In a move that has raised eyebrows among conservatives, North Carolina Democrat State Sen.
Mujtaba Mohammed is pushing for an amendment that some argue curtails freedom of speech.
This comes at a time when his party is decrying the temporary removal of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel from the airwaves as a violation of the same right.
According to the Western Journal, Mohammed seeks to amend Article 22A of Chapter 163 of the North Carolina General Statutes. The proposed amendment, titled "Prohibition on use of a deceased crime victims name, image, or likeness in political advertising," outlines specific definitions for terms such as "deceased crime victim," "immediate family member," "name, image, or likeness," and "political advertising."
The amendment was shared on a social media platform, sparking a wave of reactions.
The amendment appears to be a strategic move by Mohammed to prevent the use of images or names of deceased crime victims in political advertising.
This includes individuals like Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman tragically killed in a stabbing incident on a Charlotte bus in August, and Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was publicly assassinated in September. Critics argue that Mohammed's intent is to shield Democrats from potential backlash in the upcoming midterms, which could be exacerbated by the use of Zarutska's image.
Furthermore, Mohammed's proposal seems to aim at preventing the exposure of radical left-wing rhetoric, which some believe inspired Kirk's alleged assassin. The amendment also appears to consider Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, who has since taken the helm at Turning Point USA. Erika Kirk has made several public addresses, conveying a message of forgiveness to large audiences, a narrative that Mohammed and other Democrats might prefer to keep off the airwaves.
However, the proposed amendment has been met with accusations of hypocrisy. After Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily taken off the air for falsely claiming that Kirk's alleged shooter was a MAGA supporter, left-leaning individuals and groups expressed concern over freedom of speech.
They blamed Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr for the decision, despite it being an internal matter among network executives and advertisers.
Now, critics argue, Democrats are pushing for actual censorship through the law, which they see as a genuine infringement on freedom of speech. They believe that Mohammed's proposal is a protective measure for his party, particularly in the wake of a high-profile murder that occurred in his state.
Despite these efforts, opponents of the amendment argue that it won't prevent negative coverage of Democrats. They contend that attempts to silence dissenting voices will be futile in the digital age, where images of figures like Kirk and Zarutska can spread rapidly.
They maintain that voters will remember the direction in which they believe left-wing rhetoric is steering the country.
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