Jun. 11, 2005 - 19:31 MDT

WILL THIS GO ?

I fear for the freedom of our people. An article in the Rocky Mountain News this morning by Jim Abrams of the Associated Press begins to show that our administration and its arms are heading us for civil trouble, at least it looks to me that they are making Big Brother a real ogre. In full it is here:

Hearing on Patriot Act turns abruptly uncivil

Chairman incenses Democrats, cuts off further testimony

WASHINGTON -- "The Republican chairman walked off with the gavel, leaving Democrats shouting into turned-off microphones at a raucous hearing Friday on the Patriot Act."

"The House Judiciary Comnmittee hearing, with the two sides accusing each other of being irresponsible and undemocratic, came as President Bush was urging Congress to renew those sections of the post-Sept. 11 counter-terrorism law set to expire in September."

"Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the panel, abruptly gaveled the meeting to an end and walked out, followed by other Republicans. Sensenbrenner declared that much of the testimony, which vered into debate over the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, was irrelevant."

"Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., protested, raising his voice as his microphone went off, came back on, and went off again. "We are not besmirching the honor of the United States, we are trying to uphold it," he said."

"Democrats asked for the hearing, the 11th the committee has held on the act since April, saying past hearings had been too slanted toward witnesses who supported the law. The four witnesses were from groups, including Amnesty International USA and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, that have questioned the constitutionality of some aspects of the act, which allows law enforcement greater authority to investigate suspected terrorists."

"Nadler said Sensenbrenner, ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE PATRIOT ACT, "was rather crude, cutting everybody off in midsentence with an attitude of total hostililty."

"Tempers flared when Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., accused Amnesty International of endangering the lives of Americans in uniform by referring to the prison at Guantanamo Bay as a "gulag."

"Sensenbrenner didn't allow the Amnesty representative, Chip Pitts, to respond until Nadler raised a "point of decency."

"Sensenbrenner's spokesman, Jeff Lungren, said the hearing had lasted two hours and the "chairman was very accommodating, giving members extra time."

"James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, speaking immediately after Sensenbrenner left, voiced dismay over the proceedings. "I'm troubled about what kind of lesson this gives" to the rest of the world, he told the Democrats remaining in the room."

"House Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi, in a statement, said the hearing was an example of Republican abuse of power and she would ask House Speaker Dennis Hastert to order an apology from Sensenbrenner."

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I can see why these public political figures have "spokesmen," somebody who with a straight face and an appearance of wide eyed innocence who will try to make others believe that what they saw and heard was not so. Tough job, hard act to follow.

There seems to be something missing in the article. The four witnesses mentioned, I assume were ones assembled for this particular meeting -- rather than ones accused of being too slanted in the previous meetings.

The Patriot Act, so christened as to give an idea that - - - what ? Slanted to the max that one was. It was pushed through due to the panic over the Mad Dictator of Iraq and his massive amount of "Weapons of Mass Destruction," which the biggies tried to sell as fact to our country.

Now Mr. Bush wants to renew sections of the act that are due to expire in September. What earthly reason does he have for trying to do that ? ? ? ? Who threatens us now ? ? ? What dangerous group have we allowed to be in this country to be underground saboteurs and terrorists ? ? ? ? ?

The Patriot Act was pushed into being because our country was in total panic, fearing more sudden attacks, more severe actions. And the politicians pushed it on us for all it was worth apparently thinking we would exist forever in that state of panic if they kept pushing the right buttons. Now Mr. Bush wants to prolong the abuse of our civil rights and perhaps extend it.

Apparently what went on in the hearing room resembled some of the things seen in recent times on TV, so called moderators, M-Cees and others of that ilk who cut folks off in mid-sentence if what they are saying is not in agreement with their own personal views.

I, as a citizen of this country am ashamed that such things are being pushed to such a ridiculous extent.

Funny, come to think of it, Amnesty International used to have a very good reputation in our country - - - - that is until they had something to report about us. Now, as with others who have something to say that doesn't follow the party line, they are suddenly personna non grata.

I have the strong feeling that if we as a people don't make our feelings and wishes known to a very great extent, and rapidly, we will be carrying a national drivers license with who knows what information on that magnetic black strip on the back ? ? ? ? sAnd have difficulty going from town to town having to show our DLs to most any one who takes a notion that they suspect us of being terrorists -- hell they don't need evidence or a reason to suspect any more. And other indignities and impositions on our privacy and freedom will follow I fear. Who can even guess just how deep WILL THIS GO ? . . . . . . . . . . . .

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