Bill Text: MI SR0122 | 2019-2020 | 100th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: A resolution to condemn and denounce the violent activities of extremist organizations and to memorialize the Congress of the United States to redouble its efforts to combat the spread of all forms of domestic terrorism.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2020-06-04 - Adopted [SR0122 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2019-SR0122-Enrolled.html
AS ADOPTED BY
SENATE, JUNE 4, 2020
senate Resolution No.122
Senators Theis, Santana, Alexander, Geiss, MacGregor, McCann and Wojno offered the following resolution:
Whereas, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press are hallmarks of our First Amendment rights and founding principles of this great nation. Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution of the State of Michigan of 1963 reaffirms, "Every person may freely speak, write, express and publish his views on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of such right; and no law shall be enacted to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press."; and
Whereas, It is a fundamental responsibility of government to protect citizens thereby creating an environment that allows and encourages peaceful speech and peaceful protest; and
Whereas, Extremist organizations, including Antifa, White supremacist groups such as Boogaloo, and others, represent opposition to the democratic ideals of peaceful assembly and free speech for all. These organizations, because they believe that free speech is equivalent to violence, have used threats of violence and online harassment in the pursuit of suppressing opposing political ideologies; and
Whereas, Federal statute defines the term "domestic terrorism" to mean activities that involve "acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and those acts appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion, or to affect the conduct of government…"; and
Whereas, Extremist organizations, including Antifa and White supremacist groups such as Boogaloo, and others, have traded civil protest for violence on multiple occasions, endangering public welfare and wreaking havoc on cities across America to advance their political ideologies. These organizations have participated in attacks on civilians, members of the press, law enforcement, and our men and women in uniform. Their violence detracts from peaceful gatherings, endangering individuals using civil protest as a means of expression; and
Whereas, Their use of violence as a means of furthering their political agenda has been denounced by various leaders and groups across the political spectrum; and
Whereas, There is no place for violence in the discourse between people in a civil society. The use of violence by extremist organizations represents a significant threat to public safety as well as the First Amendment rights of all people; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we unequivocally condemn and denounce the violent actions of extremist organizations as unacceptable; and be it further
Resolved, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to redouble its efforts, using all available and appropriate tools, to combat the spread of all forms of domestic terrorism; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the chair and ranking member of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
