"It explicitly prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from violating the civil rights and personal liberties of U.S. citizens, guaranteeing personal freedoms while advancing the security of the country."

Hah......
we should trust homeland security with our civil liberties? they have already been trampled on. these new laws are just making it easier to heard us into camps and detention centers lawfully. i am waiting for a new law with loose wording that will strip an american of his/her citizenship after engaging in terrorist activities(anti-war rallies). this way they can trial us at guantanamo.

righton lastsheep. Like our laws are actually doing anything to protect us. Until we the people stand up to this and start putting our butts on the line, i'm afraid nothing is going to change.

Sounds like BS to me… Free speech and free thought… Always… even for those you don't agree with… Like most of the people I meet…

Is it time to take to the streets?

How many American citizens are in prison right now, and have been for months, without charges, not even for speaking out but just because they are of Arab origin?

How many protesters have already been jailed or even tasered just for protesting?

The US Coonstituion and Bill of Rights are gravely in need of serious revival!!!

The bill, which contains language about protecting civil rights and civil liberties, from those who dare to have 'un-approved' thoughts.
Big Brother insures that we do what we are told without question and now to think as we are told or it's off to Room 101 for us.

And how about government terrorism, like cointel pro, and violent police repression of legitimate protests?

Paving the way for legal prosecutions using thought reading technology.

See the gov decided that the method isn't as important as the LAW. So make the law, and then admit to using the method.

Stupid example, but hey: it's been legal to arrest someone for resisting arrest way before stun guns were around. The government didn't have to get a new law (or re-write an old law) to allow stun guns to be used in the arresting of someone for resisting arrest.

This government is evil.

How many remember the Un-American Activities Commission? Nixon, Mundt, McCarthy, etc., ran amok after WW11 and created a time in U.S. history we should not forget.
They had liberal publications banned To name a few, "P.M." newspaper, "In-Fact", which was published weekly. Both of these publications worked hard to end discrimination and finally were able to get "No Jews or Colored People need to apply" stricken from want-ads. They also published stories about misleading ads by cigarette companies, and the list goes on. I almost left out the witch-hunts, which ruined many, many careers in Hollywood and Broadway.
Don't let it happen again.
This is one step towards, "mind control", we should not let this happen!

"Homeland Security" is an Orwellian title of a domestic fascist terrorist organization designed to terrorize citizens of its own country. The "Department of Scum" is more like it. We were terrorized by our own government on 9/11 and we and the world continue to be terrorized by them. There's no one to fear but THEY who are manufacturing the fear.

Peaceman:

"Is it time to take to the streets?"

its about 7 and a half years too late. there should have been 10,000,000 people marching to DC in December of 2000 to evict your supreme court and the squatter in the WH.

First they set up a law were it is illegal to hold violent and radical belief systems.

Then they have what they consider the sticky point of our 4th Amendment rights against illegal search and seizures.

So they at first plan to only use information gained from thought reading technology to prosecute people for violent thoughts, plans and belief systems (not telling us what other cases have been prosecuted already without this method of gathering information being exposed).

And they use Senate Bill S1959 to set up a group of academics and others, people with 'unquestionable credentials' to vouch safe for the need and integrity of using this technology.

So theoretically, at first, a suspect could be thought read to be searched and prosecuted for violent/radical beliefs, but they would not be able to introduce information gathered this way into a prosecution for simple illegal drug possession or tax evasion. At least that's how they want to introduce the American people to the governments horrible future plans to turn the U.S. into a police state that has been up to this point unimaginable.

Using thought reading technology, the Government will know EVERYTHING about you. They have had this technology since at least 1994 when they started using it on me (with other technology and methods that let me know it).

They will start with terrorist cases, expand to child molestation cases. Things that people will more likely agree to and then it will all be over for us citizens in the 'Land of the Free'.

By Posting on CD, and opposing the Bush administration "publically", each and every one of us are "terrorists and radicals" according to this bill. It's just another giant leap towards criminalizing dissent. What sort of democracy can you have without dissent? You can't!

