In the USA, 'Ag Gag' Laws violate freedom of speech

[Maria]

In the USA, 'Ag Gag' Laws would label farm whistleblowers as "terrorists."

"Ag" stands for agriculture. And "gag" -- well, you know, a gag order means "shut up." And that's what these laws are intended to do -- to silence whistleblowers and investigators from trying to inform the public about bad practices at factory farms.

... The bill would make it illegal -- an act of "terror" -- to take pictures at an animal facility with the intent to "defame the facility or its owner." ...

Since 2010, ag gag bills have passed in five states: Arkansas, Utah, South Carolina, Missouri and Iowa. Overall, they've been introduced in 19 states -- in over half of them by legislators with known ALEC [American Legislative Exchange Council] ties.

For the complete news article, please visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-moye ... 80074.html

[StephenS]

Aren't the ways and workings of a Republic wonderful to behold? For government at any level to seek to gag whistleblowers and protect those who would seek to hide their wrong husbandry behind such infamous legislation - never mind the welfare of the population at large - is an act worthy of a fascist or communist state.

[Maria]

Aren't the ways and workings of a Republic wonderful to behold? For government at any level to seek to gag whistleblowers and protect those who would seek to hide their wrong husbandry behind such infamous legislation - never mind the welfare of the population at large - is an act worthy of a fascist or communist state.

Very true.

In some respects, I am beginning to think that in Russia there may now be more freedom than in the USA.