In an effort to classify activism as terrorism the American Legislative Exchange Council has been pushing legislation across the country which will stifle free speech.

This legislation has been framed by the cowards in the mainstream media as [critical infrastructure protection](https://www.alec.org/model-policy/critical-infrastructure-protection-act/) legislation, when in effect this model legislation punishes people for organizing protest of pipelines. The existing laws which relate to vandalism and property destruction have been sufficient for decades, but in the time since the Dakota Access Pipeline camps in North Dakota there has been a growing movement to halt the dangerous and environmentally destructive projects which seek to extract more fossil fuels and hasten global warming through polluting the atmosphere with an even greater load of carbon particles. --- --- ![Alt](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/06/21/08/14/native-2426448_960_720.jpg) [Source](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/06/21/08/14/native-2426448_960_720.jpg) --- --- This legislation is clearly designed to [stifle free speech.](https://louisianavoice.com/2018/04/23/hb-727-to-criminalize-bayou-bridge-protests-supported-by-alec-contributions-from-companies-connected-to-project/) The idea that the infrastructure needs protection from peaceful assemblies is ridiculous. People who protest do so knowing that their rights will likely be violated. We take actions which we know to be legal precisely because we know that our activities are closely monitored by law enforcement. The fact that [these laws](https://theintercept.com/2018/02/02/ohio-iowa-pipeline-protest-critical-infrastructure-bills/) are being framed as protecting infrastructure from terrorist attack lets you know how upside down the politicians and media producers are. --- --- ![Alt](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/10/30/23/03/pressure-water-line-509870_960_720.jpg) [Source](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2014/10/30/23/03/pressure-water-line-509870_960_720.jpg) --- --- **The use of these industry insiders to write legislation is as clear of an example of fascism as there can be, with the definition of fascism being “A perfect marriage of corporation and state”.** The politicians make themselves available to special interest groups like ALEC, they invite them to their offices and go to the events sponsored by ALEC. The American Legislative Exchange Council has more influence on writing laws than citizens do. Groups like the NRA use ALEC to push forward their agendas. The “Stand Your Ground” law was written by the NRA, and ALEC championed it across the country. The use of these non-profit groups to push forward their political agenda is a [violation of the standards](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/alec-irs-tax-exempt-challenge/) created for non-profit organizations. Because these groups are funded by industries with deep pockets they are able to shower money on the people who vote on laws, and those legislators are like maggots on shit where lobbyists dollars are concerned. Actually most of the politicians ARE shit. In my opinion these nonprofits are shit too. Let that sink in for a moment. The use of nonprofit status allows industry insiders to affect legislation. This is only possible because politicians accept graft from these groups. They are willing to take the money in exchange for legislation which doesn’t serve the interests of the voting public. In fact when “We the people” catch wind of the legislation forwarded by these groups there is virtually nothing we can do to stop it. Even when the legislation violates the constitution. Why? Because it’s all legal. --- --- ![Alt](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/05/25/23/47/hand-784077_960_720.jpg) [Source](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/05/25/23/47/hand-784077_960_720.jpg) --- --- **Between the Chamber of Commerce, ALEC and the NRA you get a sense of the type of country we currently live in.** However these groups represent only the tip of the iceberg. There are other more entrenched groups of fascists affecting legislation under the auspice of nonprofit organizations. The Heritage foundation, the Foundation for a new america, and the Council on foreign relations, are all special interest groups which pretend to be acting in the interest of the citizens, they create legislation, they lobby legislators, they even get access to the president and military leadership. These groups of wealthy people are one of the most glaring examples of the fascist state. The public does not elect these power players, and they exist outside of oversight and regulation. They are in effect above the law. **I believe we are well past the point of pretending we live in a free country.** We live under authoritarian rule with the guise of capitalism. The ongoing use of for profit prisons has lead to a legal landscape shaped by nonprofits like the [prison guards union.]((https://www.thenation.com/article/hidden-history-alec-and-prison-labor/)) These unions have caused people to be detained without trial or charge. The use of three strike laws and mandatory minimum sentencing has taken away much of the judges ability to affect sentencing. These legal standards for judgement were created by for profit prisons and were implemented by legislators who are sellouts. --- --- ![Alt](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/08/06/08/10/protest-2590164_960_720.jpg) [Source](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/08/06/08/10/protest-2590164_960_720.jpg) --- --- **We consistently render our goodwill to a [corrupt system](https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/25/california-governor-race-campaign-spending/) which has abandoned it’s checks and balances in the interest of creating more profits for their corporate handlers.** The state capitals and legislative bodies are not accessible to the [average citizen](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/testing-theories-of-american-politics-elites-interest-groups-and-average-citizens/62327F513959D0A304D4893B382B992B) where influencing legislation is concerned People are further disenfranchised by gerrymandering and election fraud carried out by Diebold and Seneca voting machines, again in a strictly legal sense they are obeying the law. --- --- ![Alt](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/07/13/13/52/lobbying-161689_960_720.png) [Source](https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/07/13/13/52/lobbying-161689_960_720.png) --- --- **The question for the citizens of the USA is how far does our society have to drift from the moral high ground before we acknowledge that there is a need for dramatic change. Is the current situation with migrant children being given over to human traffickers enough of stain on our nation’s reputation for the “We the people” to stand up and halt the criminal behaviors of these immoral and profit driven institutions? Or will we continue to stand by?** --- --- --- **Thanks for reading this far!** --- If you enjoyed this post you may like one of the other blogs I have written. You can find them [here,](https://steemit.com/informationwar/@tawasi/the-bayou-bridge-pipeline-illegal-and-dangerous-infrastructure) or [here,](https://steemit.com/informationwars/@tawasi/oregon-wild-fires-drought-and-californication) or [here.](https://steemit.com/informationwars/@tawasi/evictions-are-torture-homeless-evictions-are-inhumane-torture) --- --- I am a member of these Discord channels which support community and connections on Steemit. 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