Extremely scary bill to criminalize thought/speech

[Amethyst Hunter]

I found this on a blog I read.

Evidently this bill, H.R. 1955, is yet another badly misguided attempt to fight terrorism. (More about this bill here. ) In a nutshell, what this bill would IDEALLY do is shut down mini terror cells operating in the States. HOWEVER - given the current mindset of the present assministration and its repeated fuckups, the REALITY is that this bill would effectively criminalize free speech and thought in America, especially on the Internet. It's worded just cleverly enough that it could be turned against people who engage in activities like:

- organizing peaceful protests
- the *discussion* of organizing said peaceful protests
- letter-writers protesting ANY government agency's actions
- email campaigns that clog government servers (not spam, honest-to-goodness citizen complaints)
- News sources like online blogs and the people who run them

And so on - because "force" could be interpreted in so many ways, and frankly, I wouldn't trust the idiots behind this kind of crap to have any more common sense than that of a rock.

Mind you, the latter link does have a biased plug to it (for a candidate I won't even vote for, but that's another story), so the fearmongering factor may be inflated to make themselves look good. According to various sources, it may or may not have already been voted on in at least the House. However, this bill NEEDS to be squashed *now*, before it shows up on He Who Shall Not Be Named's desk - because he WILL sign it, no questions asked.

Here are some other related links:

The entry for the Library of Congress

A non-govt.-related site that tracks bills

[Greenday]

It got passed in the House by a freaking huge margin. Almost no nay-sayers. Seems like a huge load of crap to me. Besides, if someone is plotting to take down the government, they can step in anyway, without this bill. This just extends their power over everyone else besides the terrorists.

[rahmota]

Keep your powder dry folks. Things are getting curiouser and curiouser arnt they?

This flew i rather under the major radars didnt? I hadn't heard about htis and I consider myself reasonably attentive to this sort of thing.

The very first line sets the tone for a very scary tale doesnt it?

To prevent homegrown terrorism, and for other purposes.

Those four little words make me the most uncomfortable. For other pruposes? You know when an agency gets free power they are not goign to surrender it willingly.

[Dreamstalker]

Ye flipping GODS. I had no idea about this until I saw the thread

Ah, but you see it has the magic phrase "to prevent...terrorism" in it. That means it's "for your own good" <sarcasm off>

Mind you, I think this "war on terror" and everything it has spawned is a bunch of bull. The real terrorists are in the White House.

[AFPheonix]

Unfortunately, the "war on terror" never really identifies and goes after the root causes of terrorism. It merely attempts to treat some of the symptoms. It's a complete crock, and until we can get public leaders in who are willing to stand up and do what's right, not what they're getting lobbied to do by special interest groups with too much money, we're screwed.

I did write one of my senators when he voted to authorize military force against Iran to tell him I was very disappointed in him and would not vote for him next year. Sorry Gordon Smith, you've ticked off the good people of Oregon.

[daleduke17]

It got passed in the House by a freaking huge margin. Almost no nay-sayers. Seems like a huge load of crap to me. Besides, if someone is plotting to take down the government, they can step in anyway, without this bill. This just extends their power over everyone else besides the terrorists.

"Huge" is an understatement.

404-6 (22 not voting). Abercrombie, Duncan, Kucinich, Costello, Flake and Rohrabacher are apparently the only decent Representatives that were there that day that voted.

22 people didn't vote and that is appalling. What are they doing that is so important that they cannot vote? At least Ron Paul had a decent reason (campaigning). He did write a response to the Speaker.

http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/co.../cr120507h.htm

I also wonder why this didn't make it into the newspapers. Heck, Ron Paul is just now starting to get into the papers as a possible threat to the Presidential race.

[Greenday]

If it made it to the newspapers, people would then know about it. This way, too few people know about it and can't do anything about it.

[rahmota]

Greenday:

If it made it to the newspapers, people would then know about it. This way, too few people know about it and can't do anything about it.

Exactly. Knowledge is power and if you hide the knowledge you remove the power.

Whats kinda scary is I showed this to an associate of mine and they said "they didnt see a problem with it. after all it just targets terrorists. " Until I pointed out they dont exactly define what or who is a terrorist too clearly.

AFP: War on Poverty, War on Drugs, War on Crime, War on Terrorism. Notice how very Orwellian our society is? Always keep a war going on to keep people scared and unsteady so they can take power and control the herds better. Yeesh I dont think I can take another war...

[AFPheonix]

Oh yes, Ramota, I noticed with a certain amount of chagrin that as soon as Bush's ratings started to tank again after 9/11, we started hearing about how we needed to go invade Iraq. This entire presidency has been a study on how effective propaganda and mind control on a populace really can be, even as edumacated as we all are.

[ditchdj]

What??? Trading in your freedom and liberty for some PERCEIVED safety and security doesnt sound like such a good idea anymore??? BTW Argentina already tried that 30 years ago. The people there (remaining surviving ones I should say) were NOT happy.

[Seshat]

"Instead of government we had a stage
Instead of ideas a prima donna's rage
Instead of help we were given a crowd
She didn't say much but she said it loud"

It's all bread and circuses, until the Goths come down from the north.


Exits, singing

Salve regina mater misericordiae
Vita dulcedo et spes nostra
Salve salve regina

[rahmota]

This entire presidency has been a study on how effective propaganda and mind control on a populace really can be, even as edumacated as we all are.

Oh most definately indeed. If it wherent for us living in the middle of it might be an interesting pol sci paper or a hollywood script. the fall of the American Empire. I would have said Republic but the Republic fell a long time ago.

Seshat: Indeed.

BTW do you know how long it has been since I had high school latin? You made my brain hurt....

Salve regina mater misericordiae (misericordia)
Be in good health Queen Mother Mercy
Vita dulcedo et spes nostra
Life Sweet and our hope ?
Salve salve regina
Be well, be well Queen

Rough translation of the beatles?

[Seshat]

It's actually from Evita. From the song 'Oh what a circus', which is sung by Che at Evita's funeral.

I saw a stage production of it. (Haven't seen the film version).

[rahmota]

Seshat: ahhh I have never seen Evita in any form so no wonder I didnt recognize it.

But anyhow.