Home Grown Terrorism

For those of you having problems reading this text, please place your cursor over the text and hold down the control key on your keyboard, (CTRL), and with the wheel of your mouse, roll the wheel towards yourself. This will increase the text size.

I can’t tell you what a bad idea this is, but the Senate is thinking it is a good one. You can’t tell these dummies anything these days and they are legislating away our freedoms at an alarming rate. Now they are trying to do away with the internet saying it is a “weapon”. People, if you don’t get off your duffs and do something, you will find yourself in third world country where all your freedoms have slipped away…

Again from CommonDreams.org I bring you a warning of dire proportions. Ignore this one at your peril, for when they come knocking at your door because the thought police heard you thinking something, “bad”, it will be too late.

Oh, you think it can’t happen here in America? Well it is and it is happening right now…

Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (S. 1959)

Summary

The bill, if enacted, would:

1. Amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to add provisions concerning the prevention of homegrown terrorism (terrorism by individuals born, raised, or based and operating primarily in the United States).
2. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to:
   1. Establish a grant program to prevent radicalization (use of an extremist belief system for facilitating ideologically-based violence) and homegrown terrorism in the United States;
   2. Establish or designate a university-based Center of Excellence for the Study of Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism in the United States;
   3. Conduct a survey of methodologies implemented by foreign nations to prevent radicalization and homegrown terrorism.
3. Prohibit the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to prevent ideologically-based violence and homegrown terrorism from violating the constitutional and civil rights, and civil liberties, of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

This is a thought crime bill. If you think to disagree with the government, if you express your ideas, in words, or share them with others and those others agree with you and you call Congress, you could be arrested by DHS and accused of this crime. The language is too vague leaving far too much room for interpretation by anyone and everyone. This leads to misuse and over use by those without your best interests at heart and turns this country from a free country into the nanny state. This is a dangerous bill.

Wikipedia also has definitions:

Defined terms

1. Violent Radicalization - the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.
2. Homegrown Terrorism - the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
3. Ideologically Based Violence - the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs

Who will define what an extremist belief system is? Will all states see that in the same light? Or will some see it one way and others another? Will some have Reverend White’s attitude or maybe this guy?

And Homegrown Terrorism! OMG, that is a thought crime for sure! Look at the wording of it. THINK! It is too vague. Too much room for someone to get carried away with. This is a bad bill. An EXTREMELY bad bill! We need to make sure this doesn’t pass anything at any time. It is extremely important that you call your congress person and tell them to vote no on this issue.

A link to the bill in GovTrack is HERE:

The ACLU and other groups had this to say about it:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 8, 2008 5:45 PM	CONTACT: ACLU 202-675-2312 or media@dcaclu.org
ACLU Skeptical of Senate Report on “Homegrown” Terrorism
WASHINGTON, DC - May 8 - After Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced a report on Islamic homegrown terrorism today, the American Civil Liberties Union strongly urged Congress to use caution when moving forward on related legislation, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (S. 1959). The report, “Violent Islamist Extremism, the Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorism Threat,” is based on findings from hearings held by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The ACLU and nearly twenty other groups sent a memo to the committee outlining concerns with the report, most notably the free speech implications of labeling the internet as a “weapon” and the unfair singling out of one religious group as possible “extremists.” “Once we begin trying to regulate belief systems, we have veered perilously far from the Constitution,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “Though the need to prevent criminal acts of violence is unquestionable, targeting communities based on religious beliefs is unacceptable and unproductive. We will only end up stigmatizing the Islamic community and creating a nation of Islamophobes. We should not be legislating against thought and we should certainly not be regulating religious or unpopular thought. A dynamic debate can only make this country stronger and safer.”The ACLU raised similar concerns regarding legislation passed by the House last year. The framework established by that measure could possibly lead to unconstitutional restrictions on speech and belief – in addition to more appropriate restrictions on actions. Experience has demonstrated that in the event of a terrorist attack, the results of this report will likely be used to recommend the use of racial, ethnic and religious profiling. This will only heighten, rather than decrease, the spread of extremist violence. As an organization dedicated to the principles of freedom of speech, we cannot in good conscience support this report or any measure that might lead to censorship and persecution based solely on one’s personal beliefs. The ACLU is concerned that identifying the Internet as a tool for terrorists will lead to censorship and regulated speech – especially since the Internet has become an essential communications and research tool for everyone. Indeed, some policy makers have advocated shutting down objectionable websites in violation of the First Amendment. It is an unworkable solution. “Unfortunately, terror comes in all shapes and sizes, and from all colors and religious backgrounds,” said Timothy Sparapani, ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel. “Focusing on people with specific religious beliefs or backgrounds will not protect against the Timothy McVeigh’s of the world. This narrow focus could cost us dearly in the future.” To read the coalition memo about homegrown terrorism, go to: http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/35209leg20080507.html

We know this administration lies. They cannot be trusted. We know the agencies that work for them have been known to use torture and lies. We cannot trust them. Now Congress has decided that these hearings lead to good information? How can they believe these liars? This is both a hate crimes promoting bill, and a thought crimes making bill. If you think it, you must have done it. How can that be? This is true insanity!

The bush administration is responsible for torture, for hate crimes, for crimes against the American people, for propaganda, (also illegal), for kidnapping and murder, for lies, for war mongering, and those that accomplished those things are the ones making these reports.

The bush administration is even guilty of breaking the Charter that was signed with the United Nations and the Geneva Convention. The same men and women that helped the bush administration do all these terrible things have done these hearings.

I guess I don’t understand how Congress could consider this type of thing when we have done well all along without something like this. HELL if they would get off their asses and lock down the borders and ports, we wouldn’t be dealing with this issue at all. What the hell is their problem? This is totalitarian government coming at you. And when you vote this year, you had better think carefully about WHO you vote for.

With this bill people like Reverend White can be condemned. Or maybe it will be Catholics. Maybe it will be Jews again. We’ve done it to the Japanese Americans in war before. Has this country learned NOTHING???

Call the SwitchBoard TODAY! Tell you Senators to vote NO on this bill S 1959

1-800-862-5530

1-800-828-0498

1-800-614-2803

1-866-340-9281

1-866-338-1015

1-866-220-0044

Personally, I think recalls for every senator and representative that buys into this bill should be the first order of business.

~ by justmytruth on May 12, 2008.