I've got two related stories - or rather stories with a common theme - that just make me feel good.The first comes from Wisconsin. Way, way back in August I told you about the Solidarity Singalongs taking place in the rotunda of the state capitol building in Madison. The songs were protests of the anti-worker policies of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walkalloveryou. At that time, in August, walker started having people arrested for singing, claiming it was an "illegal assembly," and even people who were merely watching were threatened with arrest. Around 400 people in total were arrested.
And now those arrests have all been struck down.
A state judge had declared that the administrative rule used for the arrests is unconstitutional. In a wonderful line, the judge quoted another, older case, in which it was said that
[a]n unconstitutional law is void, and is as no law. An offense created by it is not a crime. A conviction under it is not merely erroneous, but is illegal and void, and cannot be a legal cause of imprisonment.Let the singing continue!
Sources:
http://whoviating.blogspot.com/2013/08/left-side-of-aisle-120-part-5.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/05/1275428/-Unconstitutional-Unintimidated-in-Wisconsin?detail=email
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/02/05/1275373/-Dane-County-WI-Judge-Declares-Rule-Used-to-Charge-Singers-Unconstitutional
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