Have you been a victim of the Patriot Act?

The biggest problem with the Patriot Act, as if there is just one, would be the fact is virtually no concrete way with which to protect yourself from overzealous/illegal intrustions into you or your families lives, or to hold those accountable who may be entering your house, tapping your phone, tracking your activities, because the Patriot Act grants Intelligence agencies carte blanche approval to violate any American citizens personal life, their Civil Liberties, particularly those who disagree with the policies of this Administration.

For those in our government to essentially have the power to stalk individuals who are not in line with the Administrations policies under the guise of the "war on terrorism" is not exactly what is considered to be in harmony with our Constitution.

This is a very fundamental aspect of Civil Liberties and rights.
If one person is denied a right, then potentially we all have been denied that very right.

Thanks for posting.

I have no idea if any law enforcement people have violated my rights. But I do know that Congress violated my Constitutional rights by passing such an outragious law.

When fear dictates our policy and policy makers, Democracy is jeopardized.

F*cking fascists: Torture, kanagaroo courts, pervasive government corruption at the highest levels, insidious cover-ups, domestic surveillance, ethnic cleansing.... When is FEMA going to bring out the gas ovens?

To be able to have control over the activities of all Americans?

I have had the DoD hitting my firewall several times daily.

I don't think the Patriot Act was ever about terrorism. I honestly believe it's always been about controlling the American public. The Neocons are destroying our democracy, and the Patriot Act is the tool they will use to keep anyone from doing anything about it. How many years was the act written before 9-11? Why does it not ever give a clear definition of what a terrorist is?

However, unfortunately I have no answers, but I think we instinctually know the truth, don't you?

and ready to house anyone but hurricane victims. look up REX84.
Luv the avatar image -cool

...and very frightening....

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rex_84>

QUOTE:

Rex 84, short for Readiness Exercise 1984, was a plan by the United States federal government to accommodate the detention of large numbers of American citizens in case of massive civil unrest or national emergency.

Shortly after 9/11, I was on a newsgroup...and went on a rant about Bush, and went on about how, if we were lucky, at least we'd be rid of him in about four years.
Then I made a rather intemperate remark at the end...and someone reported me to the Secret Service, and I got questioned by the Secret Service for about half an hour, before they finally got convinced I was not a threat to the President, except for the fact that I did not like him or his policies.

My free speech rights were violated on that day. I had a right to say what I'd said. I did not ever threaten the President. Yet, I was treated as though I had.

who had expressed his anger at the Administration at his gym(!*)and a few days later he received a visit from the Secret Service.

I only wish I had known of Michael Moore back then, I woulda gotten MY story in there, too.

As to what I'd said that got me reported??

I said, quote..."Bush couldn't hit the broad side of a bull's ass with a bass fiddle! Where's fuckin' (Name Removed) now that we need him?"

Now, anyone reading THAT...in context with me ranting about Bush and wanting to be rid of him in four years would have immediately realized that I was not saying I was going to assassinate the President...but, rather, that I wished someone WOULD.

Now, last time I checked, my ability to express that wish is/was still covered by free speech rights.
I had every right to say it. I did not actually threaten the President, myself...nor did I actually advocate anyone else to, either. Merely expressed a desire to get rid of Bush. And mainly, because I knew, back then...what a disaster he was going to be for our country and for our economy. I wish he'd proved me wrong.

Alas, he did not.

all American citezens are victims of the Patriot act. Just like CLEAR SKYS and NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. You're all victims.
The question should be will you realize it in time to do anything about it?

of such legislation, that it stands to promote a 'witch hunt' by those who want to suppress any dissent and legitimate opposition to the Administrations policies.

Here's my proof:

**** I walk around everyday, filmed, photographed, and recorded everywhere I go.

**** I voted in the last election, and I have no proof my vote counted.

**** I live in a port city, and as of yet, the cargo coming in and going out is vastly unchecked.

**** The constitution of my country is now thought of by my governement as "a piece of paper", not as a "living document".

**** I use the internet, and my government now monitors every thing online with the "Carnivore" program, and probably more.

**** I talk on a cell phone, and all my conversations on that cell phone are now subject to scrutiny by my government.

**** I am not a Republican. That makes me extra suspicious.

**** I blog and post on progressive websites. That has got to put me on somebody's "enemies" list.

**** I donate to progressive causes and candidates. Tell me there isn't someone watching what I do with ALL my $$$ now.

**** I am an American citizen with many minorities (including an Arab) in my family. They're watching, trust me.

**** I am an American citizen, who is not rich, not an Evangelical Christian, and not related to anyone in the Bush administration or any of the Corporate entities that support them. There'll always be a reason not to trust me.

There's more, but, eveyone here, on this board, has been effected by the Patriot Act. Everyone. Any elected who voted for it should be ashamed. ASHAMED. And, they owe us an apology.

TC

happening on all Americans, even if there are those who choose not to believe it.

Our country's greatest strength and asset is our diversity, and yet it is being attacked, scapegoated and even demonized in many ways and now our greatest strength and asset is being used to divide.

We need to speak up because it affects every single one of us as Americans.

Thanks again for posting.

the PROMIS software spider web! Does that count?

Everyone say "hello" to Agent Mike - God, he must be really, really old to have notes on that one unless it's a REALLY, REALLY big spider!!!

n/t

About 2 years ago I made the mistake of taking a picture of my wife and her sister as her sister was getting ready to step into an airport security line. Within seconds, I was escorted to an "interrogation" area and notified that taking photos was probibited in that area. Sure enough, there was a rather non-conspicuous sign posted on a wall several feet from where the picture was taken. A supervisor was called over and after some discussion they agreed not to press charges, and returned the camera but only after having me remove the memory card. My wife was in tears since there were some non-replaceable family pictures on the card that hadn't been processed yet. In order to defuse that situation, one of the security officials graciously promised to screen the images, have them developed on-site, and mail any non-offending photos back to us. A nice enough gesture, only it never happened. We contacted the airport secuirty on numerous occasions and got the runaround each time, ranging from empty promises to follow up and get back to us, in addition to proclamations that whatever official promised to send any photos back to us never had the proper authority to do so.

It's one thing to be harrassed in the name of national security over such a trivial "offense" -- after all, we were all outside the designated security area when the offending picture was taken -- but I consider being lied to by a representative of the gov't to be a very serious matter. My sense is that we had likely witnessed a microcosm of how this new federal agency operates -- deceit and overkill at a lower level raises the question as to whether the big picture is just as convoluted.