The Usual?

I began the morning in my usual way and read the incoming email and then forwarded one item. A request to create a pdf file and return a document; just the usual morning stuff. And then I stared at the monitor. Got some coffee and stared some more. Going nowhere fast. Cat’s in my lap. That’s going to make it hard to get that second cup. Weather. Boring.

So I moved on and read Time Goes By and the article about Senate Bill S.1959, The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and Prevention Act of 2007. Now I don’t know about you, but that name, alone, makes me very suspicious of the sponsors’ intentions. And as you read further, you can see that it’s really an assault on our First Amendment rights as American citizens and is cloaked in the usual ‘anti-terrorism’ fabric to make it look good.

Why do we let this happen? How did this bill get this far? Have we all forgotten what it means to be free? Really free? Despite my teachers, I did learn the real meaning of the First Amendment. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” I simply can’t imagine a world without that freedom. But, unfortunately, there are plenty of people in high places that will not be satisfied until we are all thinking alike. ‘The right way’. Dissent of any kind simply disturbs their view of an orderly world.

The majority of people that believe in bills, like HR.1955/S.1959, are not necessarily evil. They are the type of people who cannot imagine a world where people would have any view that differed from theirs. And any differing view must be silenced because, in their view, it’s simply wrong! They usually believe they’re good citizens, when, in fact, they are the exact opposite.

And here's the kicker in this bill...“(3) The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.”

That, alone, makes the bill very dangerous. Can you think of anything else the internet has done? How about providing free speech for everyone? And who should decide what we can read or write? The Decider? Your Senator? Your police? Your neighbor?

Time Goes By has the information needed to contact your representatives...