H.R. 1955: Another Reason For Paranoia
H.R.1955
Title: To prevent homegrown terrorism, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] (introduced 4/19/2007) Cosponsors (14)
Latest Major Action: 10/24/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to add provisions concerning the prevention of homegrown terrorism (terrorism by individuals born, raised, or based and operating primarily in the United States).
Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to: (1) establish a grant program to prevent radicalization (use of an extremist belief system for facilitating ideologically-based violence) and homegrown terrorism in the United States; (2) establish or designate a university-based Center of Excellence for the Study of Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism in the United States; and (3) conduct a survey of methodologies implemented by foreign nations to prevent radicalization and homegrown terrorism.
Prohibits the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to prevent ideologically-based violence and homegrown terrorism from violating the constitutional and civil rights, and civil liberties, of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
This bill has already passed the US House of Representatives and now sits in a Senate Committee. The House suspended rules to pass this bill with an overwhelming 404 to 6 on October 23, 2007. The concept of this bill addresses this country’s paranoia about “Homegrown Terrorists”. However, BossKitty sees signs of McCarthyism hysteria. 
Domestic spying used to determine if your group could become a violent terror group sounds innocent enough on the surface. But, who will be responsible for making that determination? 
The First Amendment guarantees free speech and dissent. Free speech and dissent on the internet is most at risk. America is looking more and more like the old USSR. Americans will become polarized into the watched and the watchers. Bitching and moaning about this country could label you as a menace.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I posted on this today too. Its distressing beyond belief. If anyone saw Keith Olbermann (KO) last night , there was also horrific news..in NYC the homeland security admin.(which should be abolished in my opinion) is actually training NYC firemen and EMTs to check for people who may “hate or be “discontented” with the usa ” if it works ie..during a fire inspection someone turns you in for a book on your shelf or a poster on your wall - they may take it nation wide. I am agast. I am disconted you can bet on that. With a capital D. and hey call me quaint, but didn’t our founders have something to say about our abilities to express and confront the government with our grievances..If ever there was a time to support the ACLU - its now.
November 29th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
i am gonna link this meticulous post of yours to mine..so folks can see what we are up against..good job BK ! and thank you.
November 29th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
ProudP:
Yes I saw the KO piece on the NYC Firefighters and was shocked. So, now we can expect a shortage of fire protection because they are way to busy spying on us.
Yeah the founding fathers said that but then they hadn’t met George and Dick. If they had they would have put their names in the Constitution under “danger” or “terrorist”
BTW:Thanks for the link.