The quote of the day is presented by Guns.com
As a general rule, speech isn’t “incitement” unless it’s not only directed to producing “imminent lawless action,” but also likely “to produce such action.” Terrorism is also a defined term under law. A person commits an act of terrorism if they violate the criminal law with the intention of intimidating or coercing civilians, influence policy by intimidation or coercion, or “affect the conduct of government” through “mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping.”
I quote these definitions to demonstrate the utter absurdity of the (City of San Francisco’s) resolution. The NRA advocates lawful actions. A good portion of its advocacy is dedicated to requesting that the government more effectively enforce gun laws. Moreover, it uses lawful means to advocate lawful actions. It isn’t using criminal acts to “affect the conduct of government”; it’s using its constitutionally protected rights.
It would be one thing if the government of San Francisco was “merely” engaged in inflammatory name-calling and vicious public posturing. Government officials make dramatic and ridiculous declarations all the time.
But here San Francisco goes farther. It mandates that the city and county should “take every reasonable step to assess the financial and contractual relationships our vendors and contractors have with this domestic terrorist organization” and that the city and county “should take every reasonable step to limit those entities who do business with the City and County of San Francisco from doing business with this domestic terrorist organization.”
This is a direct, viewpoint-based attack on the freedom of association of private citizens. It’s a retaliatory public attack on constitutionally protected speech. It flies in the face of recent California federal court precedent. And…the NRA filed a lawsuit to block its enforcement.
– David French in San Francisco’s Assault on the NRA Is Dangerous to Our Democracy
