Civil Libertarians Warn of ‘Patriot Act Lite’
NEW YORK - Civil libertarians are worried that a little-known anti-terrorism bill now making its way through the U.S. Congress with virtually no debate could be planting the seeds of another USA Patriot Act, which was hurriedly enacted into law after the al Qaeda attacks of Sep. 11, 2001.
The Violent Radicalisation and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, co-authored by the former chair of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Jane Harmon, a California Democrat, passed the House by an overwhelming 400-6 vote last month, and will soon be considered by the Senate.
The bill’s co-author is Republican Congressman David Reichert of Washington State. The Senate version is being drafted by Susan Collins of Maine, the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by the hawkish Connecticut independent, Sen. Joe Lieberman. Harmon is chair of the House Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee.
Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), say the measure could herald a new government crackdown on dissident activity and infiltration of universities under the guise of fighting terrorism.
The CCR’s Kamau Franklin, a Racial Justice Fellow, told IPS, ‘This measure looks benign enough, but we should be concerned about where it will lead. It may well result in recommendations for new laws that criminalise radical thought and peaceful dissent, posing as academic study.’
Franklin added, ‘Crimes such as conspiracy or incitement to violence are already covered by both state and federal statute. There is no need for additional criminal laws.’
He speculated that Congress ‘may want to get this measure passed and signed into law to head off peaceful demonstrations’ at the upcoming Republican and Democratic Party conventions. ‘And no Congressperson of either political party wants to vote against this bill and get labeled as being soft on terrorism.’
Harman’s bill would convene a 10-member national commission to study ‘violent radicalisation’ (defined as ‘the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically-based violence to advance political, religious, or social change’) and ‘homegrown terrorism’ (defined as ‘the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States […] to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives’).
The bill also directs the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to designate a university-based research ‘centre of excellence’ where academics, policy-makers, members of the private sector and other stakeholders can collaborate to better understand and prevent radicalisation and homegrown terrorism. Some experts are concerned that politics will unduly influence which institution DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff will designate.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Chertoff was head of the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ), and played a key role in implementing the department’s roundup of hundreds of Muslims who were detained without charge, frequently abused, and denied access to legal counsel.
Critics of Harmon’s bill point out that commission members would all be appointed by a high-ranking elected official. Those making these appointments would include the president, the secretary of Homeland Security, the speaker and ranking member of the House, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate, and senior members of the House and Senate committees overseeing homeland security.
Critics also fear that the bill’s definitions of ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’ are too vague and its mandate too broad, and that government-appointed commissions could be used as ideological cover to push through harsher laws.
Congressional sponsors of the bill claim it is limited in scope. ‘Though not a silver bullet, the legislation will help the nation develop a better understanding of the forces that lead to homegrown terrorism, and the steps we can take to stop it,’ Harman told Congress.
But the bill’s purpose goes beyond academic inquiry. In a Nov. 7 press release, Harman said, ‘the National Commission [will] propose to both Congress and Chertoff initiatives to intercede before radicalised individuals turn violent.’
According to the Centre for Constitutional Rights, the commission ‘will focus in on passing additional federal criminal penalties that are sweeping and inclusive in criminalising dissent and protest work more surveillance on thought rather than on actions. Further, this bi-partisan attempt can set the ground for an even more acquiescent Congress to presidential power, never wanting to look weak on terrorism.’
The commission would be tasked with compiling information about what leads up to violent radicalisation, and how to prevent or combat it with the intent to issue a final report with recommendations for both preventative and countermeasures.
Implementing the bill would likely cost some 22 million dollars over the 2008-2012 period, according to the Congressional Budget Office. But critics point out that the bill would duplicate work already being done in and out of government.
For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) already has a domestic terrorism unit; the U.S. intelligence community monitors the homegrown terrorists and overseas networks that might be reaching out to U.S. residents; and many universities and think-tanks are already specialising in studying the subject.
But Harman argues that a national commission on homegrown terrorism could benefit the country in much the same way as the 9/11 Commission, the Silberman/Robb Commission or other high-profile national security inquiries.
But groups like the CCR are wondering what exactly is meant by ‘an extremist belief system’.
‘The term is left undefined and open to many interpretations — socialism, anarchism, communism, nationalism, liberalism, etc. — that would serve to undermine expressions that don’t fit within the allowable areas of debate. A direct action led by any group that blocks traffic can be looked upon as being coercive,’ CCR says.
The bill says the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalisation, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the U.S. by providing access to ‘broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to U.S. citizens.’
While civil liberties groups agree that focus on the Internet is crucial, they fear it could set up far more intrusive surveillance techniques, without warrants, and the potential to criminalise ideas and not actions could mean penalties for a stance rather than a criminal act.
The bill also uses the term ‘ideologically-based violence, meaning 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.’
But the CCR and other groups ask, ‘What is force? Is civil disobedience covered under that, if arrested at a protest rally and charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, or even assault, does that now open you up to possible terrorist charges in the future?’
Some of the most egregious terrorist attacks in U.S. history have been carried out by U.S. citizens, including the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995.
© 2007 Inter Press Service
No law in the world will protect the traitors in government from the wrath which will befall them for their cowardess and Anti-American actions. Revolution is inevitable and there is nothing that will stop the changing of the tides. May the freedom fighters across the world unite and defeat Babylon. The empire is falling….we will prevail over the sadistic and evil Nazi whores who have taken control of our nation and military.
“It ain’t safe no more, the street is Vietnam. The older gods only dream tryin to keep it calm. Street tough out here, it’s rough out here and young boys they don’t give a fuck out here. But the government’s the one who put the crack in hoods, we gonna start a revolution take it back for good. And I don’t give a motherfuck about the police, they the reason every single ghetto be having no peace. They puttin poison in the water and I don’t know why this is for the little shorties, hold your head high and don’t cry. Shortie it gets better.” - Vinnie Paz “Army Of The Pharaohs “Baby Don’t Cry”
Rise Ye’ Mighty People!!!
Peace and Love to all…..
