A police officer clears protesters off the sidewalk in front of the White House during a demonstration against the Dakota Access Pipeline on March 10, 2017. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images News
By Joshua Axelrod
A new South Dakota law — written in consultation with the company that owns Keystone XL — could punish people for exercising their right to peaceful protest. Is it a harbinger of things to come?
America was born out of protest. Revolution and rebellion, bred in part by crackdowns on protests, affirmed that a protected right "peaceably to assemble" in support — or protest — of ideas affecting Americans' lives was crucial to our fledgling democracy's survival. And so, the very first amendment added to the newly ratified U.S. Constitution enshrined public protest as a right.
<p>Thanks to the foresight of those who framed our Constitution, public protest has become a key component of our democratic process, a means by which the people can make their voices heard and effect real, even historic, change. The right to assemble played a crucial role in the women's suffrage, civil rights, and antiwar movements, to name just a few. Still, in each of those instances, mobilized citizens had to contend with powerful, entrenched forces who fought back aggressively and did whatever they could to stifle these movements and preserve the status quo.</p><p>This same struggle is playing out again today. As the American and global communities grapple with the mounting climate catastrophe, the fossil fuel industry is holding nothing back in its attempt to silence its critics and those who assemble to protest their destruction of our shared climate. In a surprising number of states, antidemocratic legislation is being pushed through state legislatures with the backing of fossil fuel companies, conservative think tanks, and industry-tied mega-donors.</p><div id="4e689" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ADPMTB1576664205"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1124449372803149825" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@realDonaldTrump Trump encouraging people to attack Protestors for exercising their first amendment right to protes… https://t.co/OsZB5MeK5z</div> — Ryan Hill (@Ryan Hill)<a href="https://twitter.com/RyanHillMI/statuses/1124449372803149825">1556924596.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>In March, Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota signed <a href="https://sdlegislature.gov/Legislative_Session/Bills/Bill.aspx?File=SB189P.htm&Session=2019&Version=Printed&Bill=189" target="_blank">legislation</a> to usher in a new law that has come to be known informally as the <a href="https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/south-dakota-legislature-has-invented-new-legal-term-target" target="_blank">Riot Boosting Act</a>: an assault on Americans' right to protest that perversely tries to pass itself off as a good-governance measure. <a href="https://www.apnews.com/198de2dc96094036b2941f72df0e6cb9" target="_blank">Conceived with the assistance of TC Energy</a> (TransCanada) — the company behind the embattled Keystone XL pipeline — this law would, among other things, authorize the state to sue individuals and groups for protesting projects like Keystone XL, should there be any damages as a result of the protest.</p><p>The insidious nature of this law becomes obvious on closer inspection. By coining a new term — "riot boosting" — South Dakota creates an atmosphere of vagueness and fear that aims to chill the voices of indigenous people and others who are passionately opposed to projects like Keystone XL. After all, the state already has a law on the books to punish those who might destroy property or put people in danger during a protest.</p><div id="74268" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5TA9RB1576664205"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1125814058815557632" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">TC Energy (formally known as TransCanada), the company behind #KeystoneXL, helped to conceive the Riot Boosting Act… https://t.co/Rmpq4IhSZB</div> — NRDC 🌎 (@NRDC 🌎)<a href="https://twitter.com/NRDC/statuses/1125814058815557632">1557249962.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>But the Riot Boosting Act is different. It creates a fund specifically dedicated to going after individuals, groups, and organizations outside of the state that it believes are "riot boosting." Could someone leading 500 people in a chant at a pipeline protest where five people end up getting in an altercation with police be considered to have "encouraged" a riot? Could someone sharing details of a protest — time, place, what to wear, etc. — on his or her Facebook page be seen as "advising" rioters? Those are exactly the sorts of questions that South Dakota and TransCanada want pipeline opponents to be asking themselves. Their hope is that fear of legal repercussions, no matter how tenuous, will keep these people silent, at home, not watching as projects like Keystone XL further degrade our environment and threaten the health and heritage of entire communities.