What would be most excellent is that if there was a "pie in the face" incident involving Bush like what happened to Jean Cretien a few years back. Someone got close enough to hit Cretien with a pie. That was awesome. But then again, this is the guy that wrapped his hands around a protester's throat and assaulted him when he got too close.

Sad thing is though, the protests really have no effect on this government besides bringing the "Resistance" out into the open to be filmed by the police. The ONLY way a protest will be effective is if the sheer number of people overwhelms the police and manages to shut down the country... Imagine the "color-revolutions" of eastern europe happening in the US... where you have millions of people converge on D.C. and surround the capital buildings. You'd think that the past 7 years would be a wake up call to the vast majority of sleeping people... Doesn't seem to have happened yet. How much worse does it have to get before the American people stand up in unison and say "ENOUGH!"?

Plus, in law enforcements eyes, it is only a handicap to use illegal search and seizures IF information gained from them go to trial. It is inadmissable in trial but in their eyes not in practice. They consider it a limited search if information gathered is only used to prosecute that which they search for. If they only prosecute for violent/radical belief systems and thoughts, the search was reasonable.

That is why the government has been pushing (for how long now?) for warrantless surveillance. It'll be a fishing expeditian into our brains.

Susan Collins - Bush's Senator - called by folks as a moderate but gives W every vote he needs - Maine dump her!!!

Rep. Jane Harman (D-California) introduced this bill in the House-- where, as noted, it received a response that would do lemmings proud.

The overwhelming approval of this sinister, devious, insidious, and malevolent legislation is bipartisanship at its finest.

So tell me again how the Democratic Party is unequivocally part of the solution, not part of the problem.

H R 1955, S. 1959 are referred to as H R 1955 in Committes, where it sits.
H R 1955
SEC.899A.Definitions.
(2)Violent Radicalization..snip...purpode of facilitating ideologically based(should be by US Code OUR Intellectual Property)violence to advance to advance POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, or SOCIAL CHANGE.
(4)Threatened Use of Force.
SEC.899B.Fndings.
(3)THE INTERNET has aided in facilitating, blah, blah, constant streams of TERRORIST RELATED PROPAGANDA.(UH OH)
SEC.899C. National Commission on Prevention
(2)Information from FEDERAL AGENCIES.
(j)Assistance from FEDERAL AGENCIES
(2)Other Departments and Agencies.
(k)POSTAL SERVICES - The Commission may use the UNITED STATES MAILS in the SAME MANNER and under same conditions as DEPARTMENTS and AGENCIES of the US.
SEC.899D.- Center of Excellance for the STUDY of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism in the US.
(a)ESTABLISHMENT-The Secretary of Homeland Security(Tee-Hee)shall establish a university-based CENTER of Excellance For the STUDY OF VIOLENT RADICALIZATION and HOMEGROWN TERROREISM in the US(hereinafter referred to as 'CENTER'.)
SEC.899F. Protecting OUR CIVIL RIGHTS. (F=we are F$$KED because we have none)
Okay, who are they going to study? Where will we be detained for 'STUDY' at 'CENTER'(not even the center, just center?)
The new camp at GITMO, which houses at minimum, 10K, the Gulags they are cleaning up in the US for us and who the hell will determine all of the above, their F$$KING Departments and Commissions?
This ever gets through Homeland we are F$$KED, not even the right of habeas corpus anymore. People, the general public, will be caught so unawares when someone knocks their door down and drags their asses off to a Black Site. Oh and in SEC.899., somewher it states they have the right to hire outside Contractors for WHATEVER.
Very scary, my political choice is MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. I won't even mention the Constitution, the Executive Branch and their 'Departments' have forgotten about its existance.

Sorry, could not edit this for errors, it is here sometimes, never works, though. Spelling errors, Text is right from the bill.

GottaGetOffTheGrid February 20th, 2008 2:13 pm
Peaceman: "Is it time to take to the streets?"

its about 7 and a half years too late. there should have been 10,000,000 people marching to DC in December of 2000 to evict your supreme court and the squatter in the WH.

i was just getting ready to post the same thing that gottagetoffthe grid said. 7 1/2 years too late. our country was illegally stolen in the year 2000 with dubya's appointment to the presidency. So, is the supreme court going to save our sorry butts this time. i'm not holding my breath.

and then, elmysterio February 20th, 2008 2:18 pm said,

By Posting on CD, and opposing the Bush administration "publically", each and every one of us are "terrorists and radicals" according to this bill.