MM
marleman56 - now you are talking ! All power to you and yours.
H.R. 1955 is a big problem. If this is PATRIOT Lite, we’ve got problems. See the Mythinfo Blog from last week for more from Harmon’s hearings where activists, scientists, and other academics that question the government’s problematic official views on 9/11 are equated with violent jihadists. Mark Weitzman from the Wiesenthal Center claims these people are supporters of terror and should be punished for anti-U.S. propaganda. Watch the video, See the links. Before this is even law, these people are naming names with no evidence of their claims.. McCarthy would be proud.
to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives’.
Doesn’t this described most of the think tanks such as the AEI, Heritage Foundation, Hoover Institute, Christian Coalition, etc?
The following from the “Project for a New American Century”:
“…advanced forms of biological warfare that can target specific genotypes may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror to a politically useful tool.”
This paper was co-written by Libby and Wolfowitz, plus all the members are either in the Bush administration or in some other influential capacity.
If this law is passed the first group to prosecute would be the PNAC.
hedge
ty for your supportive words. Sometimes I feel completely alone. I should have left my other paragraph in my repost. I can’t remember exactly what I wrote but it was to the effect of dying before ever cowering to the facist f*&ks who are in control of America.
Like the great freedom fighters that came before us, we will stand tall and strong in the face of punishment and death and suffer the pain of those who are too selfish to ever give of themselves so that the world can be free of tyranny. I know that the media and sheep like to paint our troops as those willing to sacrifice for freedom, but IN REALITY they are the tyrants from which we must defend ourselves. It is only a matter of time, weeks or months, I do not think we have years, before the government turns the military on it’s own people. We already see this in the militarization of our police forces. Oppression and suppression are two tools used by tyranical leaders throughout history and this leason has not been lost on the leaders we face today.
May we all be freed from the chains of consumerism and Nazism. May those that have shouldered the burdens of our lathargic citizenry be vindicated and may the United States be the first vanquished empire of the 21st century. If we were gods or devils, angels or demons, I would be godly and angelic. But today we are in human form and so we must emulate humanity. The crimes against us that have been comitted by BUSH AND CO. CAN NOT GO UNPUNISHED, SO AS LONG AS I HAVE A BREATH IN MY BODY I will do all in my power to fight against them. Everything within the rules of the Art Of War and the rules of humanity. For if we fight with guns, we will only fight again, we cannot prevail by killing.
Rasta Revolution….use your minds. Pick up a pen instead of a gun. Read a book instead of watching television. Love instead of hate. Peace instead of war. Defend against ALL ENEMIES FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC!!!!
One day at a time, one hour one minute, one moment….consciously we fight for all that we know is right, against all that is wrong. For we live in a world of pain and suffering, while at the same time feeling pleasure and happiness. We cannot have one without the other and in this time of WAR we look forward to PEACE.
We are treasonous to the Patriot Act, but the Patriot Act is treasonous against the United States and OUR Constitution. So come and get us motherf*&kers because we’re not comming back.
Peace and Love,
MM
Let’s see:
“‘violent radicalisation’ (defined as ‘the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically-based violence to advance political, religious, or social change’) and ‘homegrown terrorism’ (defined as ‘the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States […] to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives’).”
– How is this different from the American Revolution?
More importantly:
“The bill says the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalisation, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the U.S. by providing access to ‘broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to U.S. citizens.’”
–The same could be said of the printing press when it was first introduced. In fact, it could be said of any medium of communication not contyroled by the people who make and enforce the definitions. The underlying logic here is that THE WORD, whatever it may be, must always be mediated by THE STATE.
You all better watch out, otherwise the thought police will get you!!!
I suppose that they think that by outlawing any group that uses protests or civil disobedience as a means for change, it will end the protests.
All it will do is to drive the groups underground.
These laws are just another way to control the population, making us into a unified nation of followers with no desention.
A facist republican/bush/cheney wet dream.
Well, one needs a few more sets of chains added to the burden of being a citizen of the United States before they realize that they have nothing to lose but…
The key line in the story ….
‘This measure looks benign enough, but we should be concerned about where it will lead. It may well result in recommendations for new laws that criminalise radical thought and peaceful dissent, posing as academic study.’
Go read this bill. Not the hype around it. Go to the US congress’ website and read the bill. It sets up a commission. The commission can hold hearings. That’s it. It also has a pork element, where some university will get pork money to set up a ‘center of excellence’ about this topic. But that’s all this bill does.
No changes in law. No real changes in anything that effects anyone. Just a commission holding hearings.
Yes, I agree its a bad idea. Its yet another stupid idea from congresscritters that’s going to waste a bit more of our money. And like the quote above says, it needs to be watched to make sure it doesn’t lead to something else. But we need to be clear that this is the only real danger here … that it might lead to something else.
Calling it the ‘Patriot Act Lite’ is nonsense. To me that’s most likely Christmas fundraising strategy by some of these groups. Trying to scare people into writiing them a check. The Patriot Act had real impacts in law that affect us and our rights. This bill sets up a commission that can go around and talk. That’s it.
As we have clearly learned (we hope) during the Bush administration, laws can be selectively enforced at the will of whomever we elect as Chief Executive. The heads of FBI, CIA, NSA, DHS, and Justice all serve at the “pleasure” of the President. Fret not over the proposed legislation. FRET over who will be running the show. If we goof around and get Giuliani, you are going to be appalled at the striking loss of your civil liberties—with or without “Patriot Lite.” And, he’ll not only infiltrate your whole country with spooks for the duration of his term, he will enshrine them from the Supreme Court for the duration of your life.
Why are such simple matters so hard for us to grasp?
This boilerplate post 9/11, feel-good, statute is vague and toothless.
It was a free vote to look tough on terrorism w/o consequences. For example, every Dem in MA, MN and NY voted for this bill.
Move on, folx.
Wonder if “radicalized individuals” tracks in both directions - like, if I were a member of the Cheneybush cult of death and theft, and I showed up at an anti-everything-Bush rally, and I started yelling and screaming about how Bush is God and all non-believers should be blowed up reel good then shot for the hell of it - go to jail? Or free pass cause I’m “radicalized” the “right” way?
If said bill becomes law, can Ann Coulter be arrested immediately for publicly wishing liberals be murdered and for the NYT building to be bombed? Does the bill have a provision for “economic terrorism”? Or do people who use their ill gotten gains to corrupt government officials and undermine fundamental American values get Freedom Medals?
When you include Congressional Reps like Tancredo and Myrick who state the following quotes in the referenced articles, the situation becomes even more ominous to all U.S. citizens, but especially to Muslims.
“There are consequences to open borders beyond the 20 million aliens who have come to take our jobs,” a voice intones. “Islamic terrorists now freely roam U.S. soil, jihadists who froth with hate, here to do as they have in London, Spain, Russia. The price we pay for spineless politicians who refuse to defend our borders against those who come to kill.”
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/27/campos-americas-worst-congressman/
For more of the same from another Congressman:
U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick Representing North Carolina’s Ninth District February 26, 2007 Contact: Andy Polk(202) 225-1976
Understanding The True Nature of Terrorism
“My principle concern in this day and age of terrorism is: the general public doesn’t understand the threats we face from radical jihadists, who they are, what they want, and what we can do about the threat. Americans are not being properly informed about the nature of the jihadist threat and their plans to do us harm……”
http://www.house.gov/list/speech/nc09_myrick/TerrorismCaucusoped22607.html
Congressional Paul Revere Warns Nation About Islamofascist Threat
http://www.investors.com/editorial/editorialcontent.asp?secid=1502&status=article&id=280364244485437
Harmon - nuff said.
Arguably, in western legal tradition since the Magna Carta, crimes are prosecuted based on the severity of the transgression — not based on who’s doing it. So if we get a amok politicians who run roughshod over the Constitution, Bill of Rights, economy, etc. how can one imagine more of a direct hit against America than that?
WHAT’S ALL THE HYSTERIA ABOUT? CALM DOWN FOLKS, EVERYTHING
IS UNDER CONTROL … EVERYTHING
This bill, now before the Senate as S 1959:
1) Expands the jurisdiction of domestic spying to the wide, gratuitous latitude and depth applied recently to international spying activity. FISA? What FISA?
2) Gives the U.S. government power over its citizens no less than that given by Bush to himself as emergency powers designed to suspend all government authority not directly issued by him.
3) Makes the internet explicitly, directly accessible for domestic spy activities on par with international spying liberties.
4) Makes illegal a wide variety of intentions and motivations easily interpreted due to vagueness, to fit desired outcomes necessary to declare arbitrary criminal status.
5) Constitutes high tech book burning by enabled banning of selected websites. Consider the irony with the cartoon of the Muslim Cleric which resulted in an outcry by Radical Islam to ban its publication - now the U.S. government wants the ability to do the same thing - ban “dangerous” publications, particularly on the internet, taking attacks on net neutrality to a whole new level. One more time - we’re fighting WHO in Iraq and spreading WHAT democracy?
6) Cleverly adds terms and phrases designed to tie in and expand existing legislation in the same area. This tightens up and contradicts severely whatever distance exists between “existing law designed to preserve civil liberties” and all the anti-terror laws and regulations, including this new one, designed to curtail civil liberties.
In other words, once in place seemingly in benign form as a commission, a raft of “exceptions” to existing law immediately come into play as attorneys cite the intent of S 1959 itself as justification to investigate, well … what else … INTENT and MOTIVATION, based on what people READ or are otherwise exposed to on the internet.
Well, hey, why not just declare ANARCHY on every other Tuesday, sort of like a repeating ORANGE-RED alert embellished with DUCT-TAPE handouts, just to keep the rowdy ones in line, particularly those who believe free speech INCLUDES ACCESS to other speech.
Practically what it means is that the gross, bulging incompetence of the Homeland Security apparatus will be enabled to descend onto U.S. inhabitants in a “Reno-911″ comic-tragedy fashion, turning entire physical and virtual internet locations as desired into mini-versions of airport security processing centers, like a Michael Chertoff wet dream.
Meanwhile, the privatized welfare warriors - the scabs and parasites who wrote up this bill, like the reported “expert” on terrorism, Brian Michael Jenkins of the Rand Corporation - continue to draw huge salaries and benefits as they live - figuratively - off the bowls of $14 cereal in Iraq. Where ARE the PATRIOTS in this picture?
“Now folks, just calm down … it’s working … there’s been no further attacks since 9-11.”
Of course if they had spent TEN times the current amount on security and curtailed civil liberties TEN times as much, they’d say the EXACT same thing … which is where they seem to be headed.
“‘And no Congressperson of either political party wants to vote against this bill and get labeled as being soft on terrorism.’”
This is the same BS we’re given every single day. They are NOT afraid of looking “soft of terrorism”, they are simply afraid of losing their power and being challenged. They are terrified of the citizens of this nation. They are totally paranoid. The above is a damn lame excuse by them and writers whom repeat it. They are afraid, but not about losing any election. “They” win either way. They know it, and we should all know it by now.
But, they should be afraid. Any and everyone with any notion of intelligence knows the jig is up. The scam(s) are now totally exposed. The men (and women) behind the (first) curtain are seen for what they are. Traitors of the constitution and of basic law as we were all taught from 1st grade. They are murderers, looters, criminals. That’s all.
The only peaceable way of protest, the only thing they understand and will suscumb to, is by us buying nothing. The least as possible. The bare necessities.
Squeeze the money.
Its ALL they understand.
And yeah, bring the troops home. Place them at the door of the White House to escort this scum and the rest of these criminals to jail.
If this is not about abridging freedom of speech, I don’t know what is. And to think that - according to the Constitution - Congress is to make no law regarding it.
Just shows you how behind I am, and gee I didn’t think that I was any threat to the New American Empire.
Just how long are we going to put up with this “boogeyman’s gonna getcha” mentality?
