“The United States was founded by riot-boosters,” Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Chairman Lester Thompson said while testifying against House Bill 1117.
He said the proposed legislation attacks the fundamentals of the United States.
Thompson’s not the only one who feels that way. But after hearing more than 90 minutes of testimony from Thompson and 12 other opponents, lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance House Bill 1117, an unnecessary effort to legislate peaceful protest in South Dakota.
The bill, which would thwart free speech and the right to protest, now heads to the Senate for a full floor vote.
The ACLU of South Dakota opposes HB 1117 and is concerned that that this legislation will be applied in a manner that violates the Constitution.
House Bill 1117 creates a state of fear that pits activists and organizers exercising their First Amendment rights against government officials and law enforcement and, in fact, seems specifically designed to intimidate and dissuade people from protesting at all. The threat of having to prove yourself in court, after all, is exactly what chilling speech and chipping away at our First Amendment rights looks like.
We need your help to stop this bill. Tell your state senator that you don’t think South Dakota should thwart free speech and the right to protest.
Instead of passing House Bill 1117, lawmakers should focus on ensuring the civil rights of people planning to peacefully protest the Keystone XL Pipeline are protected. The governor and our elected officials should consult with the people who will bear the heaviest burden of any laws regarding protest. The voices of the people must be heard in a meaningful way, and taking that opportunity away from South Dakotans is a subversion of our entire democratic process.