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House Passes Thought Crime Prevention Bill by Lee Rogers

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Joanne98 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:10 AM
Original message
House Passes Thought Crime Prevention Bill by Lee Rogers
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/house-passes-thought-crime-prevention-bill-by-lee-rogers/

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed HR 1955 titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. This bill is one of the most blatant attacks against the Constitution yet and actually defines thought crimes as homegrown terrorism. If passed into law, it will also establish a commission and a Center of Excellence to study and defeat so called thought criminals. Unlike previous anti-terror legislation, this bill specifically targets the civilian population of the United States and uses vague language to define homegrown terrorism. Amazingly, 404 of our elected representatives from both the Democrat and Republican parties voted in favor of this bill. There is little doubt that this bill is specifically targeting the growing patriot community that is demanding the restoration of the Constitution.

First let’s take a look at the definitions of violent radicalization and homegrown terrorism as defined in Section 899A of the bill.

The definition of violent radicalization uses vague language to define this term of promoting any belief system that the government considers to be an extremist agenda. Since the bill doesn’t specifically define what an extremist belief system is, it is entirely up to the interpretation of the government. Considering how much the government has done to destroy the Constitution they could even define Ron Paul supporters as promoting an extremist belief system. Literally, the government according to this definition can define whatever they want as an extremist belief system. Essentially they have defined violent radicalization as thought crime. The definition as defined in the bill is shown below.

`(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION- The term `violent radicalization’ means 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.

The definition of homegrown terrorism uses equally vague language to further define thought crime. The bill includes the planned use of force or violence as homegrown terrorism which could be interpreted as thinking about using force or violence. Not only that but the definition is so vaguely defined, that petty crimes could even fall into the category of homegrown terrorism. The definition as defined in the bill is shown below.

`(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism’ means 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.

Section 899B of the bill goes over the findings of Congress as it pertains to homegrown terrorism. Particularly alarming is that the bill mentions the Internet as a main source for terrorist propaganda. The bill even mentions streams in obvious reference to many of the patriot and pro-constitution Internet radio networks that have been formed. It also mentions that homegrown terrorists span all ages and races indicating that the Congress is stating that everyone is a potential terrorist. Even worse is that Congress states in their findings that they should look at draconian police states like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom as models to defeat homegrown terrorists. Literally, these findings of Congress fall right in line with the growing patriot community.

The biggest joke of all is that this section also says that any measure to prevent violent radicalization and homegrown terrorism should not violate the constitutional rights of citizens. However, the definition of violent radicalization and homegrown terrorism as they are defined in section 899A are themselves unconstitutional. The Constitution does not allow the government to arrest people for thought crimes, so any promises not to violate the constitutional rights of citizens are already broken by their own definitions.



Continued…
http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/house-passes-thought-crime-prevention-bill-by-lee-rogers/

Thanx Nancy!!!!!!!

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ShortnFiery Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:12 AM
Response to Original message
1. Terrific, any group that our Big Brother Government doesn't like, is *A Terrorist Group*
Edited on Fri Oct-26-07 11:14 AM by ShortnFiery
YOU BASTARDS!!! :grr: :nuke:

p.s. Nancy has a personal stake in this ... she wants the protesters arrested and taken away who hang out in the area of her blessed mansion. :(
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zeemike Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:24 AM
Response to Reply #1
5. Careful that emoticon might be a terrorist act.
Big Brother is watching
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ShortnFiery Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 12:42 PM
Response to Reply #5
6. Oh Geeze! It never ends! We can't even show our frustrations via emoticon lest be be carried away
to detention camps? No Agent Mike, my emoticon symbolizes frustration not any nefarious wishes as a thought criminal. :silly:
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zeemike Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 07:09 PM
Response to Reply #6
11. But frustration might be a gateway to thought crime
Edited on Fri Oct-26-07 07:11 PM by zeemike
So we are going to have to just drink the Kool Aid or face the facts of being an outcast in your own country
Myself i am thinking that detention camps might not be such a bad way to spend my later years.... better than living a lie.
:dilemma:
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truebrit71 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:13 AM
Response to Original message
2. Part 3 is the most worrisome to me...
Edited on Fri Oct-26-07 11:14 AM by truebrit71
"`homegrown terrorism’ means 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."

Can you imagine the fun the Founding Fathers would have had with THIS little nugget?

This means that any future 'thoughts' of revolution are now illegal...

Remind me again, when is it fascism?
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Taverner Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:20 AM
Response to Original message
3. And people thought I was just being paranoid....
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BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 11:24 AM
Response to Original message
4. Is this shit for real!?!
I guess the "camps" are too.
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windoe Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 01:05 PM
Response to Original message
7. crap crap
OK so in my universe this should help us impeach B & C for violating the Constitution and Violent Radicalization-- for promoting ideological based violence, creating a gulag and torturing people, illegal war, ect.-- but I know this is the alternative universe where the Constitution is just not good or complete enough to guide us, and Brown & Root camps are created to intimidate us.
How can anyone who understands American history and law be passing such laws? I am gobsmacked. We are so betrayed.
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starroute Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 02:19 PM
Response to Original message
8. It definitely is for real -- but the meaning isn't as clear
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?tab=summary&bill=h110-1955
Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends 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).

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; and (3) conduct a survey of methodologies implemented by foreign nations to prevent radicalization and homegrown terrorism.

Prohibits 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.

It sounds like all it does is set up grants and studies -- though that third paragraph is totally murky. (Should it really start with "prohibits"?) And the quote in the original post appears to be coming from an extreme right-wing/libertarian point of view, with the typical hysteria of that perspective.

That said, though, it's worrisome that they're even trying to *define* "radicalization and homegrown terrorism" in a way that could include everyone from old-line Marxists to environmental activists. It sounds as though these grants and studies might lead to criminalizing anyone adhering to a belief system that somebody, somewhere once used to justify a violent act. And that makes it worth creating a fuss about before it can get to that point.

Does that pair of "American Freedom" organizations -- the left-liberal and right-libertarian ones -- know about this? It sounds right up their alley.

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MasonJar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 05:35 PM
Response to Original message
9. The Democratic House passed a "thought crime" bill???? Un-
freakin'-believable! Orwell was almost as prescient as Shakespeare! WOW!
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Oldenuff Donating Member (442 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Oct-26-07 06:41 PM
Response to Original message
10. Makes ya proud

to be an American,don't it?

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