Several years ago, the secretary of education, Rod Paige, made a freudian slip when he referred to the members of our largest professional educators organization, the NEA, as “terrorists.” What must these powerful people be saying and thinking behind closed doors? When questioners must be tased, when peaceful protestors must be banished and arrested, what could this law do? Will the committee become, like The House Unamerican Activities Committee, a method of blacklisting and controlling as they attacked teachers in the universities and those in the media who were too liberal for them? The committee would be under the Executive branch, not answerable to Congress. There is nothing inocuous about this legislation.
Funny, the “Patriot” Act II already passed stealthily in 2003 during the “Saddam captured” media frenzy. I can’t believe that even us folks on the Left would forget. In any case, the DAMAGE is already done. The Left needs to stop believing in their current “government” and start fighting for a new one that actually represents the people’s interests. Gawd, it sucks to see this country boxed in the LOSERS’ column !
Nothing to worry about? I read the law, maybe the above people that claim it is harmless should re read it with dictionary in hand. You have to look up definitions of the words they use in this law, lets pick one word used in the law- radical…
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radical
1:…relates the term in plant terms etc. root…
2: of or relating to the origin : fundamental
3
a: marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional : extreme
b: tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions
c: of, relating to, or constituting a political group associated with views, practices, and policies of extreme change
d: advocating extreme measures to retain or restore a political state of affairs
4 slang : excellent, cool
Those definitions of the word would be enough to cart away 90% of the people that blog on here, fly them to another country to be tortured and disposed of, never-to-be-seen-again.
Good luck fuckers, this is a dangerous law.
Great- now the people of the U.S. have a weapon to use against these asshole politicians. Based on this bill, these jerk-offs in the house and senate are terrorising us so now its hang time on them. Hang that bitch, Jane Harmon and her supporters.
from wikipedia- radical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical
# Extremism, political standpoints that are perceived as revolutionary or extreme
# Radicalization, the transformation from passiveness or activism to more revolutionary, militant or extreme postures
“Give me Liberty, or give me death” How would the jerk-offs characterize that? Hate thought? Oh shit, I used the internet. That must be hate type.
Radicalism, in practice, is quite different from that wikipedia quote above. Radicals are those without power who try to achieve it. Changing the social order is radical. It has very little to do with content of action, and quite a bit more to do with who’s doing it.
Fellas/Fellettes, I hate to burst our collective bubble, but this bill is for US. Us Common Dreamers.
The bill is worded as to make THIS THREAD and EVERYONE IN IT illegal. A felony in fact. This would very likely be true even without marleyman56’s posts, it is most certainly true with them present.
(marleyman, this is no dig against you brother, you’re a free man exercising free speech. It’s the bill that I’m taking issue with, not you.)
If you think I’m paranoid, read the thing. It’s so open ended that you could probably make a case for using it to prosecute a sewing circle for being overly critical in their newsletter editorials about a certain brand of thread. Disgusting.
*sigh*
Oh, and on a side note, welcome back Daniel David, I hope you’ve prepared a new script for us since your short leave. The old one was getting a bit dusty.
Paul Bramscher
so you don’t beleive the 2 terms would be tied together in any way? What else would you call someone who does the radicalism? would he not be called a radical?
what would Rush Limbagh call him?
what would FOX news call him?
what would GW Bush call him?
what would Dick Cheney call him?
I rest my case.
My Constitution Clearly says, “Congress shall make NO Law…” NO Law. Borrowing from the Feminists of the 70’s when engaged with a Neanderthal Male who just didn’t “get it”, I ask my Congress Now… just what part of NO don’t you understand?!?!?!?
`SEC. 899A. DEFINITIONS.
`For purposes of this subtitle:
`(1) COMMISSION- The term `Commission’ means the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism established under section 899C.
`(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION- The term `violent radicalization’ means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.
`(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
`(4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE- The term `ideologically based violence’ means 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.
At what point does this “incessant paranoia” over national security, which is viewed by many as an excuse to shred the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, become treason?
“To erect and concentrate and perpetuate a large moneyed interest…must in the course of human events produce one or other of two evils; the prostration of agriculture at the feet of commerce, or a change in the present form of federal government, fatal to the existence of American liberty.” - Patrick Henry
Thoughts and the Internet is what they want to monitor and a dem who puts this up is of no comfort to me on our freedoms. Tony
Gifts of God: 1. Love 2. Family 3. Freedom
Why these three; yes indeed why?
Love
To have a world without the uplifting and life affirming nature of this thing called love leaves us where we are today.
Even critters are more tolerant and loving than we as a human species should be considering our relative nearness to the Creator of all.
The love I speak of is: Consider the world as a home and every human as family and be a benevolent steward towards all other living creatures and you will see the wish of the all encompassing God.
Family
Here is a step; a step towards the ultimate understanding that all are a family as a human species. With the goal of a family of nations, of all peoples!
We start with the family of blood move to a family of interests, neighbors, on to cities, states or whatever they are called in other places and as you can see; a family of all.
This growing towards this ultimate goal has been the thrust of some in history and yet greed, power, the subjection of others turned a quest into a tragedy.
Freedom
Safety in fear is not freedom! It is a false choice for you get a negative trying to masquerade as a positive and in the process tyranny appears.
Freedom is of choice, yes, choices with responsibilities; responsibilities to others and not just to the me. For with the choice of the me; is this not greed and tyranny?
There are many more words and ideals of the gifts of a creator and yet, for me, these three: Love, Family, Freedom must stand together to usher in a world livable for all.
Tony 3/12/07 Where my heart is.
you really have to break it up to see that it is not talking about just violent acts….
(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism’ means the use,
planned use,
or
threatened use,
of
FORCE ….(remember that word)
or
violence
by
a group
or
individual …….(wow, just 1 person?)
born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to
intimidate
or
coerce
the United States government,
….(note all this below)
the civilian population
of the United States,
or
any segment
thereof, in furtherance of
political
or
social
objectives.
All you people that post here are FUCKED. You fit the definition.
