Illegal to parody the TSA? HR 3011

[AZRedhawk44]

http://www.hstoday.us/briefings/today-s-news-analysis/single-article/republicans-push-tsa-authorization-bill-democrats-question-bush-officials-on-tsa-procurement/7527e6798d5a121bd5609382f07ca005.html




This makes it illegal to Pedobear-satire the TSA, make reference to the "Thousands Standing Around," the "Terrorist Sympathy Admininstration," or any of the other multitudes of ways to bring relevant political satire against an extremely unpopular agency of dubious value.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h112-3011

Section 295:

Whoever, except with the written permission of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Security (or the Director of the Federal Air Marshal Service for issues involving the Federal Air Marshal Service), knowingly uses the words ‘Transportation Security Administration’, ‘United States Transportation Security Administration’, ‘Federal Air Marshal Service’, ‘United States Federal Air Marshal Service’, ‘Federal Air Marshals’, the initials ‘T.S.A.’, ‘F.A.M.S.’, ‘F.A.M.’, or any colorable imitation of such words or initials, or the likeness of a Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service badge, logo, or insignia on any item of apparel, in connection with any advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, software, or other publication, or with any play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, in a matter that is reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the wearer of the item of apparel is acting pursuant to the legal authority of the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service, or to convey the impression that such advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, software, or other publication, or such play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service;

Yay, Statism!  

This is coming from our Tea Party Congress.

Stop it.  Use your phone.  Use your email.  Use your voice.

[mtnbkr]

It's not saying that.

It is saying you can't use their likenesses if you intend to convey you wield their authority.  IE you can't impersonate an officer or produce materials that lead others to believe said materials are authorized.  This doesn't apply to obvious parody.

Most corporations and legal entities have similar rules.

Chris

[RocketMan]

TEA Party Congress?  Not really.
Still a bad piece of legislation, though.  I think this is the part that will hang folks that engage in satire of the TSA:  "...or any colorable imitation of such words or initials..."

[Fitz]

It's not saying you can't parody them, at ALL

Did you READ the legislation?

[AZRedhawk44]

It's not saying you can't parody them, at ALL

Did you READ the legislation?

Yes, I did.  Did you?

knowingly uses the words ‘Transportation Security Administration’, ‘United States Transportation Security Administration’, ‘Federal Air Marshal Service’, ‘United States Federal Air Marshal Service’, ‘Federal Air Marshals’, the initials ‘T.S.A.’, ‘F.A.M.S.’, ‘F.A.M.’, or any colorable imitation of such words or initials,

Can't use the letter's "TSA" without permission from government.

Even a blatant colorable imitation of such words or initials.

or with any play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, in a matter that is reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the wearer of the item of apparel is acting pursuant to the legal authority of the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service

Movie producers now have to have government permission to create airport sets?

Heck, movie producers don't get permission from city PD's when casting police officers.  And those are actually sworn LEOs.

[RocketMan]

True, it doesn't outright ban parody.  But, IMO, the wording quoted could be twisted by overreaching authority to accomplish the same thing.  However, we all know the .gov never over-reaches or miss-applies the law or regulations.

[Fitz]

Key phrases

:

in a matter that is reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the wearer of the item of apparel is acting pursuant to the legal authority of the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service



Come on, guys.

[CNYCacher]

Yes, I did.  Did you?

Can't use the letter's "TSA" without permission from government.

Even a blatant colorable imitation of such words or initials.

Movie producers now have to have government permission to create airport sets?

Heck, movie producers don't get permission from city PD's when casting police officers.  And those are actually sworn LEOs.

Chris is right.  Read it again.

[Fitz]

Chris is right.  Read it again.

Seems all of that has this clause attached to it:



in a matter that is reasonably calculated to convey the impression that the wearer of the item of apparel is acting pursuant to the legal authority of the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service, or to convey the impression that such advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, software, or other publication, or such play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service;

[AZRedhawk44]

OK, then why the mention of plays, movies, and other deliberate make-believe fictional portrayals?

There's obviously no intent to portray anyone as a "real" TSA agent.  It's all acting.  Everyone knows it's acting.  So why mention it in the legislation as a potential abuse of the TSA emblems and recognizable insignias?

[Fitz]

That part is so that people don't convey that the TSA approves or endorses those items

It's really quite simple.

Read it slowly, digest the punctuation.

"or to convey the impression that such advertisement, circular, book, pamphlet, software, or other publication, or such play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Transportation Security Administration or Federal Air Marshal Service;"

[AZRedhawk44]

I get what you're saying Fitz.

But look at how much of a hissy fit we've been having for 200+ years over other punctuation:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

or,

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Over 200 years on that one, hashing out gerunds/phrases/parts of speech/comma placement/etc. 

And it still isn't settled.

You don't possibly think this is going to wind up being used to prosecute or intimidate people that criticize what is probably the worst and most useless part of our government?

Ask yourself this:  What GOOD comes about from this bill, versus what ABUSES could come about from this bill?

Every piece of legislation should be weighed by such a scale.

[wmenorr67]

Why shouldn't others be allowed to act as a TSA agent, that is all most of them do.

[RoadKingLarry]

Always read a bill with the worst possible interpretation of the law.

[Tallpine]

The other interpretation is that the TSA is planning to greatly expand its mission outside of airports 

Who's going to give any "respect" to the authority of anyone wearing a TSA badge, except a ticket holding passenger going through an airport security line? 

[Jamie B]

Terminally Stupid Azzholes - now lock me up!

[wmenorr67]

The other interpretation is that the TSA is planning to greatly expand its mission outside of airports 

Who's going to give any "respect" to the authority of anyone wearing a TSA badge, except a ticket holding passenger going through an airport security line? 

It already has.

[Tallpine]

It already has.

They better not try it in Montana 

Geeze, can you imagine how they would freak out over someone open carrying a six-shooter ?   

[erictank]

http://www.hstoday.us/briefings/today-s-news-analysis/single-article/republicans-push-tsa-authorization-bill-democrats-question-bush-officials-on-tsa-procurement/7527e6798d5a121bd5609382f07ca005.html




This makes it illegal to Pedobear-satire the TSA, make reference to the "Thousands Standing Around," the "Terrorist Sympathy Admininstration," or any of the other multitudes of ways to bring relevant political satire against an extremely unpopular agency of dubious value.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h112-3011

Section 295:


Yay, Statism!  

This is coming from our Tea Party Congress.

Stop it.  Use your phone.  Use your email.  Use your voice.

While I don't believe the legislation actually says that, I have little doubt that the Terrorist Support Agency will make every effort to interpret it in that way.  To which I say...

Come and get me, you sorry *multiple expletives deleted*!!!  Go ahead and *TRY* to lock me up for exercising my First Amendment-protected freedom of speech!

I have little doubt that they'd *LIKE* to make it illegal to mock them.  I doubt that they have the ABILITY to do so - that's just a little too-blatant a violation of a commonly-respected Constitutionally-protected right even for them to attempt.

[RaspberrySurprise]

This law is unnecessary, I'm sure it's already illegal to impersonate a federal official. While on the face if it it seems the law was only intended to cover people maliciously posing as a TSA agent the potential for abuse, as in any law, is there.

[Perd Hapley]

This makes it illegal to Pedobear-satire the TSA, make reference to the "Thousands Standing Around," the "Terrorist Sympathy Admininstration," or any of the other multitudes of ways to bring relevant political satire against an extremely unpopular agency of dubious value.

One way to test the theory is to send postcards and letters to the Thousands Standing Around, with all your favorite parody phrases and images.

[Tallpine]

Two by two, hands of blue