The Tree of Liberty…
February 7th, 2008 by Syd
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time
with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”
– Thomas Jefferson
How many times have you pasted that quote into a message or used it as a signature line? What it means at its core is that violent revolution is necessary on a periodic basis to refresh and restore human liberty to its rightful place in our souls, laws and government. Under a new law moving through the Congress, saying or writing those words could become a crime. The bill is called H.R. 1955 and S-1959 (You can search for the on Thomas. It doesn’t give links.) Ominously, the house version is called The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.
The New Crime of Thinking
by Gary D. Barnett, February 1, 2008It looks like the term “thought police” just might take on a whole new and real meaning. This depends on what happens in the U.S. Senate after receiving House bill H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. This act (now S-1959 — Senate version) is now being considered by Senate committees and, if passed by the Senate and signed by the president, will become law. Common sense would indicate that something this vague and dangerous would not make it out of committee, but considering that the House passed it on October 23 with 404 ayes, 6 nays, and 22 present/not voting, I’m not holding my breath.
The most disturbing aspects of this bill, and there are many, are the definitions noted in Section 899a. The three offenses defined in this document that will warrant prosecution are:
“Violent Radicalization: The term ‘violent radicalization’ means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.”
“Homegrown Terrorism: The term ‘homegrown terrorism’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
“Ideologically based violence: The term ‘ideologically based violence’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs.” Source
A friend who contacted me about this bill made the following observation:
I think your readers may be interested in this because it essentially would consider our Founding Fathers terrorists, instead of revolutionaries. I understand the intent is to go after middle eastern terrorists, but it is broad enough that those patriots who dissent to an encroaching tyranny would become criminals for talking about their beliefs. At least, that is how I see it. This is the kind of law King George III would have had (perhaps he did), and we started a movement to be rid of his rule on the 4th of July, 1776.
Also, rules like these create criminals of patriots who want to hold the government accountable. When we are all criminals (and disarmed), who will fight for us?
I couldn’t agree more. I am completely in favor of giving law enforcement the tools to hunt down and interdict the real terrorists who want to do us harm, but the Congress needs to tread lightly when entering the realm freedom of speech and thought crime. This bill strikes me as a blunt instrument for a job which demands a scalpel. People vent all of the time on bulletin boards and web sites and some of the words come out sounding revolutionary. Some of them probably are. Speaking inflammatory words is not a crime yet, with some narrow exceptions, nor is trying to convince others of your point of view. Planning and committing crimes is already against the law. Some keyboard commando could offer his thoughts in a moment of anger and find himself facing federal felony charges, even due to the radical step of quoting one of the founding fathers and mothers.
If these bills become law, I guess we’ll have to take down all of those “Liberty Tree,” “Molon Labe,” “Don’t Tread On Me,” “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death,” or “Fear the Government that Fears My Gun” quotes off of our web sites because that certainly sound like “…threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs.” I suppose guys like Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Madison, George Mason and Patrick Henry will now be listed as “home-grown terrorists” in the kids’ history books.
I guess my don’t tread on me tattoo could get me in serious trouble. Then again getting me in trouble for my tattoo would be treading on me, and I’d have to react. There I go committing “violent radicalization”. I guess I’ll be thought criminal number 1.
Scarey stuff. How these bills managed to get this far without much attention is amazing. I guess I’d better go fold my Gadsden flag since flying it is going to probably get me into trouble with the D.C. slavemasters.
Let the revolution begin while I’m still young enought o enjoy it.
Citizens really need to pay attention to whom they’re electing at the bottom of the political totem pole. These are the ones that grow up and become these freedom takers. Presidents don’t mean squat, it’s the senators, etc. that think this crap up. They’re trying to get attention and get ahead in their game. When they run out of thoughts, they turn to crap like this and a new method of gun control to get noticed. Unfortunately there are plenty of lemmings out there to get on their bandwagon. The American citizens need to take control again. Voting for Clinton or Obama or McCain is just going to be more of the same crap. They say words like “change” but don’t mean it. I just know i’ll be saying “I told ya so” a couple of years from now when one of these people get elected. Wait and see….The reason they won’t elect Ron Paul is because he truly speaks of change and it scares the hell out of people because when it comes down to it, they’re reluctant to change. Always have been. But then, that’s just me……
What is happening to my country?
Okay, I’ll say this calmly and succinctly….
Sign me up as revolutionary number one! I figure I am in the greatest of company considering who esle is in that list (i.e. Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, and all the other founding fathers….)
Another thing folks, first they have to disarm all 80,000,000 gun owners. Good luck with that government thugs. But I’ll let you know a secret (not really a secret since every gun owner I know says and walks the same thing I do….)
You want my guns? You want to take away my right to defend myself? You want to make me a criminal for following an oath I took in the military to defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and DOMESTIC? Good luck, and some advise for you follows….
Want to take away my guns?
Here ya go, feel free to take them, ONE ROUND AT A TIME THAT WILL TAKE THE TARGET DOWN (read: any damned fool who tries to take the guns away from me)!
Now that I have stated my position, be warned and let your conscience be your guide.
The fool who tries to stop me from exercising every single one of my rights is someone who has committed suicide. I would not harm a soul who does not try to harm my country, my family, or me.
Anyone who does try to harm any of those entities is committing suicide, therefore I cannot be called a murderer!
Note that I did not say politicians or any one of their hired thugs.
P.S.
Just for your information and edification, I have enough firearms and ammunition to arm my whole family! By the way, they are not unloaded, they are not locked, they ARE ready at all times….so like I said, feel free and let your conscience be your guide.
S. 1959 was signed by Bush and paves the way for the next, likely Democrat administration, to ‘legally’ outlaw militia organizations like Michigan and Indiana. Patriots could be arrested for sporting bumper-sticker that says stuff like “when they come for my guns they can have them, bullets first”; the answer is to join with others who are willing to put lead downrange as part of a well-organized, but somewhat decentralized resistance movement. Face it, the elections are rigged, your wages are unconstitutionally (illegally) seized by the IRS, lawful petitions are ignored, and Blackwater is coming to a neighborhood near you. Wake up, if you want to be free you’re going to have to FIGHT for it, which is why they have passed this bill in the first place: to criminalize all thought and communication regarding the Second American Revolution. Don’t accept it passively, just don’t obey! Put your finger in Big Brother’s eye. For more, see www_minutemanpatriot_homestead_com/grievances_html