Welcome man to the world of the awake. so glad you could join us. Everyone of "us" that wakes out of the trance, chooses the blue pill over the red pill. You choose to deal with reality as opposed to propaganda. Now that you know, get out and do something. Write a letter to your local paper. i place flyers on telephone poles. if a majority of us do even the littlest bit, i think it will be enough to topple the oligarchs who, fortunately for us, are only smart in the matter of making money ruthlessly. I was in Seattle in 1999 for the World Trade Organization's summit meeting. There were thousands of us in the streets the first day of the protest and anarchists were breaking the windows of local franchises like McDonalds. My feeling was thrill. This was people power. For one day, the city of Seattle was shut down. Downtown businesses lost big time that day and the oligarchs declared war on "we the people" the following day. We who were legally registering our discontent as guaranteed by the constitution in the city of Seattle - home of Bill Gates and Boeing.

Is it time to take to the streets? Most of you out there know it's way overdue. It doesn't have to get done by one individual. I think this is the main lesson here. If we each do something, i think this house of cards will come down. The energy it takes to keep this incredible scam going is way beyond unsustainable. Employ social gorilla warfare. Write a letter to something beyond this bulletin board that is safe because it's only frequented by the choir. Do something locally like running for local government. Get your ass out there for Obama who is daring to challenge corporate power. The change we seek will come from the bottom and work its way up to the state and then the federal level. But only when "we the people," and you know if you're one of us, say enough is enough will this situation improve. Don't go to work, especially if you work for a large corporation. Call in and say you're taking a day off to help get our country back. Take a fricken week. Let us pick a day that we will stay home from work and we will organize on that day to overthrow the parasite which has afflicted our country and our constitution. Is anyone on this board willing to do more than talk?

rand

Any legislation to provide for thought control is wrong and takes us to all out totalitarianism and all loss of people's rights. Wake up and smell the fascist tyranny on the march here in Die New Fatherland. "Do as you are told and no one vill get hurt."

GottaGetOffTheGrid and Randolfski;

That's three of us that feel we should have taken to the streets after the stolen election of 20000. I've been saying it every since. How bad does it have to get before we stand up to these tyrants?

Gotta run. Later.

"YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio - Republican presidential candidate John McCain said President Bush should veto a measure that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects."

Just as well, we can use it to make the GOP confess to destroying America.

"Susan Collins - Bush's Senator - called by folks as a moderate but gives W every vote he needs - Maine dump her!!!"

For who, Maine-ah, Tom Allen? This guy has voted for every appropriations bill to fund the Iraq occupation.

Here we go again - we dump tweedledee for tweedledum.

Why not just call this bill HUAC Pt. II and be done with it.

I predict that within two years, the people hauled before this body will be anti-war activists, environmentalists and animal rights advocates (there is after all already a Green Scare on), tax protesters, anarchists, critics of Israel, critics of US foreign policy, pro-Chavistas, innocent Muslims etc., and not anybody who actually has any sort of relationship whatsoever to anything that might even remotely be described as "terrorism."

This will be like Brandon Mayfield x 1000000.

"ideologically based violence"

Does that include violence carried out by the US military and the CIA based on the ideology of the Chicago School of Economics and the neocons? Or will they be honest and claim that it is not ideologically based, but greed based.

This is "DoubleSpeak".....Pure and simple this is the establishment of the NeoCon Police State.

The American people are going to be secured. .Files establishes on all political thinkers and all means of communication monitored. .Investigate and label political expression. .If it disagrees with the official party line, then it must be "Terroristic and Deviant"

The Nazis have returned!!!!!!!!!!!!

"A society of sheep must beget in time a government of wolves."
--Bertrand de Jouvenel

""The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act has nothing to do with a group or individual's right to protest peacefully," the news release says. "The bill would in no way infringe Americans' privacy or civil liberties.""

