>----- Original Message ----- >From: "The Fool" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 7:01 PM >Subject: Re: fascism > > > > > From: Jim Sharkey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > > > > The Fool wrote: > > > > > > > http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/14/1026185141232.html > > > > > > I wonder what this fellow's sources are, seeing as he left the >country, > > apparently under duress. > > > > > > *If* what he's saying is true, this is certainly something that needs > > to be stopped. Of course, the question is whether or not it's true. > > > > > > > http://www.citizencorps.gov/tips.html >
Dan responded: >Goodness, there's been neighborhood watch programs that are a lot like this >for decades. We participate. We give information to a neighbor who >watches for suspicious activity around our house. This program, probably, >has millions of people involved. > >All the citizencorps does is call in suspicious activity to the police. >They don't spy on each other. Kids are not asked to discuss >anti-government activity of their parents at school. People aren't being >paid for this. > >I'm not arguing that Ashcroft's views on liberty are reasonable, I just >think hyperbola does no-one any good. Dan, I have to disagree with you on this one. First, a quote from http://www.citizencorps.gov/tips.html: "Operation TIPS - the Terrorism Information and Prevention System - will be a nationwide program giving millions of American truckers, letter carriers, train conductors, ship captains, utility employees, and others a formal way to report suspicious terrorist activity." They *already have* a way to report truly suspicious activity. Pick up the telephone and call the FBI or the local police or other authorities. In the third paragraph, it says: "Everywhere in America, a concerned worker can call a toll-free number and be connected directly to a hotline routing calls to the proper law enforcement agency or other responder organizations when appropriate." This seems fine on the surface. But then again, the idea of rooting out a conspiracy against our government from a known threat sounded fine when the House Un-American Activities Committee was formed, too. This could turn into a big, ugly, divisive witch hunt far too easily. What is "suspicious terrorist activity?" That is an incredibly ambiguous phrase, and will probably be defined as broadly as possible to try to identify this threat to our nation's security, just like un-American activities were broadly defined back in McCarthy's day. Our government doesn't have a very good track record when it comes to things like this. Reggie Bautista _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