What is the definition of -force….
from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/force
1force Listen to the pronunciation of 1force
Pronunciation:
\ˈfȯrs\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *fortia, from Latin fortis strong
Date:
14th century
1 a (1): strength or energy exerted or brought to bear : cause of motion or change : active power (2)capitalized —used with a number to indicate the strength of the wind according to the Beaufort scale b: moral or mental strength c: capacity to persuade or convince 2 a: military strength b (1): a body (as of troops or ships) assigned to a military purpose (2)plural : the whole military strength (as of a nation) c: a body of persons or things available for a particular end d: an individual or group having the power of effective action eoften capitalized : police force —usually used with the3: violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing4 a: an agency or influence that if applied to a free body results chiefly in an acceleration of the body and sometimes in elastic deformation and other effects b: any of the natural influences (as electromagnetism, gravity, the strong force, and the weak force) that exist especially between particles and determine the structure of the universe5: the quality of conveying impressions intensely in writing or speech
synonyms see power
— force·less Listen to the pronunciation of forceless \-ləs\ adjective
— in force
1: in great numbers 2: valid, operative
This is proof that, their stage-managed bickering and lust for power aside, the Democrats and Republicans, with a few exceptions, are working hand-in-glove to erode civil liberties and undermine democracy. This is yet another Nuremburg law, using fear of terrorism as a pretext for imposing totalitarian rule.
The 9/11 attacks could have been prevented had Bush, Cheney, Freeh, Tenet and Rice acted on credible, reasonably specific warnings. The failure wasn’t one of law, but of judgment. The numerous, draconian and often blatantly unconstitutional measures passed since then have done absolutely nothing to enhance our security, but much to enhance the security of war criminals, profiteers and crooks.
Golddogs,
If Bush/Cheney/MSM/etc. want to do something radical like hose the Constitution, delete the Bill of Rights, trash the economy, sell out the country to foreign/corporate interests, etc. they are operating with power under their belts. And so they remain The Establishment. If they are radical, in their actions, are they not subject to the laws described in this bill?
It’s comparable to what happened to the Church for almost a two thousand years. Rather than being on the side of forgiveness, tolerance, humility, etc. it morphed into the opposite. Institutionalization of radicalism. When rule of law no longer applies, it’s entirely WHO commits the radical act, what authority they’re granted — not the act itself.
goldog is closest to the truth of the bill in my humble opinion.
AxelLawyer apparently has missed the thinking that the named individuals either fomented 9/11 or enabled the course of events to create a ‘pearl harbor’ type incident to implement the plan they wrote in 1998 called the Project for a New American Century.
Sorry, as a verb…..
What is the definition of -force….
from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/force
1: to do violence to; especially : rape
2: to compel by physical, moral, or intellectual means
3: to make or cause especially through natural or logical necessity
4
a: to press, drive, pass, or effect against resistance or inertia
b: to impose or thrust urgently, importunately, or inexorably
5: to achieve or win by strength in struggle OR violence: as
a: to win one’s way into
b: to break open or through
6
a: to raise or accelerate to the utmost
b: to produce only with unnatural or unwilling effort
c: to wrench, strain, or use (language) with marked unnaturalness and lack of ease
7 a: to hasten the rate of progress or growth of b
Naomi Wolf, author of “The End of America: Letter of Warning to A Young Patriot”, was on democracy now today. www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/11/28/159221
Th whole law also represents us folks against our current administration, don’t you think? If this law passes I would like to think that the supreme court could/would override it to save bushco from peril. I think its time folks.
Golddogs - I hear what you are saying but truthfully I think it could jeopardize all of our media sources, our MSM, along with half, if not all, of the religious people in office anywhere, in the government or the private sector, unless they never bring up the subject of faith. Remember the soldier who was treated unfairly by his captain for not following him in prayer? That is the use of force by our leaders. He has a case, he was disadvantaged.
Hey! I feel terrorized by my (un)elected leaders. Do I have a case? We should write that up and go for the gold. How many feel the same about our leaders? Are they working to fulfill their job descriptions? I think not, they deserve the worst punishment we can give them legally!
Really! We could submit a challenge, couldn’t we? Who is a real lawyer, civil liberty lawyer?
We can do it if we try!
Here’s a link to the video of the Intelligence Sub-Committee Hearing held by Jane Harman about a week ago with the representatives from The Rand Corporation and The Simon Wiesenthal Center.
I do believe these men specifically, in a Power Point presentation, mentioned Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth and “The 9/11 Truth Movement” in general as being propaganda groups who are a threat to national security because they are showing “doctored videos” and have influenced the majority of Americans to DOUBT the “official” story of the “9/11 Commission Report”.
Here’s the link:
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=7339
I would also like to mention, in light of the passage of this bill in the House (and probably in the Senate….Barack Obama is on the Senate Sub-Committee BTW), that “Loose Change: Final Cut” is available online on DVD. I saw it and there is valuable new information in it that everyone needs to see. Buy it, get your friends/family over to the house to watch it while you still legally can.
It is very important for everyone to watch this hearing, particularly in light of all the highly esteemed individuals who are currently questioning the “official” story of 9/11 such as: David Ray Griffin, The Jersey Girls and other widows, relatives and friends of those who lost their lives on 9/11, many NYC firemen and first responders, respected physicists, engineers, architects, college professors, retired CIA and FBI officers and many in upper areas of the military….not to mention MILLIONS of everyday Americans who have eyes to see. And I’m not talking about “doctored” videos. I’m talking about the live shots we all watched that day of WTC 1, 2 and 7 coming down at freefall speed, what many of the commentators that morning declared looked just like “controlled demolitions.”
Watch “Loose Change: Final Cut”, and the hearing. Then come back to these pages and give your opinion. I for one am very interested in hearing what all of you think.
And lastly, remember what Ari Fleischer said the day after 9/11: “You had better watch what you DO and watch what you SAY.” And now we are about to get “The Homegrown Terrorism” Act.
