Dear Log,
«The lower house of the Missouri legislature has approved a law making it a criminal offence to photograph animals in a barn or any other place housing them for agricultural, business or research purposes. The law, aimed at stopping animal rights activists, carries a one-year jail sentence and a $1,000 fine. AP, Jefferson City »You'll get my photo albums of livestock mistreatment when you pry them from my cold dead hands!!! Oh wait, I'm thinking of porn and/or guns. Nevermind.
All those incriminating photos of Ashcroft giving 'sermons' to the backend of sheep and cows.
I am _SO_ relieved that this picture is now illegal!
Once again, a perfect example of a case where existing laws are just fine and already solve the problem if enforced. If that animal rights activist is causing trouble in your barn get him for trespassing, not taking photos. Trespassing is illegal in Missouri, right?
This is clearly an unconstitutional abridgment of freedom of the press. I come down firmly on the side of the animal rights activists against this law, though I'm by no means an animal rights activist. [I like animals, though. They're quite tasty.
No person shall…with the intent to commit a crime, photograph, videotape or otherwise obtain images from within a structure that an animal is housed without the express written consent of the animal facility.[caution: this came from the RTNDA web site]
Now, it sounds like a pretty silly law... but HOW FUCKING ILLITERATE does one have to be to get elected in Missouri?
"within a structure that an animal is housed"???
Seems to me that a "correct" parse of that paragraph has it talking about animals that are housed without the consent of the animal facility.
