TWT #136 –

On May 16th, 1918, US Congress enacted the Sedition Act that punished any negative talk about the US government, the flag, or the armed forces with prison sentences of 5-20 years.

Well it sounds like the 1918 Congress needed a refresher on the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble… ‘Merica

Pretty straightforward stuff, huh?

But, and alas, the Sedition Act worked on top of the already present “Espionage Act of 1917”, which itself was designed to prevent insubordination in the military, and prevent citizens supporting US enemies during wartime.

A snippet of this Terrible Act

So the Sedition Act itself would only be active during times of war, but would prevent the “disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language” towards the United States government (even going so far as to ban the delivering of mail that contained such language).

Luckily, there weren’t ~too~ many arrests and charges based on the Sedition Act, and by March 1919 President Wilson commuted the sentences of the majority of those convicted. And finally on December 13, 1920 Congress repealed the Act along with many other wartime laws.

And now we can all be as Disloyal, Profane, Scurrilous, or Abusive as we’d like!

‘Merica!

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