As the year draws to an end, if we have learned nothing else, it is that the elected officials on both the state, and federal level don't do what is best for the nation, or the people. This arrogance is pushed at us everyday. It became apparent this past month , when before the Christmas break the Ohio legislator, oked Bill9. God help Ohioans!
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Bill 9, known as the "Ohio Patriot Act", gives the Governor the same authority that the US patriot Act gives the President when it come to things like
Domestic Spying, also mandates,
Self-Incrimination doing away with the
Fifth Amendment rihgts. As does the US Patriot Act , the OPA also steps all over the 4th and 14th Amendments.
Below are the main reasons that the people of OHIO should jump allover Governor Taft to veto this Bill.
SB 9 punishes political dissent and attempts to suppress the growing movement opposing the USA PATRIOT Act.
The original version of SB 9 prohibited non-compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and related executive orders by municipalities and by state and local government employees. The latest version of SB 9 includes a narrow exception, whereby these entities can state disagreement with or a critical opinion of the Patriot Act and related policy without punishment. However, the assault on political dissent is still alive in this bill. SB 9 sends a clear message that, while you may be permitted to voice criticism, you cannot act on it. A community committed to respecting the Bill of Rights, by adopting a policy not to violate it, still risks losing its homeland security funding. This provision attacks a core freedom while doing nothing to make us safer.
· "Show us your papers" SB 9 ID requirements violate privacy rights.
Two sections of SB 9 require people to show identification when requested by law enforcement and bring us frighteningly close to being a "show me your papers" society.
One section allows law enforcement deny access to all people entering "transportation infrastructure sites" whenever there is a "threat to security," unless that person shows ID. Because the declared "war on terrorism" is open-ended, and we are continually on at least "heightened" alert, it follows that there is always "a threat to security." Which means police may demand ID as the price of admission to any train or bus station, any airport or harbor, at any time.
Another section requires you to provide your name, address, or date of birth to a law enforcement officer who "reasonably suspects" that you have committed or are about to commit a crime, or that you have witnessed a crime, or even witnessed a plan to commit a crime. Officers could always, of course, investigate upon reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The witnessing provision is more problematic, as it could include virtually anyone at anytime who may have seen anything - making it all too susceptible to abuse.
· SB 9 mandates self-incrimination, in violation of the 5th Amendment
SB 9 requires applicants for many state-issued licenses, state or local government contracts or funding, and state job applicants to indicate whether they have provided material support to terrorists or terrorist organizations. If they have, the application will be denied. If they lie about it and say they have not, the application will be denied and they will be charged with a criminal offense.
The first question to be asked on the application, "Are you a member of an organization on the U.S. Department of State Terrorist Exclusion List?" is precisely the question we as a people are embarrassed that Senator McCarthy continually asked: "Are you now, or have you ever been...?" The original version of this bill suggested McCarthyism. The current version puts it front and center.
While it is understandable that the state would prefer not to do business with or employ actual terrorists, it is hard to imagine that someone intent on committing a terrorist act against the United States or the State of Ohio would be deterred by the necessity of denying that goal on a license, contract, or employment application.
· SB 9 confuses immigrants and aliens with terrorists.
SB 9 requires state and local government employees to cooperate with immigration and terrorism investigations, and it places special restrictions only on immigrants. The yoking together of immigration services and terrorism investigations sends a message of intolerance and fear to all immigrants, and it sends the message that Ohio views aliens and terrorists as interchangeable evils. That is a message that encourages hatred and violence, not one that prevents it. SB 9 enshrines discrimination in attitude and fact into our law. And, as a consequence, it makes this state less hospitable to business, less welcoming to tourism, and less safe for all of us.
· SB 9 expands the powers of an unnecessary and dangerous bureaucracy.
One of the lessons of the 9-11 Commission Report is that bureaucracy does not keep us safer. SB 9 expands the duties of the Division of Homeland Security, a division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety. The charge of the Division is to coordinate information among various governmental and private organizations and to encourage the sharing of that information. While it is reasonable and even desirable for governmental agencies to communicate effectively with each other, bringing private organizations into the mix opens a Pandora's Box of data privacy concerns - threatening to turn every individual transaction into a record that can and will be reviewed and analyzed and made part of a database.
· SB 9 duplicates and confounds existing law and is bad for business.
SB 9 duplicates already existing federal statutes and regulations regarding possession, assembly, and use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, explosive devices, and their components. Certainly, we want to keep dangerous weapons out of the wrong hands. However, this bill makes no exception for possession or use of these materials for bona fide research, for medical or pharmaceutical activity, or for other peaceful activity. While it might be that prosecutors will not bring criminal charges against a corporation or individual with a legitimate basis for having or using such materials, the bill certainly exposes nearly every manufacturing or industrial enterprise in Ohio or considering locating here to criminal sanctions.
· SB 9 prevents the public from learning about dangers in their communities.
SB 9 allows business owners and operators, and owner-operators of other facilities, to disclose vulnerabilities and other security concerns to select government agencies. We all hope they would do that. But in the apparent effort to encourage (without requiring) such disclosure, SB 9 exempts this information from public record. If the aim of this bill is protecting the people of this state, what end is served by telling law enforcement that the nuclear power plant might soon experience melt-down but not notifying the neighbors who are in harm's way?
ACLU
So as you can see that the People of Ohio, are in danger of losing there basic rights on the State Level now. If even one state is allowed to oppress its people that is one too many. If Ohio is willing to do this in the name of terror, even though the people object loudly to it, how many other states will follow? As a Nation of Many, we can not allow this to take place. Please join me as a Citizen of the United States, and email, phone, or write Gov. Taft.
At
Governor Bob Taft
30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6117
Phone:(614) 466-3555
Email: Governor's contact page
Another site I find useful is:
A Project of The Conservative Caucus It has all the Phone and Fax numbers of the state Governors, Reps.Send them a copy of your ass, and let them know how you feel, about any form of oppresion.
ABA