MJ: Republicans Declare War on the Courts After Rulings That Threaten Their Majorities

In crucial swing states, Republicans are trying to nullify court orders they don’t like.

Ari Berman Mar. 26, 2018

On Thursday, a judge ruled that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker must hold special elections this spring to fill two vacant state legislative seats that some Republicans fear could flip to the Democrats. But instead of scheduling new elections, Wisconsin Republicans came up with a different plan: They would convene a special legislative session to change the law governing special elections so they wouldn’t have to hold them before November.

Walker had a “plain and positive duty” to hold the elections, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Josann Reynolds, who was appointed by Walker in 2014, ruled on Thursday. She instructed Walker to issue an order within a week scheduling the elections.

But the next day, Walker threw his support behind the plan to change the election law. “It would be senseless to waste taxpayer money on special elections just weeks before voters go to the polls when the Legislature has concluded its business,” Walker said in a statement. “This is why I support, and will sign, the Senate and Assembly plan to clarify special election law.”

Democrats immediately denounced the move, saying Republicans were going to extraordinary lengths to avoid holding an election for two legislative seats previously held by Republicans that have been vacant since December. “Even for Republicans in Wisconsin, this would be a stunning action to keep citizens from exercising their right to vote,” said former Attorney General Eric Holder, who leads a Democratic group that sued Walker on behalf of Wisconsin voters in the two districts. “They appear to be afraid of the voters of Wisconsin.”

[...]

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/republicans-declare-war-on-the-courts-after-rulings-that-threaten-their-majorities/

EFF: How Congress Censored the Internet

By Elliot Harmon
March 21, 2018

In Passing SESTA/FOSTA, Lawmakers Failed to Separate Their Good Intentions from Bad Law

Today was a dark day for the Internet.

The U.S. Senate just voted 97-2 to pass the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA, H.R. 1865), a bill that silences online speech by forcing Internet platforms to censor their users. As lobbyists and members of Congress applaud themselves for enacting a law tackling the problem of trafficking, let’s be clear: Congress just made trafficking victims less safe, not more.

The version of FOSTA that just passed the Senate combined an earlier version of FOSTA (what we call FOSTA 2.0) with the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA, S. 1693). The history of SESTA/FOSTA—a bad bill that turned into a worse bill and then was rushed through votes in both houses of Congress—is a story about Congress’ failure to see that its good intentions can result in bad law. It’s a story of Congress’ failure to listen to the constituents who’d be most affected by the laws it passed. It’s also the story of some players in the tech sector choosing to settle for compromises and half-wins that will put ordinary people in danger.

Silencing Internet Users Doesn’t Make Us Safer

SESTA/FOSTA undermines Section 230, the most important law protecting free speech online. Section 230 protects online platforms from liability for some types of speech by their users. Without Section 230, the Internet would look very different. It’s likely that many of today’s online platforms would never have formed or received the investment they needed to grow and scale—the risk of litigation would have simply been too high. Similarly, in absence of Section 230 protections, noncommercial platforms like Wikipedia and the Internet Archive likely wouldn’t have been founded given the high level of legal risk involved with hosting third-party content.

[...]

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/03/how-congress-censored-internet

The Cut: The Most Powerful Moments From The March For Our Lives

In more than 800 cities across the world, people are joining in March For Our Lives rallies to deliver in unison a cogent message to lawmakers, the National Rifle Association, and 2nd Amendment advocates: Never again should a student die in a school shooting.

https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/march-for-our-lives-2018-the-most-powerful-moments.html

Vox: March for Our Lives in photos

Thousands of students gathered in the nation’s capital to protest for gun control and safer schools.
By German Lopez and Christina Animashaun Mar 24, 2018, 2:01pm EDT

On Saturday, thousands of Americans rallied in Washington, DC, and across the country in the March for Our Lives, a stand against gun violence and in support of new restrictions on firearms.

