ACTION ALERT: Tell your Senators to oppose the legalization of propaganda!
PREVENT THE LEGALIZATION OF U.S. PROPAGANDA
Last year, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (NDAA 2012) passed through the House and Senate with tremendous support, thereby rendering the indefinite detention of any U.S. citizen or person on American soil legitimate.
This year, The National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (NDAA 2013) has included a bipartisan-sponsored amendment, the "Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013" that ensures the legality of U.S. propaganda for domestic and foreign audiences alike.
SEE: Full text of the "Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013."
The amendment aims to neutralize the provisions of the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 which was put in place to protect American citizens from U.S. misinformation campaigns. The Bill passed through the House on May 18 with extensive support, and we are urging you to contact your Senators to help stop the inclusion of this amendment in NDAA 2013.
ABOUT THE SMITH-MUNDT MODERNIZATION ACT OF 2013
The bill was introduced to the House of Representatives by Congressmen Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Adam Smith (D-WA).The bill aims to "to authorize the domestic dissemination of information and material about the United States intended primarily for foreign audiences, and for other purposes."
Washington Republican Representative and sponsor of the bill says, “While the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 was developed to counter communism during the Cold War, it is outdated for the conflicts of today,” Smith said in the press release. “Effective strategy communication and public diplomacy should be front-and-center as we work to roll back al-Qaeda’s and other violent extremists’ influence among disaffected populations.”
SEE: Full Press Release of sponsors Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Adam Smith (D-WA).
Critics argue that the amendment increases government control over the content and regulation of such materials as newspapers, radio broadcasts, and movies and leaves little room to question the materials' accuracy and credibility.
More importantly, the amendment denies us complete access to our civil liberties; namely, the ability to trust that the information we are given is credible and our right to question and speak out against that which we feel is wrongly conveyed to us.
The bill has seen tremendous bipartisan support in the House and it's likely the amendment will be passed by the Senate if we do not contact our representatives.
TAKE ACTION!
CAIR-Chicago is asking you to contact your Senators to let them you know oppose the legalization of propaganda! You can easily contact your Senators by visiting the United States Senate website and selecting your representative.
Support your right to credible information and protect your civil liberties! Share this e-mail widely and spread the word!
Contact your Senators and let them know that you oppose the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act of 2013!