Quoth Collins Richey:So if I read books on weapons, tactics and demolition I'm straying from the fold? I'm well capable of designing and contructing explosive devices that could level the better part of a city block. By using a wrist watch capable of storing dates and events could even set it up to go off a year from now. Does that then mean that I should fall to the US SS? There are a lot of law abiding citezens on both sides of the border that have taken an interest in various military hardware. Does that then justify wire-tapping and other violations of our rights?
On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 09:34:28 -0500 "David A. Bandel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 07:21:25 -0500 Michael Hipp <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
[snip]
But I'm dreaming again. If that flagship of New Americanism (Dept. of Homeland Implosion) can't see it, then likely will few others.
You're scary. Is this what Americans (US Citizens in this context) think of this Homeland Security thing? If so, holy fsck.
Homeland Security, since its inception, has looked and sounded like a new Nazi SS. I didn't server 20 years in the US Military to have the US turned into a police state, but it looks more and more like that every day.
To wit: The feds had been after a major drug manufacturer (a chemist who was making crack, etc, in large quantities). I agree he should be jailed forever. But ... The feds couldn't catch him under the normal rules, so they relabeled him a chemical weapons manufacturer and grabbed him under the new anti-terrorism laws.
I'm sorry, but this abuse of power by power-hungry agencies is way beyond reasonable. While I'm glad the bastard�s in jail, I'm extremely unhappy with the way he got there. Welcome to the Police State of America (where you might be next for using Linux instead of M$). I expect the RIAA will start pushing to label file sharers as terrorists next.
I'm appalled and disgusted and glad to be living outside the US at this point in time.
While I respect your opinion, I find it to be rather simplistic.
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, 1759
And, to quote Harry Emerson Fosdick, "Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have."
Here's my own. I wish that I lived in a time and place where Homeland Security
were not necessary. I have yet to hear about (and I doubt that I will) of any
actions taken by Homeland Security that have a negative effect on average, peace
loving, hard working citizens. If the new law of the land means that we now
have additional tools to eliminate the scum of the earth (the chemist fits the
description), that's great.
Those same tools are *already* being used to erode your liberty and your privacy. One example: http://www.dontspyon.us/jetbluescandal.html And the guvmint is *already* lying about it.
If the Homeland Security guys want my library usage record, they are welcome to
it- mystery readers have little to fear. Somehow I doubt that a library reader
whose only straying from the fold is to read a bomb making manual has nothing to
fear.
And next you'll tell me that I have something to hide if I invoke the 5th Amendment. Bah.
They haven't, yet. The SS didn't immediately go out and start cracking heads. I'm not going to wait around for my government to do something like that. I fight to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Both of my parents saw the worst of WWI and WWII and first hand witnessed the glory of the SS. Its almost funny how those that will violate or agree to violate someones rights always tote the "if you have nothing to hide" crap. I see now being reported by the news media that Bush has asked for even greater powers to be given to the SS so that they no longer need a court order to arrest and detain anyone suspected of terrorist involvement. If that is granted then I feel sorry for anyone with darker skin living in the USA for their rights will be shit on.
-- Ted Ozolins (VE7TVO) Westbank, B. C.
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