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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/30989415

Texas lawmakers trying to muzzle campus protests have just passed one of the most ridiculous anti-speech laws in the country. If signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Senate Bill 2972 would ban speech at night — from study groups to newspaper reporting — at public universities in the state.

Ironically, the bill builds on a previous law passed in 2019 meant to enshrine free speech on Texas campuses. But now, lawmakers want to crack down on college students’ pro-Palestinian protests so badly that they literally passed a prohibition on talking.

  • dhork@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    SB 2972 would require public universities in Texas to adopt policies prohibiting “engaging in expressive activities on campus between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.” Expressive activity includes “any speech or expressive conduct” protected by the First Amendment or Texas Constitution.

    Let’s do the same thing with the second amendment and see how that goes over in Texas. “You have the right to bear arms, but not when you should be in bed…”

    • Frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      1 month ago

      This made me curious about what the Texas state constitution had for an equivalent to the 2nd amendment. Some states have their own, and strictly speaking, the federal second amendment wasn’t officially imposed on the states until 2010. (Yes, that does mean that states without their own constitutional restriction could have regulated guns as much as they wanted within their boarders.)

      Texas does have one, and its an interesting case.

      Sec. 23. RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS. Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence [sic] of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime. (Feb. 15, 1876.)

      Which is interesting because it has an explicit out for regulating carrying of firearms that the federal constitution does not. Doesn’t really matter now that the 2nd amendment is incorporated to the states, but the fact is that Texas would have expressly allowed certain regulations on firearms.

    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today
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      1 month ago

      so a censorship curfew. Anyone who thinks about going to universities in texas, Dont, also the public ones seems to bending over backwards for trump anyways, especially a&M WHICH also hosted musks unsanctioned brain chip research

    • fartographer@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Shooting someone communicates hatred, fear, or self-defense, so it’ll be banned by default. Sometimes we’ll use gunshots for Morse code here