Reply #10: Oh, really? How about a link to that "Pennsylvania sidewalk chalk thing" [View All]

Using made up facts to support a premise is not helpful.

The "terrorism charges for sidewalk chalk" story apparently comes from here:

http://www.ocweekly.com/2010-06-17/news/nathan-pope-adriana-stumpo-animal-enterprise-terrorism-act/

"On Jan. 27, 2008, over the course of seven hours, 11 people dressed in black and wearing bandannas over their faces like a gang of train robbers, protested in front of the homes of various UC Berkeley professors who conduct bio-medical research using animals. The group chanted, marched and scrawled messages in chalk on the sidewalks.

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On Feb. 24, 2008, five or six individuals protested in front of a UC Santa Cruz professor’s house. He was inside when he heard the group near his front door. He opened it, and they yelled at one another. There was a struggle, and the professor was hit with something, most likely a bullhorn."

They weren't "targeted by the FBI", they were arrested by the police for showing up in front of someone's house in mask, harassing the person who lived there, and getting into an altercation with him.

And, to be clear of the context of this "sidewalk chalk" thing:

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/02/20/18572413.php

On October 21 in 2007, a small group of approximately twenty protesters, including Buddenberg, Pope, and Stumpo, demonstrated outside a University of California Berkeley professor’s personal residence in El Cerrito, California. The group, some wearing bandanas to hide their faces, trespassed on his front yard, chanted slogans, and accused him of being a murderer because of his use of animals in research. The professor told police the demonstration left him feeling frightened, harassed and intimidated by the extremists.

Just over two months later, on Sunday, January 27, 2008, a group of approximately eleven individuals, including Mr. Buddenberg, Mr. Pope, Ms. Stumpo, and Ms. Khajavi, demonstrated outside the private residences of several University of California Berkeley researchers over the course of the day. At each home, the activists -- dressed generally in all black clothing and wearing bandanas to hide their faces -- marched, chanted, and chalked defamatory comments on the public sidewalks in front of the residences. One of the researchers informed authorities he had been previously harassed and the incident had caused him to fear for his health and safety.

Approximately one month later on February 24, 2008, five to six individuals including Pope, Stumpo, and Khajavi, attempted to forcibly enter the private home of a University of California researcher in Santa Cruz. When her husband opened the door, a struggle ensued and he was hit by an object. As the individuals fled, one yelled “we’re gonna get you.” The UC Santa Cruz faculty member conducts biomedical research on breast cancer and neurological diseases. The professor and her husband both told the FBI they were terrified by the incident.

The final incident centered on threatening flyers that were found in late July at a Santa Cruz café. The stack of flyers titled "Murderers and torturers alive & well in Santa Cruz July 2008 edition" was found at the Café Pergolesi. The flyer listed the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of several University of California researchers and stated “animal abusers everywhere beware we know where you live we know where you work we will never back down until you end your abuse.” The investigation connected Buddenberg, Pope, and Stumpo to the production and distribution of the fliers.

Distribution of the fliers preceded two firebomb attacks outside researchers’ Santa Cruz homes, both of which are still under investigation by the FBI. Each defendant is facing charges under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

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"In Pennsylvania, activists have faced terrorism charges for writing slogans in chalk on sidewalks."

Bullshit.