HR 1955 — Wow, McCarthy Would Love This
January 12th 2008 12:34 pm
If you do not believe this country is in a new era of McCarthyism, take a moment to review a piece of legislation in the United States House of Representatives right now.
Its number is HR1955. Its name is the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. The Congress wants to step up the hunt for subversives within our own borders. Call them Terrorists, if you want. But if instead you substitute the words “Reds” or “Commies,” voila! You’ll be back in the dark days of the 1950s when government agents infiltrated political meetings and lectures, union meetings and gatherings of all sorts to keep a close watch on neighbors and even family members.
The one-two punch of J. Edgar
Hoover at the FBI and Joe McCarthy in the House put free speech and assembly under lock and key. It also caused an atmosphere of suspicion and fear throughout
America. Today, we have two crazy men in the White House and a compliant Congress. How easy to once again, have people looking under beds for terrorists and their plots.
Currently, there are four versions of HR1955 in the works. You can read the full text of HR 1955 yourself, and I urge you to do so.
What makes this so dangerous, in my view, is that it is an incremental change toward approved spying on free speech and free assembly and even free thought, as it was originally worded. But cleverly, the bill puts the responsibility for surveillance of ordinary civilians on the individual 50 states.
Let me give a few details. HR 1955 was first introduced in April of last year. In September, 14 cosponsors signed on. The bill has moved and is now in the Homeland Security [sic] Committee. Here is one abbreviated portion of it which asks for funds to parcel out to the various states.
Establishment- Subject to the requirements of this section, the Secretary shall establish a grant program to prevent radicalization and homegrown terrorism in the
United States.
Grants Authorized- The Secretary may award grants to States to enhance homeland security by preventing radicalization and homegrown terrorism in at-risk populations, as determined by the Secretary.
Purpose- The purpose of the grant program is to prevent, disrupt, and mitigate the effects of radicalization and prevent ideologically-based violence and homegrown terrorism in the
United States.
Grant Eligibility- Any State shall be eligible to apply for a grant …
Use of Funds- Grants awarded under this section shall be used by the States to award to agencies and organizations, including but not limited to, social services agencies, community-based groups, educational institutions and non-governmental organizations as sub-grantees to address radicalization and homegrown terrorism by….. developing best practices, standards and protocols to conduct outreach to various populations that are at-risk for radicalization and homegrown terrorism; ……. and any other uses determined by the Secretary to be necessary to prevent radicalization and homegrown terrorism…
UNDER HR 1955, PEACE PROTEST ORGANIZATIONS COULD BE INFILTRATED AND SHUT DOWN.
UNDER HR 1955, UNION ORGANIZING, STRIKE PLANNING, THE TEACHING OF CERTAIN SUBJECTS IN UNIVERSITIES and many other types of daily assemblies and activities could become targets of domestic spying.
All this bill needs, now, is a beetle-browed, balding, nasty man to question you about your affiliations and fellow travelers.
Here are the names of the sponsors of HR 1955. Each name is followed by the state and the Congressional district number.
Original Sponsors: Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] and Rep Reichert, David G. [WA-8] (introduced 4/19/2007)
COSPONSORS:
Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10]
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI]
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11]
Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6]
Rep Green, Al [TX-9]
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3]
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7]
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2]
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2]
To see HR1955 go online to: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.1955:
