Sept. 28, 2003 - 22:17 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

The Future ?

An article in our Sunday 9/28/03 Denver Post by Eric Lichtblau of The New York Times -- headed, "Patriot Act aimed at cases outside terrorism." Sub headed, "Post-9/11 law targeting fraud, drug suspects."

If I remember the poop when they were trying to enact the Patriot Act it was put out to the public, "Oh, this will never be used on United States citizens -- only the bad TERRORISTS.

So, quoting a bit from Mr. Lichtblau's article, "WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration, which calls the USA Patriot Act perhaps its most essential tool in fighting terrorists, has begun using the law with increasing frequency in many criminal investigations that have little or no connection to terrorism."

A bit further into the article Mr. Lichtblau says, "The government is using its expanded authority under the far reaching law to" - - - - (investigate most anything they have a mind to it looks like)

Justice Department officials say they are simply using all the tools now available to them to pursue criminals -- terrorists or otherwise."

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The folks of the Justice Department say, "They are simply using all the tools now available to them to pursue criminals." Just a minute . . . . are they pursuing people already proven to be criminals or people that in their overheated imagination might possibly be criminals ? I remember that I read or think so anyway, that under the Act no warrants are needed, no judge has to be convinced, due process out the window, everything can be commandeered and pored over -- in secret no less, with whoever has to give up the records or whatever, forbidden to reveal that such a thing happened. And whether innocent or guilty they can simply be made to disappear. My ideas say they are smoke screening all the way. It appears to me that the framework is now set up to bring us all under the thumb of a dictator, period. Whether it is one of the present administration or some guy in a White Hat riding a white stallion promising the sky to us and misusing all the Patriot Act to make slaves of us. Can it happen ? I personally fear that it can.

The arms of the administration are super reluctant to allow any news to leak out - secrecy the watchword !

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Mr. Lichtblau has also brought this up, "But critics of the administration's anti-terrorism tactics assert that such use of the law is evidence the administration has sold the American Public a false bill of goods, using terrorism as a guise to pursue a broader law enforcement agenda."

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In Mr. Lichtblau's article he points out that, "Internally, however, Justice Department officials have emphasized a much broader mandate. A guide to a Justice Department employee seminar last year on financial crimes, for instance, said: 'We all know that the USA Patriot Act provided weapons for the war on terrorism.' 'But do you know how it affects the war on crime as well ?"

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I have nothing against criminals being brought to justice, I feel anyone should be considered innocent until proven guilty. I feel they should have lawyers of their choice and be brought to trial in open court. I strongly feel that all this secrecy can be used against any one of us at any time for no valid reason at all and that we have no way to get help from lawyers or anyone else. And that acronymic USA Patriot Act can be turned inside out and work against us all.

All the foregoing statements are mine and my opinions (other than what is in Mr. Lichtblau's article). I also note in recent news that Bush and Ashcroft are desiring more and more power besides what is already in the USA Patriot Act. I wonder what more they do want, what is it they don't have already ? I truly fear the hypothetical "sky is falling," and wonder what our progeny will be forced to face in The Future ? . . . . . . . . . . .

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