Something More Serious Than My Usual Posts

Yeah, it's time to address something a bit more pressing. If you have a blog and vigorously exercise your freedom of speech like I do on my other blog, you need to be aware of the Bills going through Congress right now. Specifically the "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R. 1955), and its Senate companion, S. 1959" - the government's newest attack against its own people's rights. Linda Milazzo has written an excellent article in the Huffington Post about them. There is a similar article from the John Birch Society, as well as others I'm sure, but these are the two I've read. There is a very nicely detailed factsheet from the Center for Constitutional Rights posted on their site as well.

I will search for more information, and if I find anything relevant I'll post it ASAP.
Please, don't just read the articles, do something about it. Our representatives still work for us. Write them. It doesn't have to be much, just voice your concern, and let them know how important it is that this Bill not deteriorate our rights to free speech. This is seriously scary stuff, people, and the time has come to deal with it.

This is the letter I wrote to my reps:

Dear Senator ____________,

I am writing to voice my concern over Resolution 1959, the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. This is as frightening a piece of legislature as anything I've ever seen, including policy papers from Nazi Germany and the U.S.S.R. under Stalin. It sounds suspiciously similar to the sedition laws enacted by the British prior to the Revolutionary War.

This is a totally unwarranted attack on our Constitutional rights, specifically the First Amendment as I understand it. Correct me if I'm wrong, Sir, but isn't voicing a dissenting opinion the very definition of freedom of speech? I personally put a very high value on our freedoms, and those who protect them for us.

Please do everything in your power to persuade others that supporting this resolution is utterly wrong and counter to the Constitution they (and you, Sir,) swore to defend.

I have the utmost confidence in your ability to shone the light of rationality on this corrosive issue.

Thank you for your time,