“The commission would be tasked with compiling information about what leads up to violent radicalisation, and how to prevent or combat it with the intent to issue a final report with recommendations for both preventative and countermeasures.”
What leads to violent radicalization? We already know this. In some cases it’s racism or religious zealotry, like the Ku Klux Klan or Al Qaeda. In other cases it’s outrage over elite privileges or some bad government policy, like Great Britain’s 1774 Intolerable Acts, which closed Boston’s port and stripped Massachusetts of the right to govern itself.
I wonder whether right-wing militia gun nuts will oppose this bill. Hey you guys in the camouflage outfits! Yeah, you! This bill means Ted Kennedy will send the UN’s black helicopters after you! Stop it before they outlaw deer-hunting, take away your guns and rob you of your manhood!
Congress must be hearing from the people and not liking what they are hearing. Perhaps fear of the people motivated the Harman bill. I suppose if I were in Congress I would be worried too given the way they have sold out the people for Corporate campaign donations. The people are awakening and it scares the shyt out of them as well it should. A tidal wave of change is on the horizon and heading straight for Washington. Something tells me they are really beginning to see it despite their conscious attempts at denial. It’s getting through…
Know the animal for what it truly is, my friend.
militantliberal says they gonna take your “David Johnson”!
OK. Somebody explain this to me please. Either I just don’t get it or I’m stupid. Tell me which…
We keep talking about politicians being in Corporations pockets–ignoring the will of the people. What drives these corporations? Is it not the stockholders desire for higher profits, larger returns at any cost? So if the stockholders don’t like what actions the corporations are taking, why not sell your shares in that corporation. This would send a clear mesaage to the corporation that a particular course of action is unacceptable and also cut off it’s cash flow.
Who are these stockholders that own these corporations? I’m not positive, but I would guess the majority of them are owned by you and I. That’s right, you and I. We own them either through direct stock purchases or through funds (retirement accounts, etc). Do we not prod these corporations to produce a better return in order to increase the value of our nesteggs?
Maybe we need to be looking more closely within and take more ownership of the actions by our corporations. Look at what a corporation you invest in does. If you don’t like the actions it undertakes for your benefit, sell, sell, sell! Believe me, they will get the picture very quickly.
Of course with corporate “donations” drying up, politicians would once again have to look to constituents for political direction. Seems pretty straight forward and easy to fix, it just puts the burden on each of us to know what our money is doing, hence what is being done in our name.
And for anyone who says we can’t “sell, sell, sell” because it would destroy the economy, take a look around. The economy is already shot and won’t get any better on it’s own!
I believe our collective voice demanding change comes across like a broken record. Only individually do we anylonger have the power to effect change. Each and every one of our votes come election time and each and every one of our corporate shares will drive the direction we will proceed in. Allowing actions to be undertaken by “proxy” leaves us with the collective broken record. Don’t go with the crowd, stand tall and proceed with what you feel is proper, moral, just and all else WILL follow!
Let’s fix the root problem, not bandage the symptoms.
As i said on the other thread dealing with this topic, i’ll say it again here. I declare myself a homegrown terrorist. I am a terrorist FOR the US of A. The US of A in my memory (which is long gone) and the US of A which could be. Whats it gonna be?
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/19/5320/
By the way, i am a HUGE threat to america. I have a home, a wonderful wife who is a kindergarden teacher, two beautiful daughters who study piano, play SIMS, and take dancing lessons. I am a member in good standing in my neighborhood home owner’s association, and in fact i’ve worked hard to beautify our neighborhood circle and help folks in the neighborhood start talking to each other. I am a registered professional engineer in NC and SC, and i have a very large family of brothers, sisters, and cousins consisting of professors/teachers, doctors, lawyers, printers, reporters, nurses and other threatening professions.
I’m waiting - come take me away. Take me and take all the others. You can try to intimidate and bully, but in the end those who try to dominate will either learn or die. That is how it is today.
DC is done for. DC stands for Dis-Connected from the People. DC stands for darth chains and DC stands for bush & chains inc. murder for oil campaign. This law is a joke and so is the made up city of DC.
Later folks - it seems to me that things may start getting real ugly real soon if those in DC don’t wake up to reality.
Peace is what i want, but i will not give up my liberty.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
In case anyone missed the Republican debate last night, CNN would never admit it, nor any of the other MSM, but the highlight of the evening was when they showed Ron Paul’s campaign “commercial”. There were thousands of people at his rallies and at the end a giant banner was hoisted that said “Ron Paul REVOLUTION”.
When questioned about the content of the video he proclaimed to Anderson Cooper, “Can’t you see what’s happening out there? The people are sick and tired of their rights being stripped and their money being squandered! There’s a revolution brewing out in America and none of you can even see it coming!”
Now, I’ll admit I’m paraphrasing the quote from Ron Paul, but what I’m saying is pretty damn close as to my memory of it.
THAT was the defining moment of the debate. If his campaign doesn’t upload that onto YouTube they’re nuts.
IByteMKH November 29th, 2007 3:26 am
“Who are these stockholders that own these corporations? I’m not positive, but I would guess the majority of them are owned by you and I.”
IByteMKH,
“Edward Wolff of New York University points out that between 1983 and 2004, the average wealth of the top 1 percent of households grew by 78 percent, while the bottom 40 percent lost 59 percent.”
The latest figures I read indicate that 57 percent of the wealth in this country is owned by the top 1%. Out of that 1 percent, 1/10th of 1% own most of that 57%.
ABBY B WOOD – Wonderful News Thank you,
Viva la Revolucion!
Namaste
__ __ __ __ We must be the change
__ __ __ __ we wish to see in the world __ Gandhi
Questions from earlier comments:
“Who are these stockholders that own these corporations? I’m not positive, but I would guess the majority of them are owned by you and I.”
“The latest figures I read indicate that 57 percent of the wealth in this country is owned by the top 1%. Out of that 1 percent, 1/10th of 1% own most of that 57%.”
Check:
http://www.inequality.org/
Click on “By the Numbers” and page down to the pie charts on wealth distribution and stock ownership.
In 2004, the wealthiest 1% had 34.3% of the wealth; the next 9% had 36.9%. The rest of us, 90% of us, had only 28.7% of wealth.
For stocks, 1% of people owned 36.9% of stocks; 9% had 41.9%. Again, the rest of us, 90% of us, had only 21.3% of stocks.
I have always felt, things have to get a lot worse before they get better…before Americans finally wake up and storm the streets.
Harmons’s bill is really the beginning!!!!!
However, we must never forget, the Internet is our one firm place to stand, and given the lever of the Internet, we can move the world.
This is what the monied elite fear most of all.
Therefore, we must protect the freedom of the Internet above all other interests.
I am now changing my Log-In Name on CommonDreams, as I still would like to be able to board a plane.
I don’t plan on flying on any planes. All the big planes (and the little military ones) should be grounded for the sake of the planet and the People (all of us) who reside here.
Ken Hausle
self-declared homegrown terrorist
a terrorist because i try to tell the truth…(please let me know if i have any of the fact incorrect…)
Steven V Riley: Bin Laden (supposedly) blew things up on 9/11. The only way a nation can lose a “war on terror” is to let acts like that curtail our freedoms. And, indeed, they did susequently curtail our freedoms.
The only way that bills like this have any bite is if people self-censor in cowardice. Where in this bill does it prohibit free speech? Political satire?
No genuine peace/freedom patriot — our own founding fathers, MLK, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, etc. who was silenced so easily. Even in prison they are not silenced.
Anyone advocating self-censorship, certainly, should go censor himself. Anyone hoping the whole movement clams up, clearly, has some other motive floating around in the background.
I’ve posted anti-conservative rants for over a decade on the internet, and never been bothered by the government. It hasn’t led to any positive change whatsoever, but it remains an affirmation of the health of free speech here: we’ve still got it. Only self-censorship will genuinely curtail it.
The Los Angeles assistant police chief in charge of security from “radicalized” persons testified before Congress on the topic of homegrown terrorism. He no doubt helped sell them on the idea that such a law is needed AND would be constitutional(!!!!). The day after the House passed this bill, he started a police department project to “map” all the Muslims living in the L.A. area. The outrage and outcry were so furious he was forced to cancel the project and admit that he and his department would have to find another way to “reach out” to those in danger of being radicalized.
The commission to be created by our current right-wing administration will not be a harmless body. It will travel the U.S. identifying the ideologies that it feels should be targeted by Homeland Security. That could be anyone, couldn’t it, who does not buy into the policies of the fascists now in charge? You, me, the ACLU, People for the American Way, the Quakers, all peace groups, et cetera.
GOTTA STOP IT IN THE SENATE.
” the legislation will help the nation develop a better understanding of the forces that lead to homegrown terrorism.”
The nation or at least its more discerning citizens already can recognize the forces that lead to homegrown terrorism :
A bloated and completely unjust healthcare system
A middleclass becoming the poorclass not seen since the Great Depression.
Superior education for elite ; substandard education for the rest
Foot-dragging-responce-pace to local disastors
Regular army soldiers earning a fraction of the salaries of mercenaries for equivalent jobs performed.
Thousands , maybe even millions of Iraq-Afghanistan-Vietnam- occupation veterans wandering the streets undiagnosed and untreated waiting for a trigger to reenact a Columbine or a Virginia Tech.
Itès time for those discerning Americans to do what many but not enough discerning Jews did in Europe in 1932: Git out.
Ronald White - Obviously each individual must choose to do what makes the most sense for them, but i am not going anywhere. This is my home and i will defend it with my life. I will not run away and there are many more who feel likewise or for whom running away is simply not an option.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
“passed the House by an overwhelming 400-6 vote last month”
Who were the 6?
Hey ya’ll.
At 5:45 pm this afternoon (EST) Dennis Kucinich is having a live streaming event here:
http://www.kucinichtv.com/
At around 7:30 pm this evening there will be a live discussion about impeachment with a guest from The Downing Street Minutes etc.
Please help by passing this post along to others.
Also, go to the website now and you can contribute a question for the events.
Thanks!
Guys,
Just to warn you: this crap is happening right now all over the world. Last night goverment relvolt/protest happened in the Capitols of Venezuela and the Philippines. Both events were in response to both presidents (elected under very suspicious contaminated circumstances) trying to change/suspend their constitutions.
Sound familiar?
Guess who called and offered support/assistance? The U.S. State department.
Manila was under a curfew last night because demonstrations were scheduled to make the president resign after impeachment “was taken off the table.” The media was arrested for the first time since WWII.
Bushmonkey fingerprints are all over the democratic crackdowns in dozens of countries around the world. Thailand and Burma are two that come to mind most recently. The motive? Mulitnational Fortune 500 dominance. We are in the grips of the Robber Baron’s “New World Order”, ( a One-world-government cooked up by the biggest terrorist organization Americans have ever faced: Skull and Bones) The fictitious evil organization SPECTER in the James Bond movies was nothing compared to this version of organized crime. This secret Yale society fits the new proposed radicalization law perfectly. We all need to call DHS and inform them that we know of a domestic home-grown terrorist organization called “Skull and Bones” operating secretly within Yale University.
It’s members have infiltrated government posts and the boardrooms of Wall Street. The biggest problem of all though is a real pisser: DHS works for the members of this domestic terrorist organization! I told you guys these corporate monopolists would try to shut down the internet, and: they’re trying.
Free speech isn’t free, you have to fight for it. They may try to muzzle us law-abiding taxpayers soon….. Don’t let em.
“Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech.” If they kill off your free speech sites, resolve to make new ones!
Keep commenting. Keep speaking out.
pac
We don’t need to fight for free speech, really. Just to exercise it. So long as there are tens of millions of anti-Bush blog posts every year, none of us has to worry. Power in numbers. It always works that way.
For all of her problems, by any yardstick America still has freer speech than most other countries.
