'Thought Crimes,' HR 1955 Passed

Jeff Knaebel / LewRockwell.com:
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed HR 1955, titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. It was passed with 404 votes in favor. A close reading within an historical context – keeping especially in mind the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and Presidential Executive Orders, pursuant to which the government has engaged in massive surveillance of its own citizens, as well as detentions, extraordinary renditions, assassinations, and torture – leads me to the following conclusions.

• This is a "Thought Crime" bill of the type so often discussed in an Orwellian context.
• It specifically targets the civilian population of the United States.
• It defines "Violent Radicalization" as promoting any belief system that the government considers to be extremist.
• "Homegrown Terrorism" and "Violent Radicalization" are defined as thought crimes.
• Since the bill does not provide a specific definition of extremist belief system, it will be whatever the government at any given time deems it to be.

Posted by Editor at November 5, 2007 07:11 AM