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If the steps that your government is taking to protect
you from terrorists doesn't piss you off, you're not
paying attention. In less than one year the Bush
Administration has managed to change all of these
rights (and many more) that US Citizens used to
enjoy. All these rights were mangled with the passage
of the USA
Patriot Act:
-
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Government may monitor
religious and political institutions without
suspecting criminal activity to assist terror
investigation.
-
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION: Government has closed
once-public immigration hearings, has secretly
detained hundreds of people without charges, and has
encouraged bureaucrats to resist public records
requests.
-
FREEDOM OF SPEECH: Government may prosecute
librarians or keepers of any other records if they
tell anyone that the government subpoenaed
information related to a terror investigation.
-
RIGHT TO LEGAL REPRESENTATION: Government may
monitor federal prison jailhouse conversations
between attorneys and clients, and deny lawyers to
Americans accused of crimes.
-
FREEDOM FROM UNREASONABLE SEARCHES: Government may
search and seize Americans' papers and effects
without probable cause to assist terror
investigation.
-
RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may
jail Americans indefinitely without a trial.
-
RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without
being charged or being able to confront witnesses
against them.
Sleep well America. You're being watched.
Analysis of the USA Patriot Act can be seen at:
A quick update for those of you not paying
attention. Not only is the Patriot Act continuing
to erode our rights, but now they're looking to
get organized
about it. If Total
Information Awareness doesn't make you angry and
scared, what does?
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