Yet I worry that’s part of the plan in some way. They recognize that the people need to vent. Better that they blow off some harmless steam through the safety valve of free speech than if they jumped to some other means of discourse via pressure buildup.
Paul Bramscher - yes, but venting is getting kind of empty. Substantative change is coming, whether THEY want it or not, and hopefully those of us here can see the writing on the wall so that we can prepare.
All of this political nonsense means very little in the “big scheme” of things where “Momma Earth” is going to be calling all of the shots. Why don’t we all just get on board with Momma? She seems nice and comfy to me and she is the one i want to be with. To go on belaborously she probably just wants us to treat her with reverence, and then the fruits of the earth are there for the taking.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
(God, I hope this doesn’t come out in half caps again.)
Agreed Paul,
Free Speech is a Use it or lose it type of thing. “Fight” is a figure of speech as I used it. (the bold HTML function got stuck on somehow: I think I forgot to leave a space behind the escape delimiter.) An example is: we should all support the ACLU as a way to _fight_big_brother . I feel we should all speak out against laws passed by congress which are clearly unconstitutional; because if we don’t, the next law will erode a little more of your freedoms (e.g. no comments about government officials.)
On the other hand, the Good Germans of 1937 Berlin felt much the same way when the press was overtaken and the elections were phonied up. They still had a good life in the Fatherland. A better life than the life of citizens of “most other countries.” Thousands of them made jokes about Hitler, so, by your logic, none of them had anything to worry about. “Power in numbers. It always works that way.”
Are you Sure?
Are you positive that two million jews can’t be skillfully silenced and made to disappear right under the citizen’s noses? Do you think the jews “had nothing to worry about?” Do you think the citizens of Hamburg had nothing to worry about when their only published means of dissent were exterminated?
Later their lack of worry would manifest itself in a term known as “Aluminum Overcast” which got most of them killed.
So after a long series of little erosions of our liberties have transpired, there’s just two words for us left: Extraordinary Rendition; or as Pol Pot used to say “All Intellectuals have been disappeared.” This is also what happens with most aircraft and automobile accidents: no one can add up all the apparent minor factors and foresee a tragedy. Night, rain, oil on the road, old wipers, a tired trucker = one hundred car pileup. (happens every year on the I-5 on the west coast.) No one of those individual factors caused the accident. But ignoring this “perfect storm” of government over-reaching will.
pac
“The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” - Thomas Jefferson
All power to the people and their democratic institutions, which by virtue of the First Amendment, they have every right! We all know who this is going to target: peace activists, Muslim leaders, environmental and animal rights groups, and so on.
Democrats fell for it too, huh? No surprise there. Why dont I hear more about this? More government secrecy and conspiracies to strip us of our rights and liberties?
“Patriots and tyrants” - Jefferson hit the nail on the head. Thanx for the quote pacplyer.
pacplyer,
Laws that cannot be enforced are little more than smoke. There are many people (whether the American Bar, ACLU, activists, etc.) who feel in their gut that we’re descending toward a state of lawlessness. This cuts both ways sometimes. As leadership ignores laws that society would bind them toward (e.g. Magna Carta), they may begin to create laws that they cannot possibly enforce on the populace. Indeed, when fear itself becomes the primary tool of government, it’s clear that things are in rough shape.
The thread in this forum is on the homegrown terrorism act, and it appeared to be aimed specifically at violent groups. I have no worries for fully above-board progressive individuals or organizations. But, rather, I wonder whether it includes those in political office. What if some extremist nut (whatever his religion) begins to wreck the US? Dismantle the Constitution, Bill of Rights, rule of law, etc. S/he arguably qualifies as a domestic terrorist under this bill.
Hitler/Jews. Fascists need external bogeymen. It’s clear that Bush was given the go-ahead with an important caveat: do whatever the hell you want, but drop the anti-semitism. So it became the abstracted and perpetual/perennial terrorist instead.
The bogeyman must always be an external thing. Had Hitler aimed the bulk of his wrath at working- and middle-class Germans, it’s not unlikely that he’d have been assassinated before WWII. Then again, Stalin and Pol Pot did a pretty good job at f-king over their own countries and retaining power.
I was watching a TV program on the history station about the FBI and the Klu Klux Klan. It seems the FBI was breaking into homes without cause or court orders all the time. They would send letters to mens wives telling them their husbands were cheating. They were involved in the death of the freedom fighters in Mississippi. There are even letters that have surfaced showing their attempts to shut down Martin Luther King using faked porno tapes and death threats. Before I die I would like to know why they shot down Wellstones plane?
nortonpartick writes: “Before I die I would like to know why they shot down Wellstones plane?”
Before i die, there are many things i would like to know. One of which is how things have gotten so low that the House of Representatives would pass such an absurd liberty-stealing bill by such an overwhelming majority. I hope we have reached bottom because this is senseless.
The congress-critters need to realize that their value is approaching zero.
Peace,
Ken Hausle
Chertoff recently stated before Congress that he fully expects the next terrorist attack on U.S. soil to come from one of two sources: militant Islamists or radical anti-war Americans. How long will he tolerate civil disobedience or even strident protestors like Code Pink members? I mean, the cops already charge them with “assaulting a police officer” after pushing their faces onto the floor. Under this law, they could be charged with terrorism or sedition and locked away for a long time. And they would have no protection against being tortured. Very frightening stuff. We are very close to being in the same position as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Hans Von Dohanyi were in Nazi-occupied Germany, where we have to redefine what we are living for and what we are going to stand up against.
it is NOT talking about just violent acts….
(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism’ means-
the use, planned use, or threatened use,
of
FORCE ….(remember that vague word)
OR ( it does NOT have to be violence, but “force” alone)
violence
by a group OR INDIVIDUAL…….( just 1 person)
born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to
INTIMIDATE ( very broad and inclusive)
or
coerce
the United States government,
the CIVILIAN population
of the United States,
or
ANY SEGMENT
thereof, in furtherance of
POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives. POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives. POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives. POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives. POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives. POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives.POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives.POLITICAL or SOCIAL objectives.