</p><p>If you think that sounds like a law designed to have a chilling effect on free speech, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) agrees. Representing Dakota Rural Action and several other groups, the ACLU has <a href="https://www.aclusd.org/en/press-releases/aclu-files-first-amendment-challenge-south-dakota-anti-protest-laws" target="_blank">filed suit</a> against the state, asserting that the Riot Boosting Act and a pair of other closely related laws violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.</p><p>Sadly, the drama unfolding in South Dakota is a single example of a nationwide anti–free speech push from the fossil fuel industry. At the time of writing, legislators in Illinois, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas are considering bills that create or intensify penalties for protests near oil and gas pipelines. (This <a href="http://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/" target="_blank">regularly updated tracker</a> provides a running list of state and federal laws geared toward restricting the people's right to protest.)</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbWVkaWEucmJsLm1zL2ltYWdlP3U9JTJGdXNwcm90ZXN0bGF3dHJhY2tlciUyRmFzc2V0cyUyRmltZ3MlMkZzb2NpYWxwcmV2aWV3LmpwZyZobz1odHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3Lmljbmwub3JnJnM9Mzk5Jmg9NjFiZDQ3ZGY1ODM5OTE3YzE5N2FhN2FjYThmNDhhZWNmYWEzNjAwYjRiMTA1M2IyOTNhNDY4NGU3NzU1NGQzMSZzaXplPTk4MHgmYz0yODU4MjAwNzI1IiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MjkwMzMzMn0.4YDOZdAdobkwlWZ4bXUuJ2fB6i61CQB-Ct1jGlP1kEg/img.jpg" id="0862a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="37320a8e7baf592766ce5caf34341399" />
U.S. Protest Law Tracker
<p>Indeed, the laws being pushed in Texas and passed in Louisiana are often flagged as the worst of the bunch. In Texas, <a href="https://www.texasobserver.org/pipeline-protesters-could-face-20-years-in-prison-under-bill-in-texas-house/" target="_blank">House Bill 3557 would make some forms of protest a second-degree felony</a>, on par with second-degree murder. It also contains the same long-arm provisions as the South Dakota bill, authorizing the state to go after organizations seen to have supported protesters with penalties of up to $1 million. In Louisiana, a clever reclassification of oil pipelines as "critical infrastructure" now means that <a href="https://www.npr.org/2018/09/19/648029225/tougher-laws-on-pipeline-protests-face-test-in-louisiana" target="_blank">protesters assembled too close to pipelines can be prosecuted for criminal trespassing</a>, a felony offense for which a conviction may bring prison time.</p><p>Many of these laws may be found unconstitutional. But while their constitutionality can be debated, one thing is beyond debate: They are deeply, profoundly un-American. The First Amendment right to peaceful assembly isn't some bit of arcane legal wording that can be relaxed whenever it proves troublesome to corporate interests or their friends in high governmental places. It's a bedrock principle of American freedom. And if it's somehow decided that we don't have the right, after all, to protest things that we believe pose a threat to our health, our communities, or our future, then we'll have entered a new phase of American history that would make our nation's founders shudder with fear.</p>
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Standing Rock Supporters at the City Center Plaza of San Francisco in 2016. The protest was one of many in a global day of action against the Dakota Access Pipeline calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to cancel the permit for the project. Protests like these, which are vital to ensuring a future we can live in are at stake with these threatening legislative trends. Michael Short / Greenpeace
By Maggie Ellinger-Locke
We only have about a decade to reverse course on the climate crisis. Activism opposing fossil fuel pipelines is needed more than ever. But activists are facing threats to their right to protest in state legislatures across the country. Lawmakers are introducing legislation to restrict the right to protest. These bills are often modeled on resolutions drafted by companies and passed through groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the secretive group of corporate lobbyists trying to rewrite state laws to benefit corporations over people, and are usually supported by law enforcement groups. Advocates are fighting back, urging elected officials to vote against these bills. But even the mere introduction of these bills has the power to chill speech and curtail activism.
