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rox63 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 06:49 AM
Original message
The Thought Crime Bill
I got this link from a friend last night, with the admonition "If you read only one thing today, please read this." He couldn't have been more prescient. There is also a related video at the link.

~snip~

Designated H.R.1955 and titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and Prevention Act of 2007, it is an amendment to the Homeland Security Act of 2002. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Jane Harmon and overwhelming approved by the House on 23 October by a 404 to 6 vote.

Some people have called this the “thought crime bill”, and they are not exaggerating – which is why I am straying from the topic of aging today to bring this to your attention.

This is the first terrorism-related legislation that specifically targets U.S. citizens and the vagueness of the wording is a dangerous threat to the First Amendment and to each of us in ways that have not been attempted before in the United States. The definitions in the bill hold the frightening keys to the undermining of our most basic liberty - to speak freely.

~snip~


Read the rest here: http://www.timegoesby.net:80/weblog/2007/11/thought-crime-2.html
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rox63 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:18 AM
Response to Original message
1. Kick
I try to never kick my own posts. But this one's important, dammit. So I'm gonna break my own rules.
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hootinholler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:37 AM
Response to Original message
2. Reps voting against:
Abercrombie
Costello
Duncan
Flake
Kucinich
Rohrabacher

The roll call.

I get an oogie feeling when Dennis votes against something almost everyone else votes for!

-Hoot
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midnight Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:54 AM
Response to Original message
3. HR 1955. The hands of time go backwards towards 1955.
Edited on Tue Nov-13-07 07:56 AM by midnight
Makes me wonder what was going on politically during the 1950's because it gave us Vietnam. Is there any conection from that no. and that time in history? After reading this I thought of a movie that I saw over the summer. It was a Harry Pottery Movie. All the new laws and rules had taken up all the space at the school. There were laws like this one you mention. Anyone see the last Harry Potter movie last summer?
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rox63 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 07:59 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Yep, it was eerily like this
For an even closer match to today's situation, watch the movie "Brazil" some time.
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:06 AM
Response to Original message
5. It looks like a lot of money and time
will go to "The Center", as its called in the bill. A University level research group that will study how American citizens do/could become radicalized. And come up with ways to prevent it.

They are going to study radicalization back to the point of dissent, opposing political parties and public gatherings. This bill is disturbing, to say the least.

It has been referred to Senate Committee.
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DCKit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:27 AM
Response to Reply #5
9. "How American citizens do/could become radicalized."
Corporate ownership of the government, unemployment, poverty, lack of education....

I think Saudi Arabia is a good model.
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:30 AM
Response to Reply #9
10. We'll see if that is what The Center and The Commission find.
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gollygee Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:10 AM
Response to Original message
6. Very frightening
K&R
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IDemo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:15 AM
Response to Original message
7. fifth rec
Orwell is spinning in his grave, along with James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
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IDemo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:26 AM
Response to Original message
8. It doesn't look to me as if they're worried about terr'ists coming over here

They are more worried about controlling the US citizenry and preventing an upset of their corporacratic apple cart than they are another 9/11. Combine this with the Military Commissions Act and the Authorization for the Use of Military Force and tell me this is still the Land of the Free.
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tekisui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:32 AM
Response to Reply #8
11. The Land of Comfortable Fascism.
Although it is getting more uncomfortable every day.
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SpiralHawk Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 08:35 AM
Response to Original message
12. Another anti-American law from the Republicon Homelanders
Why do republicon homlanders HATE America, democracy, honesty, and truth?
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file83 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 11:57 PM
Response to Original message
13. Yet another nail in the Lady Liberty's coffin.
We're screwn.
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AuntPatsy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Nov-13-07 11:59 PM
Response to Original message
14. Agreed, a must read.
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Flabbergasted Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Nov-14-07 12:13 AM
Response to Original message
15. Although I'm NOT a fan of this, it must be pointed out the term "thought crime" is hyperbole..
Edited on Wed Nov-14-07 12:14 AM by Flabbergasted
All the bill does is authorize grants to states for use in education and create a center to study "radicalization". No where in the bill is the description of providing criminal penalties to anyone. The bill also describes "violent, ideological, terrorism prevention" as the purpose of the legislation.


On the other hand I believe it's unnecessary and a bad precedent.
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