HR 1955 A Democrat's McCarthy Impersonation
On October 23, the House of Representatives passed by a 404-6 vote, H. R. 1955, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Act of 2007, which is the Alien and Sedition Act, the Smith Act, and McCarthy witch hunt all rolled into one.
This perfidious legislation, which tramples the Constitution, slipped through quietly with only a few vigilant bloggers noticing, but the alarm bells apparently weren't loud enough.
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), bosom pal of intelligence agencies; who knew about waterboarding in 2003 and the CIA's destruction of torture tapes and did nothing, is the author of this reprehensible legislation.
Her bill, written in part by intel agencies and the politicized Bushite Department of Homeland Security, creates a HUAC like commission appointed by the president to "investigate" terrorism which could target such disparate groups as peace activists, animal rights organizations, Muslims, etc; or those with an "extremist belief system. As Saul Friedman on Watchdog Blog points out, "....what is an extremist belief system? Who decides and how?"
Obviously, 404 House members don't know their American history, let alone some of the tragic history of the House and Senate, or they didn't read the bill.
As an article in the Baltimore Sun states, "While Ms. Harman denies that her proposal creates "thought police," it defines "homegrown terrorism" as "planned" or "threatened" use of force to coerce the government or the people in the promotion of "political or social objectives." That means that no force need actually have occurred as long as the government charges that the individual or group thought about doing it."
In addition, the article continues, "Ms. Harman's proposal includes an absurd attack on the Internet, criticizing it for providing Americans with "access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda," and legalizes an insidious infiltration of targeted organizations."
Ms. Harman certainly believes in authoritarian Internet censorship and father knows best for everybody, or in this case mother knows best. What hubris!
As Philip Giraldi says, "....The United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in strengthening law enforcement and intelligence capabilities against terrorists and has every tool imaginable to investigate and make arrests. It has created a whole new bloated and dysfunctional branch of government in the Department of Homeland Security. What is not needed is groups of congressionally empowered vigilantes roaming the country at will looking for "homegrown terrorism."
Talk about tearing apart the Constitution! Rep. Harman and her ilk have passed proto-fascist legislation with this bill. Unfortunately, they seem to be fear mongers apparently driven by paranoia, appearing not quite sane....a repeat of McCarthy half a century ago, this time led by a Democrat.
This perfidious legislation, which tramples the Constitution, slipped through quietly with only a few vigilant bloggers noticing, but the alarm bells apparently weren't loud enough.
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), bosom pal of intelligence agencies; who knew about waterboarding in 2003 and the CIA's destruction of torture tapes and did nothing, is the author of this reprehensible legislation.
Her bill, written in part by intel agencies and the politicized Bushite Department of Homeland Security, creates a HUAC like commission appointed by the president to "investigate" terrorism which could target such disparate groups as peace activists, animal rights organizations, Muslims, etc; or those with an "extremist belief system. As Saul Friedman on Watchdog Blog points out, "....what is an extremist belief system? Who decides and how?"
Obviously, 404 House members don't know their American history, let alone some of the tragic history of the House and Senate, or they didn't read the bill.
As an article in the Baltimore Sun states, "While Ms. Harman denies that her proposal creates "thought police," it defines "homegrown terrorism" as "planned" or "threatened" use of force to coerce the government or the people in the promotion of "political or social objectives." That means that no force need actually have occurred as long as the government charges that the individual or group thought about doing it."
In addition, the article continues, "Ms. Harman's proposal includes an absurd attack on the Internet, criticizing it for providing Americans with "access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda," and legalizes an insidious infiltration of targeted organizations."
Ms. Harman certainly believes in authoritarian Internet censorship and father knows best for everybody, or in this case mother knows best. What hubris!
As Philip Giraldi says, "....The United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in strengthening law enforcement and intelligence capabilities against terrorists and has every tool imaginable to investigate and make arrests. It has created a whole new bloated and dysfunctional branch of government in the Department of Homeland Security. What is not needed is groups of congressionally empowered vigilantes roaming the country at will looking for "homegrown terrorism."
Talk about tearing apart the Constitution! Rep. Harman and her ilk have passed proto-fascist legislation with this bill. Unfortunately, they seem to be fear mongers apparently driven by paranoia, appearing not quite sane....a repeat of McCarthy half a century ago, this time led by a Democrat.
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