<p>The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law has been <a href="http://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/" target="_blank">tracking these bills</a> where you can see nearly 100 have been introduced, so far.</p>
<p>The bills are not seeking to target protest generally, they are much more sneaky than that. Let me break it down.</p><p>There are several categories of bills that have been introduced and in some cases, enacted: anti-boycott legislation, bills that limit collective bargaining, bills that increase criminal penalties for protests against fossil fuel pipelines, bills that enhance criminal penalties for highway shut down protests, bills restricting the rights of students to oppose hate speech college campuses, and more.</p><p>Each category of bills attempts to criminalize a particular movement tactic, often to increase criminal penalties for already illegal conduct.</p><p>Here's how:</p><p>The trend emerged in 2015 and was first used against the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement in support of the Palestinian rights. <a href="https://palestinelegal.org/righttoboycott/" target="_blank">Anti-boycott</a> legislation has been introduced, and in some cases enacted, on the federal level and in all but nine states. Another example is following large wildcat strikes in several states, bills have been introduced to limit the collective bargaining rights of public sector teachers unions. Bills targeting campus speech have been filed in response to student protests against white supremacists. And anti-mask wearing laws — which historically were designed to target the Klan — are now used to target anti-fascists.</p><p>But this was just the beginning.</p><p>By far the largest category of bills is designed to impact the Movement for Black Lives, which has used highway protests as one of its most successful tactics. Lawmakers introduced legislation that would increase penalties for these protests, and even bills that would remove liability for drivers who hit such protesters with their car. Thus far no anti-liability bills have actually been enacted, but this is hardly a victory, as introducing these bills discourages people from getting involved in the fight for racial justice.</p><p>And climate and anti-pipeline activists are also at risk. Fossil fuel pipeline protests, like we saw at Standing Rock and elsewhere, have been another target of those interested in passing these bills. The bills claim to protect "critical infrastructure" but are actually used to criminalize Water Protectors and environmental activism. The first of these bills was introduced and enacted in Oklahoma in 2017, a state with significant oil and gas interests, and the second largest Indigenous population in the country. When voting on these laws, Oklahoma legislators <a href="https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/capitol_report/bill-stemming-from-pipeline-protests-passes-oklahoma-house-committee/article_1b76f635-ad72-5619-9c85-3cd16a6ed57d.html" target="_blank">made clear</a> that these bills were a direct response to pipeline protests.</p><p>Since that time, these bills have been introduced in nearly two dozen states, and enacted in five, though several more states are currently considering these bills.</p><p>Generally, critical infrastructure bills share several common elements. (1) They create new criminal penalties for already illegal conduct — for example, turning misdemeanor trespass (a common charge for civil disobedience) into a felony. (2) They broadly redefine the term "critical infrastructure" to include everything from cell phone towers to trucking terminals; far greater than the fossil fuel pipelines the bills purport to protect. (3) The bills also seek to create liability for organizations that support protesters by treating such support as a criminal conspiracy.</p><p>We've seen this latter element play out in another form: strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), like the one Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, brought against Greenpeace offices and others. The original lawsuit filed against Greenpeace sought 900 million dollars in treble (triple) damages under RICO, but a federal court recently dismissed the RICO claims with prejudice.</p><p>Under these new laws, the punitive fine organizations face can be as much as ten times the amount an individual might face. Energy Transfer is one of several companies that has been lobbying for these bills. The American Petroleum Institute — the lobbying arm of the industry — is also behind much of this.</p>
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2d7f2554efbf3bc9eedeec174e6e7a75"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kWF1ssekYiw?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>We've got just over a decade to curb the worst effects of climate change. At a time where climate action is needed more than ever, our lawmakers must say no to fossil fuels and work to keep them in the ground. This session critical infrastructure bills have been introduced in 13 states, primarily in the Midwest. If you live in one of these states, contact your lawmakers and ask them to vote no. And let your friends and family know they can make a difference by speaking out. Time is running out. Take action and resist these attempts to silence dissent.</p>
<ul class="ee-ul"></ul><p><em>Maggie Ellinger-Locke is a staff attorney at Greenpeace USA.</em></p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
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CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
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FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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If you have to pay for free speech then it isn't free. Tim Aubry / Greenpeace
By Lauren Reid
A new proposed rule from the National Park Service is aiming to restrict peaceful protest in parks and even sidewalks within the District of Columbia—just one effort on a long list of anti-protest laws popping up all around the country.
