Via Alternet:
The PATRIOT Act. The U.S. Legal Code definition of terrorism was
expanded to include a new meaning of “domestic terrorism” by Congress in
2001. This new definition considers domestic terrorism as:
“…activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a
violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; to
influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or to
affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination,
or kidnapping; and occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction
of the United States"
According to the ACLU, “this definition is broad enough to encompass
the activities of…prominent activists, campaigns and organizations.”
Given the right lawyer, TransCanada could convince a federal judge that
monkey-wrenching and tying oneself to a construction vehicle is
“dangerous to human life” or intended to “intimidate a civilian
population.” [Keep Reading]
2 comments:
Amazing how congress would pass an act that in its more radical interpretations is essentially a repeal of the bill of rights. I really hate to make Nazi comparisons because they are certainly hyperbole but the similarities are becoming embarrassing (sparing, for now at least, mass genocide). The assumption of almost unlimited executive power while continuing to pay lip service to separation of powers through phony oversight from secret courts, informing congress but requiring them as a condition of access to be sworn to secrecy about revealing what they have learned. But this is not Nazi germany, we can feel we have much more room to wiggle, but the democratic space is shrinking, and fascism is surging in america.
Surging is a good word for it. We are not there yet but we are very, very close. The merging of state and corporate power happened a good while back, the rest is details. The slow but inexorable clenching of the fist. We do still have a chance, global insurrection IS possible, but the timetable is accelerating.
Again, the sleeping masses are the main facilitators of this trajectory. Right now, they are unknowingly helping in every way they can to bring about this authoritarian regime. If this slumbering giant were to awaken, it would turn against those who lulled it into submission. We have made strides in ringing the alarm bells, we are on the brink of breaking through into the mainstream. They will not be able to black us out and we can subvert their "discourse" and present a new paradigm.
Only the depths of denial or mind-boggling ignorance could cause someone to believe that we are not hurtling toward an end most foul, and that without a massive course correction, total destruction is inevitable. While that is an exciting prospect, I much prefer the alternate ending, the one that doesn't involve inconceivable oppression. Fear can motivate but transcending that fear makes manifesting a new reality actually achievable. The abyss is guaranteed unless, unless...
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