Ad Hoc

From today’s Star:

State lawmakers voted Monday to approve a law blocking the sale of anti-war T-shirts with the names of dead soldiers on them — a measure one media lawyer says is “unconstitutional about three or four different ways.”

The Senate agreed to make it punishable by up to a year in jail to use the names of deceased soldiers to help sell goods. The 28-0 vote sends SB 1014 to Gov. Janet Napolitano for her signature. The measure also would let families go to court to stop the sales and collect damages.

Dan Frazer, a Flagstaff businessman who is selling the T-shirts that caused all the fuss, said he doesn’t intend to stop selling the $20 shirts even if Napolitano signs the measure. He said it’s an illegal infringement on his First Amendment rights.

I’ll be writing a letter to Napolitano to urge her to veto this, even though it’ll become law regardless. It’s really sad and pathetic that any legislative body in the US would unanimously censor constitutionally protected speech just because they either disagree with it or think it’s in poor taste.

Update (5/19): The Star spelled Dan Frazier’s name incorrectly, which is why I haven’t been able to find his website: carryabigsticker.com.