The date for compliance of the subpoena has passed. When you read the latest post on Uptown Update about the construction and then read the comments tax payers have posted you notice that no information about construction permit violations is forthcoming by FixWilsonYard.org or the city. It has always been typical of FWY to chime in with correct information at times when confusion was rampant. Not now. It causes one to wonder if FWY lawyers have suggested a moment of silence from FWY. A cause for alarm, really, because this means the city has successfully quieted the electorate opposition. Through our court system.
These websites and the comments left on them are Uptown voters' redress of grievances with which we petition our government. This is their option for alerting the government to their dissatisfaction with what is happening in their neighborhood and with their tax money. The government has chosen to silence them. To spit on their First Amendment rights.
Ghandi said "An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere." This is injustice perpetrated against the citizens of this country regardless of your home town and a gross injustice perpetrated against our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. You should be outraged. And you should be just a little bit frightened.
Chuck
As I've mentioned before the right to speak critically of the government in our fair city is under attack. It seems as if those looking to suppress the voting citizens of Chicago have been successful. FixWilsonYard.org is a group of over two thousand tax paying citizens in the Uptown neighborhood on the north side of Chicago that is currently battling city hall with a lawsuit to halt the Wilson Yard redevelopment from happening. This is a development of slums that the neighbors don't want here. Our Alderman and our Mayor do. Apparently they feel all the poor people on the public dole should be housed in half-million dollar condos for free an all in one neighborhood. The developer issued a subpoena for information about two websites that have written about this slum, www.buenaparkneighbors.com and www.uptownupdate.com. Both websites have commentary by the tax payers in the area about their disapproval of this slum, Uptown Update is run by an anonymous blogger. The city wanted the names and personal information of anyone who posted on these websites. The date for compliance of the subpoena has passed. When you read the latest post on Uptown Update about the construction and then read the comments tax payers have posted you notice that no information about construction permit violations is forthcoming by FixWilsonYard.org or the city. It has always been typical of FWY to chime in with correct information at times when confusion was rampant. Not now. It causes one to wonder if FWY lawyers have suggested a moment of silence from FWY. A cause for alarm, really, because this means the city has successfully quieted the electorate opposition. Through our court system.
These websites and the comments left on them are Uptown voters' redress of grievances with which we petition our government. This is their option for alerting the government to their dissatisfaction with what is happening in their neighborhood and with their tax money. The government has chosen to silence them. To spit on their First Amendment rights.
Ghandi said "An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere." This is injustice perpetrated against the citizens of this country regardless of your home town and a gross injustice perpetrated against our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. You should be outraged. And you should be just a little bit frightened.
Chuck
posted by Chuck | 11:19 AM
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