<p>Our right to free speech and peaceful protest is so fundamental to our democracy that it's one of the first points the authors of the Constitution felt must be guaranteed—centuries of state-sponsored oppression and persecution was bad enough to deem free speech a top priority for the new republic. Without this protection, think of the dozens of modern critical moments shaping our country that might not have happened otherwise—from the 1969 Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, which bolstered the anti-war sentiment for many families, or the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr gave his iconic "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs" target="_blank">I have a dream speech</a>."<br></p><p>In moments like these, protests gave ordinary people like me and you a space and place to speak in the public interest, allowing us to practice of our First Amendment rights and hit an emotional cord, shaping the national discourse.</p><p>But now this freedom to express ourselves is under serious threat, thanks to Trump's Interior Department. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/nama/learn/news/upload/TPM-Proposed-Rule-Regs-Draft-08-06-18.pdf" target="_blank">Under a new proposal introduced by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke</a>, the National Park Service is looking to dramatically limit the right to demonstrate near the White House and the National Mall, block 80% of the White House sidewalks, impose strict limits on spontaneous demonstrations, and even charge people for protesting<span style="background-color: initial;">.</span></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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</p><p><em><strong>Above: </strong>Cedar George-Parker, 20, a youth activist from the Tulalip Indian Band and Tsleil-Waututh Nation in Coast Salish Territory seen here at the White House after marching through the streets of DC for Native Nations Rise. The Kinder Morgan pipeline – approved last year by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau despite widespread opposition from the impacted Indigenous communities – was meant to go directly through Cedar's home territory.</em></p><p>If enacted, this proposal would erode Constitutional freedoms and protections that could render us gagged and unable to speak out. I suspect that like the fable of the frog in boiling water, this Administration is slowly turning up the heat while destroying our rights in the hopes we don't notice until they're effectively gone. While it's infuriating that we have to protest to <a href="https://www.protecttheprotest.org/" target="_blank">protect our right to protest</a>, if we have learned nothing from this Administration's endless attacks on our freedoms it's that they have no intention of stopping—therefore we can't either.<br></p><p>This is merely the latest in a string of efforts aimed at silencing dissent, from the oil and gas industry attempting to influence protest laws, to state legislatures enhancing criminal penalties against demonstrators. Following the resistance at Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2016, strategic lawsuits against public participation (otherwise known as SLAPP suits) were filed by multinational corporations against environmental and civil rights advocates active at the protest, and anti-protest laws have been proposed and enacted in legislatures across the country.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube">
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</p><p>A series of over 60 bills have been introduced since the end of 2016 seeking to restrict the right to protest and enhancing existing criminal penalties—like a <a href="http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2017&sind=0&body=S&type=B&bn=652" target="_blank">bill introduced in the Pennsylvania Senate</a> that could make pipeline protests a 2nd-degree felony—that's the same level of offense for sexual assault or aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Another anti-protest law that went into effect in Louisiana this August <a href="https://theintercept.com/2018/08/22/recent-arrests-under-new-anti-protest-law-spotlight-risks-that-off-duty-cops-pose-to-pipeline-opponents/" target="_blank">has already been used to arrest more than a dozen protesters</a> opposing Energy Transfer's Bayou Bridge pipeline in Louisiana.<br></p><p>And let's be clear here—restricting the right to protest will always disproportionately impact underserved and marginalized communities, those who do not see themselves represented, those who are compelled to the forefront of movements in demand justice and a fair and equal society for all. For underserved communities who cannot afford to pay to demonstrate, who cannot afford to now pay to speak, these regulations will further exacerbate the injustice our communities face. <em>If you have to pay for free speech it's not free.</em></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
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<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="add caption...">A rally was held in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House as part of "A Day without a Woman" march on Washington. The march and rally were being held on International Women's Day, March 8th, bringing together women and allies together for equity.</small>
</p><p>Case in point—the criminal charges levied against <a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ferguson-activist-gets-probation-in-assault-during-i--highway/article_ce533d66-406e-5a5b-aa0d-658539516e4c.html" target="_blank">Ferguson activists</a> and the <a href="http://inthesetimes.com/rural-america/entry/20936/standing-rock-felony-defendants-dakota-access-pipeline-water-protectors" target="_blank">Water Protectors from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe</a> are just a few examples of how restricting speech can have profound and long-lasting impacts on those fighting for a fair and healthy democracy, while also intimidating others from participation. Targeted and sweeping arrests during a protest are one of the easiest ways to chill speech and deter individuals from organizing in their communities—which is perhaps the point this government is trying to make.<br></p><p>Everyone deserves an equal voice in a democracy, whether that's the environmental movement or the Tea Party. Each attempt to erode our constitutional right to peacefully demonstrate is a huge red flag that our democracy is at serious risk—and if we don't fight back now, we'll end up boiled alive before we even realize it's too late.</p><p>So ladies and gentlemen, <em>please</em> get out and vote on November 6th. While candidates and democracy itself are never perfect (and never will be), this is a moment to let your voices be heard, and vote those who intend to dismantle our rights out of power for good. The fate of our environment, democracy, and constitutional freedoms depend on it.</p>
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