And the secret court - itself an insult to all things American - known as the FISA court will ensure our civil liberties are protected. (It just so happens the court always - except for a couple of times - sides with whomever is playing "leader of the free world" at the moment. But that's only because the Feds are so honest and trustworthy that they are right 99.99% of the time.)

What, us worry?

If a Republican supports something you can bet the opposite is true. The Chimp n' Chief is the worst of the bunch.

This bill is put forward as harmless, yet if you read it, have some reasoning skills and can use a dictionary, you will see it does a few things besides create a "studies of" at a University/College......

Most importantly- in a sneaky round about way it ADDS to the DEFINITIONS to what a TERRORIST is.....

New Definitions-

One that discusses political issues with others,aka- a group,

issues which are not in line with the administration/military,

VISITING A WEB PAGE.

"by FORCE", which according to dictionary definition can be as simple as.....

SPEAKING WORDS,

HOLDING A SIGN,

GATHERING IN A GROUP TO PROTEST

The Commission that will be formed to study the so-called roots of terrorism will then make recommendations to federal, state, and local governments about how to prevent terrorism. According to the bill, "Homegrown terrorism" is 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."

According to this definition, anyone "intimidating" the U.S. government by holding a strike or a public protest in "furtherance of political or social objectives" is a terrorist.

I recommend checking out the RAND report that inspired this bill, "Trends in Terrorism." When it discusses "homegrown terrorism" it focuses not on Muslim extremists, but on anti-globalism movements. This bill is just the beginning of criminalizing any kind of thoughts that criticize the government for favoring corporations and committing human rights violations.

For more information you can google:

"New Senate Bill Will Aim to Prevent "Violent Radicalization" by Targeting Anti-Globalist Movements"

You have to remember that if you post here, they know who you are and can pick you up when they want. I hope you are prepared....

Welcome to Stalinist russia....

Yes, this bill is aimed at the "rabel" who will finally take to the streets....someday...it is aimed to protect the consuming society, who want to keep their SUV's and 4 + bedroom homes for two...
the problem is...we do not realize that no matter how much money we have....water shortages, tornadoes, hurricanes, food shortages, etc. will make for desperation and desperation in excruciatelingly large numbers...no one is "safe" from the onslught of Nature's own form of terrorist and rebellion

gde,

There is a good CD not shown in America yet that I heard on www.kpfa.org during their winter fund drive. All of you, it's worth listening to and/or purchasing to help keep the station on. (commercial free)
Go to 'Against The Grain' and listen to the Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008 broadcast.

Leo Strauss, the anti-liberal from the infamous 'Chicago School of Economics' sort of got the ball rolling for the reactionary fascists running and ruining this country.

We already have a national entity that "researches" this matter. It's called the FBI, our not-so-secret national police. Over the years, they have added agent provocateurs to animal rights groups, environmental groups, and various groups like the Black Panthers and American Indian Movement. The aim is to destroy organized groups that work for societal change.

They physically infiltrate peace groups. The NSA taps all of our communications. It's not possible for you to legally contest this, the Supreme Court says, despite the laws.

They assassinate people, like Fred Hampton of the Black Panthers or attempt to kill them like Judy Barri and Darryl Cherney, or put them in prison for life like Leonard Peltier.

You have the right to dissent, but it's just personal expression. Write a letter to a database. Get a form letter back. Watch as the voter's will gets ignored every time.

You have a right to vote for one of the two parties that don't represent you. If law makers and judges and the president break the laws or fail to enforce the laws, is the FBI going to be investigating them or you?

You have a Constitutional right to dissolve our government, but how are you going to do that?

This funding bill to study "domestic terrorism" is just another sign that the criminality of our government is tacitly understood by those in government. The intent is to resist the people by extralegal means if they must.

The last domestic terrorist of note was Timothy McVeigh and friends, adherents of right-wing crazy thoughts. They killed innocent people by setting bombs. Meanwhile, the FBI and other secret agencies seek out the lefties and progessives who insist on the law and peaceful change.

Go figure. Law enforcement - what a joke.

Ironically, it was the No. 2 man at the FBI that supposedly was "deepthroat," the informant that brought down Richard Nixon and his criminality. Why doesn't the FBI arrest George Bush, who has killed so many, who admits he broke the law in tapping communications without a warrant - just like Nixon did.

