In 1917 and 1918, Woodrow Wilson urged the passing of the Espionage Act, and later the Sedition Act, in order to combat dissent during WWI. In effect, the Sedition Act made it illegal to speak out against the United States government. The laws are still in place, but AFAIK they have been effectively neutered by other legislation and their constitutionality is considered dubious.
What is needed for the Alien & Sedition Acts to be an integral, or at least a used, part of the US law system throughout most of the 20th century? I can see very interesting WIs occurring both during WWII and the Vietnam War. How would these laws affect freedom of speech and views of it in the US?
What is needed for the Alien & Sedition Acts to be an integral, or at least a used, part of the US law system throughout most of the 20th century? I can see very interesting WIs occurring both during WWII and the Vietnam War. How would these laws affect freedom of speech and views of it in the US?