Sorry, Dear Reader, but I’m not about to let go of my outrage over Ben Cardin’s bill to criminalize free speech (S.270).
I have now written three times to Senator Van Hollen via his official campaign website. I have now written three times to his foreign affairs legislative assistant, Afreen Akhter. I have not received a single reply; though I was cc-ed on a reply Ms. Akhter sent to someone else:
Senator Van Hollen has not co-sponsored this legislation. He does not support restrictions on free speech and is reviewing the legislation in light of those concerns.
And here is what I sent to her today:
Ms. Akhter:
During the Reagan years, Act Up responded to the administration’s inaction on AIDS with this slogan: “Silence = Death.”
S.720 is not a matter of life or death, but Chris Van Hollen’s silence regarding our fundamental civil liberties is tantamount to endorsing Ben Cardin’s bill. I played a key role in helping Chris get elected to Congress the first time, something he thanked me for thereafter. I did not work for his election so that I could hear “has not co-sponsored this legislation” as an excuse for silence — this is political cowardice at its worst.
Will you present my views to the Senator? Will he stand up for he First Amendment and explicitly oppose S.270?
I would appreciate the courtesy of a direct reply.
— Keith Berner
Please stand with me in persistent support for civil liberties: please let Van Hollen and the rest of the Maryland congressional delegation* know how you feel.
*These Democrats are shameful cosponsors of Cardin’s pernicious bill:
- Anthony Brown (MD-4)
- John Delaney (MD-6), who is now running for president in 2020 (suppress giggles here)
- Steny Hoyer (MD-5)
- Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-2)
- John Sarbanes (MD-3)
©2017 Keith Berner
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