What's legal about dropping 500-lb bombs on people who have done us no harm in another corner of the world?

Before we, quote 'establish a 12-member commission to examine and report on what the bill calls "violent radicalization," "homegrown terrorism" and "ideologically based violence."' endquote. Why don't we establish a commission to examine and report on why 30,000 Americans die by gunfire in a single year. Or why 47 million Americans do not have health insurance. Why don't we address real problems instead of fictional ones?

The Bush White House truly is a rerun of the bad old days of the Soviet Union. We should start calling the White House the Kremlin. The metaphor gets more appropriate every day.

A terrorist is a guy who wants to bomb someone or something and doesn't have an air force or missiles.

Authorizes the legislative planning commission for pre-emptive strikes on American Dissent... great.

I'm in the Midwest. I can't even GET MSNBC, because they let slip with an alternative opinion once in a while. I can't get CSPAN unless I go second or third tier, paying a bundle. Only people with the Dish, expanded programming here, get any alternative media, (aside from the internet).

Turn on the radio you get Country MUZAK and Rush Limbaugh.

CNN and Headline News have turned into FOX, with prime time dominated by foaming at the mouth, extremist "commentators." They're so wacked they make Republicans look moderate. It's unbelievable how in a few short years, they've reduced the preponderance of Americans to mushrooms, held in a dark place and fed incessant bullshit.

Now it's going to be a crime to oppose fascism, corporatism in word and print... even on the net.

Have you noticed that exit polls have disappeared except for demographic analysis, from ALL the cable news stations? When they steal the next election, the media hides the evidence, and we ALL take to the streets... it won't be on the news. We'll be rounded up, held without charges indefinitely, and they won't even be required to notify our families.

It's like THAT.

McCain's in pandering mode now. Maybe the xenophobes can convince him to round up and incarcerate twelve million "illegals." They give HIM WW3, and he gives THEM, their police state, replete with genocide.

We can all toast marshmallows on the Pyre of Democracy.

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, introduced a $20 permit fee for any protest event involving ONE PERSON OR MORE. There are complaints, but isn't it nice to see a nominally Democratic city council introduce something so phenomenally...OUTRAGEOUS! Just proves stupid policies know neither party affiliation or location.

KATHY HECKMAN: Why were you targeted?

LITTLE BROTHER, RANDOLFSKI, THOUGHTS into ACTION: good postings.

I, too, am profoundly troubled by this "bill." We get a beat on what's coming down in part through mass culture. Even "Law & Order" now has shows where animal rights or environmental activists are shown as potential dangers to society.

It's quite amazing how the tactics of totalitarian regimes remain uniform, and yet societies seem to only recognize them retrospectively. Equally chilling to me are the number of persons I meet where I reside you really seem to believe "the government wants to protect you. Why should you have anything to fear IF you are doing nothing wrong." These people don't realize that US government is FOR and OF and about THE people, not some royal established clan that's been given God-blessed inalienable rights! Second, they believe their government CARES about their welfare, and it really doing all this for "security." The naivete in the face of history's example of what governments do is mind blowing for its ignorance.

If we were watching all these "separate" strategic initiatives as an audience in a movie theater, we'd see where it's all going. I guess due to Fox "news" and/or authoritarian church conditioning, added to what Lakoff describes as the "strict father" model of family socialization so many really do NOT get it at all! So when someone like myself brings Truth to their attention, they really don't believe a word I am saying, as if by stating what's happening in their minds I have crossed over to some Twilight zone. This is the fear. That as TRUTH gets progressively marginalized from media, the ones who speak truth will be seen as pariahs or persons off balance and be more easily targeted for such programs as the one being addressed in this article.

Collins, Michaud, Allen, Snowe. Four good reasons to be ashamed to say that I was born in Maine and again reside in Maine. Ain't it odd how some who say they are for freedom will take away the freedom of free speech so quickly.

The fear of 'terrorism' has paralyzed our so-called leaders to the point that they are nothing but the ink on the rubber stamp that approves a corporate-controlled dictatorship (facism).