The countrywide protests are an attempt to get Congress to finally take some action. For years, the side opposing gun restrictions — with the backing of powerful groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) — has generally dominated Congress.

https://www.vox.com/2018/3/24/17159442/march-for-our-lives-rally-photos

MJ: Hundreds of Thousands of People Are Marching Against Gun Violence Today

It’s the largest demonstration for gun control in US history.

Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the US—and even the world—are planning to take part in over 800 rallies and marches scheduled for Saturday to protest the epidemic of gun violence in the United States and to call for stricter gun control measures. The “March For Our Lives” in Washington, DC, and companion protests worldwide, were organized by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, after the mass shooting there on February 14 took 17 lives. Organizers are expecting 500,000 people in Washington, DC, alone.

The high school students, including Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg, are leading a new wave of activism around this issue. Though Florida enacted new gun control restrictions after the shooting (along with a measure to arm teachers), Congress has done nothing. The National Rifle Association also reportedly persuaded President Donald Trump not to push for tougher gun regulations.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/03/hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-marching-against-gun-violence-today/

Guardian: March for Our Lives: hundreds of thousands demand end to gun violence live

1.54pm 13:54

Ryan Deitsch, a Marjory Stoneman Douglas, is on stage challenging the notion we should arm teachers with guns.

Instead, he says, teachers need to be armed with school supplies. And students need to be armed with facts and education.

He’s also challenged the notion that the school walk out protests have disrupted education.

“We are done hiding,” Deitsch said. “We are done being full of fear.”

“This is the beginning of the end. From here, we fight.”

He, like so many other people to take the stage today, is focusing on the midterm elections and voter registration.

“Register, educate, vote.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2018/mar/24/march-for-our-lives-protest-gun-violence-washington

The Most Powerful Moments From The March For Our Lives

Source: NY Mag: The Cut

In more than 800 cities across the world, people are joining in March For Our Lives rallies to deliver in unison a cogent message to lawmakers, the National Rifle Association, and 2nd Amendment advocates: Never again should a student die in a school shooting.

Read more: https://www.thecut.com/2018/03/march-for-our-lives-2018-the-most-powerful-moments.html

Emotions run high at mass gun demonstration

Speakers and volunteers pushed a voter registration drive and vowed to oust lawmakers who oppose gun control.

By CAITLIN EMMA and IAN KULLGREN

03/24/2018 10:22 AM EDT

Updated 03/24/2018 02:59 PM EDT

Hundreds of thousands of people from across the country descended on Washington Saturday to demand action on gun control in a mass demonstration that could rival the annual women’s marches sparked by President Donald Trump’s election.

Spurred by the school shooting in Parkland, Florida last month, the “March for Our Lives” has the backing of well-funded gun control groups like Everytown for Gun Safety. They are organizing youth voter registration drives and running crash courses on activism and public policy.

More than 800 “sibling” marches are planned across the United States and in other countries on Saturday.

The demonstration is the culmination of years of inaction by lawmakers as mass shootings have continued unabated in America. Left-leaning activists, feeling stymied by the National Rifle Association’s lobbying, are wielding one of the few tools they have left: taking to the streets to demand change.

[...]

Samantha Fuentes, a Parkland student who was shot in both legs, recited a poem she wrote about the assault. “I was crying tears and blood at the same time,” Fuentes told the crowd. She then paused, doubled over and vomited behind the podium.

When she recovered after a few moments, Fuentes straightened up and said proudly: “I just threw up on international television and it feels awesome!”

[...]

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/24/gun-control-march-for-our-lives-dc-483428

March for Our Lives in photos

Source: Vox

Thousands of students gathered in the nation’s capital to protest for gun control and safer schools.
By German Lopez and Christina Animashaun Mar 24, 2018, 2:01pm EDT

On Saturday, thousands of Americans rallied in Washington, DC, and across the country in the March for Our Lives, a stand against gun violence and in support of new restrictions on firearms.

The countrywide protests are an attempt to get Congress to finally take some action. For years, the side opposing gun restrictions — with the backing of powerful groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) — has generally dominated Congress.


Read more: https://www.vox.com/2018/3/24/17159442/march-for-our-lives-rally-photos