| I am completing Defending College Heights, a | | | | first-time offenders and a term of three years or |
| novel about an Irish Catholic family and a college | | | | less for subsequent offense. There are state and |
| administration in the aftermath of the murder of | | | | local laws to protect persons and private property |
| a U.S. Army recruiter. I started work on | | | | and the military abides by those laws just as |
| Defending because I had connections in the higher | | | | civilians do. In effect, this bill makes certain forms |
| education community who were quite | | | | of civilian protest, especially the more violent acts, |
| knowledgeable on the issues, or had worked | | | | a federal crime. |
| closely with military recruiters on campus. | | | | Akin has 26 co-sponsors, all Republicans, most |
| In my research, I went back to pro-military as | | | | from states that attract large numbers of young |
| well as anti-war protests against the Vietnam | | | | men and women to the military: Florida, Georgia, |
| War. Then, and now, there were confrontations | | | | South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. However, while |
| between military personnel and civilians. Most of | | | | the bill lists several examples of acts against |
| these protests were non-violent, but others were | | | | persons and property, none of these happened in |
| not. Kent State, where four students were killed | | | | a sponsor's home state. This, and the gray areas, |
| and nine wounded, was perhaps the tipping point | | | | interference and intimidation, do not bode well for |
| of the protest movement. | | | | the bill. |
| Whatever we think of the war in Afghanistan or | | | | I understand the most obvious intentions of H.R. |
| the war in Iraq, we owe our citizens who choose | | | | 6023, to protect the rights and property of |
| to serve our respect; they made their choice and | | | | recruiters and recruits. This bill would be a great |
| they are making the ultimate sacrifice. Unlawful | | | | accomplishment for a conservative Congressman |
| attacks on military recruiters or their place of | | | | to bring home to his or her district. But I am |
| work are a crime, and will not force them to | | | | uncomfortable with those same representatives |
| change their message. If anything, they will catch | | | | mistaking peaceful protest as interference or |
| their opponent's attention. | | | | intimidation. A bill such as H.R. 6023 would open |
| One Republican congressman, Todd Akin of | | | | the door for the federal courts to make those |
| Missouri, has introduced a bill, posted as H.R. 6023, | | | | judgments. |
| also called the Freedom to Serve Act of 2008. | | | | Whatever your political stripes, you have to agree |
| Introduced in the House Judiciary Committee on | | | | that those who cause injury or damage property |
| May 12, the act prohibits certain forms of | | | | should be punished. But there is a reason why |
| interference against military recruiting. Most are | | | | these powers, with respect to private property |
| obvious crimes: destruction of property and | | | | and personal injury, are vested with the states. |
| infliction of injury being prime examples, but | | | | The states want to set the punishment that fits |
| others are gray areas; even peaceful protest in | | | | the crime. They don't want the federal |
| front of a recruiting office could be considered | | | | government to intimidate or interfere. |
| interference and intimidation (those exact words | | | | (Originally published at Educated Quest blog and |
| are used in the bill). | | | | reprinted with permission of the author, Stuart |
| The act proposes a 1 year prison term for | | | | Nachbar). |