Amazing the paranoia of the Republicans. "Let's investigate any suspicious Americans, esp. those with dark skin and Arab names."

Well, now, Bush's legacy will live for a long time after he leaves office (Is Bush really leaving office? Hmm--). After 8 years of Bush-ism, this bill will really usher in a dozen or so years of "McCarthyism, Part Two." And it won't matter which President will sit in the White House--it could be McCain, Hillary, or Barack--rest assured, McCarthyism is coming back to America.
And the really "sweet thing" about this oncoming onslaught is that Shrub didn't even inititate it--the House and Senate are going to pass it and put it into law without Bush being the "initiating force" behind this bill. What a great Congress we have!
My recommendation to everyone--get your passports ready and figure a way to sit out this "witch-hunt" in some friendly country overseas. That's my plan. Of course, we could fight this, but that would just land us in jail or fired from our jobs. So choose--become an expatriate or fight this "witch-hunt" and have your whole life ruined. What a glorious choice!
Mark from the Midwest

Mkosh180: I think Shrub did initiate it. Jane Harman, I have read, is a Democrat basically in label only. She is very friendly to any pro-military, pro-'national security' issue that the Bush Administration has instigated.

You know, I'm the one who posts about thought reading technology's existence (and broadcast capabilities that split sound waves while they travel so that sound is only heard at the destination). As I was looking up Jane Harman I came across the info that her husband is the head of Harman International Industries.
According to Wikipedia, Harman Industries is an international audio equipment company.

Products Range:
AKG Acoustics - microphone/headphones
Audio Access - A/V controllers
Becker - car infotainment
BSS Audio - signal processing
Crown Audio - pro amplifiers
dbx Professional Products - signal processors
Lexicon - digital processing
Margi - car multimedia
Mark Levinson - home/car audio
QNX - real-time OS software
Revel - home speakers
Soundcraft - mixing consoles
Studer - digital recording
Wavemakers - voice recognition software

I wonder if there's a connection: who manufactures thought reading and broadcasting (called by some 'voice to skull') equipment?

Siouxrose asked why I think I was targeted...

I have a couple of guesses. One, they wanted to see how well they could manipulate average people. I didn't have alot of money or family support to cause them any worry if I advertised it.

But I think the main reason is I think they had/have concerns about the possible discovery or 'leak' of this technology. They wanted to have 'victims' who were subjected to thought reading but who were not subjects of criminal prosecution (hence they had to broadcast to me or how the hell would I know that I was thought read?). So as a worst possible defense they could, if caught red handed with or using this technology, say 'yeah, we were using it as an experiment on citizens' without calling into questions the LEGALITY OF EVERY SINGLE CONVICTION THE FEDS HAVE PROSECUTED SINCE 1994.--You know, cases and convictions are thrown out if there is not full disclosure to the defense regarding where the governments information came from.

There are many groups in the government who have conflicts of interest, and I think it was actually the most legally minded prosecutorial types who would up making people like me 'victims'.

This bill sounds like McCarthy - round two.

Winter soldiers will be assembling in March to testify on the realities of the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. vets from viet nam and other vets and survivors of this mess in the middle east and other conflicts will gather in DC.

I have read several articles about this bill. It does of course sound very reminiscent of The Un-American Activities Hearings, but so far I have not read an article that really explains what kind of creature this bill would create. Would it be essentially the same: a panel publicly interrogating dissidents, and jailing them when they do not give names or other information (also blacklisting them from jobs in the entertainment and scientific communities)? Would it be the same, but behind closed doors? Would it be a panel that would, without witnesses, decide on what citizens were a threat, and instruct the Justice Department to put them in jail by any means for any crime? Would the Justice Department or police decide for themselves who to arrest and why? Would it be public hearings that ultimately ended in media friendly finger waving? Does anyone know this proposed law well enough to know what shape these "investigations" would take, and what "action" would be taken because of them?

Cheencheen has come the closest to a technical description of how this panel would work. We all know who the targets will be, but we must know in detail what kind infrastructure this bill will create, what tools and weapons they will have at their disposal, and what legal limits (if any) there will be to their power. Only then can we prepare; only then can we defend ourselves.