Government's Secretive "No-Fly List" Regime Crumbling, says ACLU
Marking the first major victory against the U.S. government's secretive 'No Fly List' on Friday, seven people who challenged their inclusion on the list were finally cleared and told they can once again enjoy the right to board an aircraft and fly commercially over domestic airspace.
Responding to a federal court order that resulted from a challenge brought by the ACLU on behalf of thirteen American citizens placed on the list, Friday's announcement by the Department of Homeland Security was described by one attorney involved with the case as the first ever significant blow to the "unfair and unnecessary secrecy regime" that surrounds the government list that now contains thousands upon thousands of names.
Homeland Security and the TSA are 2 agencies we do not need, never should have been created, but are here because of the fascism intended by the former Administration (The Cheney Years).
It is wonderful to see some progress, however glacial it has been.
One of the plaintiffs notified was Abe Mashal, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and dog trainer who suffered professionally and personally when he could not travel far from his home in Illinois.
“More than four years ago, I was denied boarding at an airport, surrounded by TSA agents, and questioned by the FBI,” said Mashal. “That day, many freedoms that I took for granted were robbed from me. I was never told why this happened, whether I was officially on the list, or what I could do to get my freedoms back. Now, I can resume working for clients who are beyond driving distance. I can attend weddings, graduations, and funerals that were too far away to reach by car or train. I can travel with my family to Hawaii, Jamaica, or anywhere else on vacation. Today, I learned I have my freedoms back."
They did this to a MARINE.
How unAmerican is THAT?
Hopefully this spurs an onslaught of other AMERICANS who want to go someplace on a goddamned plane. There reported to be about 47000 people on the "No-Fly List". So far as we know. They aren't transparent nor are they honest.
Ergo....there is still a LOT of Bush to be cleared from our country.
Congratulations to these lucky people!