Thought Crime

The Democrats we elected last November 2006 have betrayed our trust. They are gutless cowards who have absolutely no respect for you, me or the Constitution that so very many citizen/soldiers gave their lives for in the last century and this one. It's despicable enough when Republicans sponsor this kind of legislation, but for a so-called Democrat to do so !?!

And finally at the end of this excerpt; I am forced to agree with a Texas Libertarian candidate running for the Republican nomination. His is the only acceptable response to this insanity.

The following is an excerpt from:

Dissent Is Patriotic
The Bill of Rights Defense Committee's e-mail newsletter
December 2007, Vol. 6, No. 8

This quote from Representative Jane Harman (D-CA-36th), the bill's sponsor, suggests that the bill may veer close to the establishment of "thought crime." Harman said, "We must intervene before a person crosses the line separating radical views from violent behavior … "

Targeting "Thought Crime"

Grassroots activists from across the political spectrum are outraged about a House bill that passed overwhelmingly (404-6) on October 23. The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, H.R. 1955, would create a 10-member commission and name a university as a "center of excellence" to study "the facts and causes of violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism and ideologically based violence in the United States."
The chief question is, Who will this study scrutinize? Activists are concerned that their actions may be labeled as "force or violence," even if they involve no violence. For example, sitting in at a congressional representative's office, or blocking traffic to make a political statement. Iraq war protesters in large cities like Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco blockaded large parts of their cities' downtowns in protest as the invasion began in March 2003. Would such actions and the groups that carry them out be "studied" for using force "to intimidate or coerce the United States government … in furtherance of political or social objectives?"
This quote from Representative Jane Harman (D-CA-36th), the bill's sponsor, suggests that the bill may veer close to the establishment of "thought crime." Harman said, "We must intervene before a person crosses the line separating radical views from violent behavior … " Her words echo the Bush Administration's "preventive paradigm," discussed in David Cole's book, Less Safe, Less Free, in which Cole writes that a government that attempts to apprehend individuals before they've committed a crime relies on suspicion and gut feelings, and veers away from the rule of law and checks and balances. "Predicting future threats is not an exact science," writes Cole, "and the judgments made are not ordinarily susceptible to proof."

What You Can Do:

The Senate version, S 1959, has not been brought to the floor for a vote, so you can still contact your senator, especially if she or he is a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where the bill awaits committee approval to move to the Senate floor. See the BORDC legislation page for more links and information on this bill.
American Freedom Agenda Act
Among all the bills introduced this session, there is one that actually begins the task of restoring the Bill of Rights. The Americacn Freedom Agenda Act H.R. 3835, was introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX-14th) on October 15 and referred to four committees: Intelligence, Judiciary, Armed Services, and Foreign Affairs.

Paul's bill would: 1) Repeal the Military Commissions Act, 2) Eliminate testimony gathered through torture, 3) Permit foreign intelligence wiretapping only through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, 4) Allow members of Congress to challenge signing statements, 5) Prohibit kidnapping and extraordinary rendition, and 6) Prohibit the use of secret evidence to name individuals or groups as terrorists.

No other bill currently before Congress goes as far as HR 3385 towards restoring the Constitution. For more information, see BORDC's legislation page.

Comments

[Maggie]

Ron Paul is the one presidential candidate that can and will defend the right of freedom of thought.

This right is now under assault, both here at home and in other countries like Britain, through the use of hate crime legislation and with HR 1955 (The Thought Crime Bill)

Ron Paul has had a strong and ever growing following since the start of his 2008 Presidential campaign. Since being elected to congress 20 years ago, Ron Paul has:

Voted Constitutionally in every vote.
Wrote a speech against HR-1955 (Was out of town during vote, campaigning hard)
Voted for freedom of speech.
Voted against gun control, so we can defend that right.
Voted against the illegal war in Iraq.
Voted against the Patriot Act.
Never voted to raise taxes.
Never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Never voted to raise congressional pay.
Never taken a government paid junket.
Never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
Voted AGAINST regulating the internet.
DOES NOT participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
HAS REPEATEDLY been named the "taxpayers best friend" in Congress.

If Ron Paul is elected President of the United States in 2008 he will:

Let Americans keep more of their own money.
Bring our troops home out of Iraq
Never wage an unprovoked war.
END THE IRS (this reason alone is why people should vote for him).
Stop the inflation tax (means he advocates a gold standard for money).
Stop unconstitutional spending leading us to bankruptcy.
Stop the national id card.
End the Patriot Act.
Secure our borders and end illegal immigration.
End birthright citizenship for illegal aliens.
Bring our troops home from no-win police actions, from all 130 countries around the world.

[Alex]

Thanks, I'm certainly leaning in that direction myself.