Liberties at stake with new spring bill

If you thought REAL ID was frightening, buckle up because we’re in for one heck of a ride. The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 passed the House of Representatives last fall with 404 votes and currently lies in a Senate committee, which means it’s time to start worrying about this legislation becoming a reality.

This mess all started under the often-used banner of national security: its reason for existence is to keep us safe, with a dash of “the Internet is scary” mixed in for good measure. I’m serious: Look at the text of the bill. Basically, the U.S. government is worried about terrorist acts by its citizenry, which is a fair concern considering the prevalence of homegrown terrorism in Europe.

You might ask yourself what the first logical step is in counterterrorism. Well, the author of this legislation has decided it’s spying on our citizens. Of course! Why hadn’t I thought of that? They do – probably rightly – claim that the Internet is now the most common meeting ground for anti-American sentiment; it makes sense then that we should go online to monitor activity, where everyone speaks their minds as if they’re not being watched.

Now, I’m sure that the supporters of this movement have the best intentions, but they have left the door wide open for officials who are less trustworthy. Under this proposed law, the qualifications for how we define radicalism and terrorism are far too vague; at the very least they are somewhat vague, and at worst seem to be setting up a Spanish-style inquisition.
In fact, the definitions are so vague that anyone pushing for social change could be called a radical or terrorist. Without question, people like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Abraham Lincoln would be labeled as such, and fall victim to whatever the commission saw fit.

Do you remember learning about the House Un-American Activities Committee that came into being around the onset of World War II and continued strong into the 1960s? It started innocently enough, trying to monitor pro-Nazi sentiment and propaganda stateside, but it progressed into something far more devious that the original intention. It developed to the point of investigating different groups and people and labeling them as communist sympathizers. Once given that label, you were essentially at the mercy of the committee.

Notice the trend? We risk very serious ramifications if we let this pass unfettered, and we need to constantly keep that in mind as we move forward. We’re looking at some new-age Salem Witch trials, because the label of terrorist is far more drastic than communist. Progressive thinkers risk being burned at the political stake.

With Big Brother constantly monitoring our Web, phone and other electronic traffic, we’re just a bit down the road from an Orwellian Ministry of Justice. Perhaps he was just a quarter of a century off with his “1984.”

The best part is that none of the mainstream media is covering this issue. Search The Washington Post or The New York Times for “S. 110-1959” or “H. 110-1955” and you’ll come up empty-handed. Google those or the bill’s title and all you’ll find are opinion pieces and the text of the bill itself. There have been rumors that this was killed in Senate committee, but nothing has been proven. It’s still hovering below the radar. It appears that the Ministry of Truth has been doing its job.

Luckily, there is still a chance to change this bill before it comes to the senate floor. I encourage you to do what research you can online, and make sure that our senators know we stand opposed to this legislation. At the very least, you can add your name to the petition against it online.

As I write this, I’m sure that I must not understand the premise of this movement. I must not be patriotic or American enough, so it’s all above my head. I’m also sure that as you read this, some distant computer has clicked on, lit up and started whirring, and my name is subsequently being added to a database for investigation. At least I’ll be in good company.