Senate to Criminalize Thought: A Crime Against the Constitution
December 3, 2007
On October 23, 2007, four hundred and four U.S. House members passed HR. 1955, The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007, introduced by Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA). The companion bill,
S. 1959, is under consideration in the Senate, where it also has broad support, and a vote is expected this week. It is one of the most blatant attacks against the Constitution yet and actually defines thought crimes as homegrown terrorism. Unlike previous anti-terror legislation, this bill specifically targets the civilian population of the United States and uses vague language to define homegrown terrorism.
"Violent radicalization" in the bill is 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. Since the bill doesn't specifically define what an extremist belief system is, it is entirely up to the interpretation of the government. Considering how much the government has already done to destroy the Constitution, they could define PDA as promoting an extremist belief system. Essentially, they have defined violent radicalization as thought crime. By concentrating on the "process of adopting" a belief system as the basis for prosecution, the bill makes a belief system the criteria for defining what is violent rather than actual behavior.
The definition of "homegrown -terrorism" uses equally vague language to further define thought crime:
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. This could be interpreted as merely thinking about using force or violence. The definition is so vaguely defined, that petty crimes could fall into the category of homegrown terrorism.
Section 899B of the bill goes over the findings of Congress as it pertains to homegrown terrorism. It is particularly alarming that the bill mentions the Internet as a main source for terrorist propaganda.
The ACLU points out that this is a particularly alarming focus for this kind of legislation.
Finally, in Sec. 899C the legislation creates a commission with broad powers to investigate and hold hearings, which specifically allows any subgroup of the commission, or individual member of the commission, to hold hearings and administer oaths for the purpose of taking testimony and, by extension, to cite for contempt anyone failing to testify. This is frightening in its breadth and scope and harkens back five decades to the days of Joe McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Since there are countless laws on the books to prosecute Americans who are involved in violent crimes, we must ask ourselves what purpose this law has other than to criminalize thought with which the government disagrees.
Contact your Senators and ask them to vote NO on S. 1959, The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.
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