Did you see Rep. Mike Pitts’ proposal that journalists be registered?
To his credit, Mr. Pitts apparently did this ironically. The intention, apparently, is to mount a facetious attack on the First Amendment to make a point about the Second, which doesn’t really make sense, but don’t stop him; he’s on a roll.
Anyway, last night Bryan asked, via Twitter, whether this would also apply to bloggers.
No way, I responded defiantly:
@BryanCaskey @wis10 Bloggers are we, Born to be free, Just like the fish In the sea! #bananas
— Brad Warthen (@BradWarthen) January 20, 2016
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I get his point in proposing this silly bill, but come on. First, maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t see it as the job of a legislator to propose laws for the sole purpose of making arguments.
If Rep. Pitts wants to make a point about how we have different standards for different rights, then make the point in a floor speech, or a debate on the floor of the house, or whatever it is legislators do when they want to argue with each other.
For instance, I’m pretty sure that when James Madison was in Congress, he argued with people, but he didn’t propose silly bills to “make a point”. This bill is a fundamentally un-serious act, and its more worthy of some blogger trying to “troll” another.
Our legislators should be above this sort of baloney. They should take their job of proposing bills seriously.
It’s just a joke. Until it isn’t.