Official Suppression of Free Speech in NYC MTA

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/conservatives-anti-jihad-subway-ad-leads-to-new-policies-nyc-authority-can-now-ban-ads-that-could-incite-or-provoke-violence/

As they say down South, the blind man saw this one coming a mile away.

We have noted that at some point, free expression was going to be suppressed due the the violent reactions of Muslims who hold that their religion has a special place and therefore cannot be criticized. The easiest and most cowardly manner in which to deal with this is to create a law or policy that prohibits or restricts any speech or communication that may incite violence.

The pro-Israel advertisements on the NYC subways, which are only there after the successful completion of a lengthy battle waged by their supporters, may now be targeted. Earlier this week, a Leftist-minded thug defaced both signs and a person who placed her body between the thug and a sign to prevent any damage.

Now, the MTA may employ the terribly vague Orwellian concept of "likely to incite violence" to blackball any sign that may be targeted for violence or vandalism by Leftists or Muslims (They generally being the only ones who do such things). The Left and Muslims, by acts of violence and destruction  will thus be rewarded for their actions.

We are approaching the last act of the play.

"On Friday, TheBlaze spoke with a spokesperson who confirmed some of the details surrounding the case, while clarifying the new changes that passed on Thursday. As noted, one of the emergent provisions that was added into the public company’s advertising standards in the wake of the Geller debate allows the MTA to deny ads it believes could incite violence (this was not mentioned in the press release the agency put out about the changes)."
"As previously noted, a document, reflecting yesterday’s changes, was provided by the MTA to TheBlaze this morning. It highlights the transit authority’s advertising standards and reads, in part, “The licensee (‘advertising contractor’) shall not display or maintain any advertisement that falls within one or more of the following categories.” One of the category sections reads:"

                      "The advertisement, or any information contained in it, is directly adverse to the commercial or administrative interests of the MTA or is harmful to the morale of MTA employees or contains material the display of which the MTA reasonably foresees would incite or provoke violence or other immediate breach of the peace, and so harm, disrupt, or interfere with safe, efficient, and orderly transit operations."

Aside from calling one's wife, mother, sister, or girlfriend a bad name, there is essentially no such thing as inciting violence by free expression. If the MTA starts putting these policies into effect and therefore prohibit advertisements that support Israel, pro-Life groups, or any other entity or cause against which Leftists or Muslims may oppose, we will have officially given into mob rule. Only in this case, it will not be the mob proper but very small groups of vicious people who seek to bully others into submission.