The Montana Sedition Act was passed in1918. It was repealed in 1921. During the time it was in effect, 79 Montana Citizens were imprisoned for speaking out against WWI. The law was truly draconian in scope. Citizens were prosecuted for simply speaking out against the war – even in private. People were encouraged to report their neighbors and many did. Sometimes just to settle grudges. It was a dark and shameful time of wartime hysteria in our state’s history. The extremists had won the day with little protest from the citizenry. We sent troops to Europe to fight for the freedom of Europeans while denying freedom to our own citizens at home.
Montana citizens of German origin were especially hard hit. Some were imprisoned for simply speaking German in public, others for failure to buy Liberty Bonds. Ben Kahn served 34 months in prison for saying that WWI was a “rich man’s war”. The law provided a sentence of up to 20 years and fines up to $20,000.
The dictionary defines sedition in a number of ways, including “to incite rebellion against the government” and “organizing a group to disrupt government activities. We saw some of that on 6 January, 2021. The leaders of the “Oath Keepers” and the “Proud Boys” were later convicted of Seditious Conspiracy for their actions in disrupting a session of congress, threatening government officials, and attempting to overturn the results of an election. Upon returning to office in January, 2025 President Donald Trump granted a full pardon to some of those convicted and commuted the sentences of others. Some had been sentenced to as much as 22 years. He also directed the Justice Department to drop all pending prosecutions against those charged in the insurrection.
The use of Sedition Laws has a mixed history. When the seditious acts are committed by supporters of those in power, they are often forgiven or not prosecuted at all, ref 6 January, 2021. Conversely, they are often used by governments as an exercise of power to cower or intimidate perceived enemies. Most recently, in India, political activist Disha Ravi was arrested and charged with sedition for her support of an Indian farmers protest and the environmentalist, Greta Thunberg. Ravi’s case went before a judge in February, 2021. Fortunately, she was released on bail by a judge who said he saw no merit in the case. No trial was ever held. Nonetheless, the Indian government had sent a warning to the opposition.
In 2006, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer issued a pardon to all those convicted of sedition under Montana’s 1918 law. He also apologized to the descendants of those so unjustly treated. It happened in 1918, and it could happen again. Democracy is not assured by a one-time victory. There will always be extremist forces waiting to exert their will on the rest of us. Remember, if you do not speak up, then you have voted “yes” and the extremists will carry the day. They will presume you are a loyal supporter. There is a danger in standing up against loud, threatening voices. But the alternative is the loss of our freedom. Remember the quote from Benjamin Franklin, ”Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”.
“Never deprive someone of hope; it may be all they have”. H. Jackson Brown, 1940-2021
By Paul Warrick: October 2, 2025 – Great Falls, Mt
Author: Staff
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