Representative Jane Harmon, the same Neocon Democratic Congressperson who learned in 2003 of the Bush administration's use of torture and secret prisons and kept quiet, successfully sponsored the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. It passed by a vote of 404-6 on 10/23/07. The bill now goes to the Senate. This new legislation will likely lead to the criminalization of ideas and beliefs and invite surveillance and curtailment of Internet communications and access. I propose that Ms Harmon be the first person charged with violation of this bill because she is using the force of an unconstitutional law in order to promote her political beliefs. Ms. Harmon's phone # is 202 225 8220. I'm sure she would like to hear from you. (And while you're at it you might ask her why she didn't blow the whistle on Bush's crimes against the Geneva Conventions.)
The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act creates a Commission to investigate "facts and causes" of "violent radicalism" and "extremist belief systems." It defines "violent radicalism" as "adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change." The term "extremist belief system" is not defined. Ms Harmon's commission will define what constitutes "extremist belief systems."
"Ideologically based violence" is defined in the bill as 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." "Force" and "violence" are used interchangeably. Thus, if you or I were to protest the Iraq war by blocking a sidewalk, we would be guilty of using "force" to promote "political beliefs."
Most disturbing is that the bill singles out the Internet for "facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." Clearly what disturbs the ruling elites is that Internet provides free access to unedited information. In other words, the elites fear that when Americans don't get an exclusive diet of terrorist-related American propaganda, they might begin to see the world differently and develop independent ideas.
The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act criminalizes ideas or beliefs and is in violation of the First Amendment. By targeting the Internet, it will result in increased surveillance of Internet in violation of the Fourth Amendment.