Anniversary: Anarchism 110 years illegal!

[Tim Cornelis]

It is the 3rd of April 1902, the state of New York adopts a new law. For the first time so-called "criminal anarchy" is banned in the United States.[1] Advocacy to the idea of abolishing or overthrowing the state by "unlawful means" was banned in the United States for the first time. However, the abolition of the state always requires "unlawful means", even anarcho-pacifism, thus meaning that anarchism - a political conviction - was actually banned completely. The law that banned "criminal anarchy" was adopted on April 3, 1902 adopted in the state of New York, but soon spread to other states. In 1925 it was determined that prohibiting adherence of anarchism is constitutional.[2] In 1953 43 U.S. states had declared anarchism illegal already[3] The penalty for adherence to anarchism is 20 years and still applies.[3] America, the bastion of freedom.

[1] http://mckinleydeath.com/documents/govdocs/LSNY1902.htm

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gitlow_v._New_York

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_anarchy_in_the_United_States

[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_anarchy_in_the_United_States

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I'm glad it's illegal. Shows how much those shit-for-brains capitalist politicians wee themselves at the thought of anarchism becoming widely popular.

[The Jay]

I had never heard of such a thing and am both surprised and not surprised. Is the same true for revolutionary marxism as well?

[Tim Cornelis]

I had never heard of such a thing and am both surprised and not surprised. Is the same true for revolutionary marxism as well?

Yes, many laws stemming from the Red Scare still apply. In many states it is still illegal to distribute communist propaganda, display red flags, etc.

For example in Florida: Florida Laws: FL Statutes - Title XLVI Crimes Paragraph 876.01 “Criminal anarchy, Communism, and other specified doctrines; advocacy prohibited” (also applies to fascism, nazism).

[Grenzer]

Technically it's still illegal to be a member of the CPUSA I think; but it hasn't been enforced in like 50 years. After all, it would set a terrible precedent if being a liberal was punishable.

[x359594]

Technically it's still illegal to be a member of the CPUSA I think...

While membership in the Party in California as such is not illegal anymore, until as late as 2008 you could be fired from your job for being a Party member; the California Senate passed legislation that deleted membership in the Communist Party as a reason for firing a public employee in 2008. Private employers may still fire you though if they have fewer than 15 employees working for them.

[Igor]

dude that's 110 years it's 2012 not 2002

[The Jay]

dude that's 110 years it's 2012 not 2002

Your math is reactionary and counter-revolutionary.

[x359594]

dude that's 110 years it's 2012 not 2002

Fixed.

[Vyacheslav Brolotov]

Well, at least we know that we once scared capitalists. Now, with the rise of reformist liberalism and Bernsteinist Marxism, the true American revolutionary left has been replaced in the public eye by liberalism. The authorities do not really care about us anymore. That's sad.