Over the weekend, by way of the NRA some troubling news spread across the Internet: “Commonly used and unregulated Internet discussions and videos about guns and ammo could be closed down under rules proposed by the State Department, amounting to a ‘gag order on firearm-related speech,'” This stems from an Obama Regime reinterpretation of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). The State Department is updating the ITAR, which implements the Federal Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The net effect of this new ITAR amplification would be to reclassify gun blogs, forums, chat rooms, and firearms “how-to” web pages as “export restricted” firearms technical data. And get this: Per the proposed new rules, “Mother May I” permission must be granted before posting any such data, and failure to do so could result in fines of up to $1 million and prison sentences up to 20 years.
Well, I have a news flash for BHO‘s minions in the State Department: In this nation we have a pesky little scrap of paper that trumps all other pieces of paper, called The Constitution, and it includes the First Amendment, which guarantees our freedom of press.
I must illustrate an important point: With the exception of common law libel restrictions, there are no limits to the freedom of press in these United States. For the purpose of educating the public on that point, I’m posting this little gem of a files link. There, I did it. I’ll see you in court, Mrs. Lynch.
Please contact your congressional representatives and voice any concerns about this proposed ITAR rules change. – JWR