On October 26, 2001, President Bush signed the USA Patriot Act into law. Once again, fear tactics have given 'the powers that be' another step towards a corporate facist dictatorship. Because of this horrific act, American citizens no longer have the right to refuse an unreasonable search and seizure, because they no longer exist at this point. This essentially means that the cops can come to your door and brusquely move you out of the way while they systematically ransack your living space for whatever happens to catch their fancy.

The government can now also spy on random web surfing as well by telling a judge anywhere in the US that this monitoring could lead to gathering information that 'they deem relevant' to an ongoing criminal investigation. Let that sink in for a moment. Then there's the extra added bonus of them also being able to collect DNA samples for any perpetrator of a 'crime of violence'. Add to that their various punishments for those accused of hacking (which is now apparently an extremely loose term that can now fit anything the administration wants it to fit), and it's a 'president for life' wet dream.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas was one of only three Republican lawmakers that voted against this legislation, and he confirmed a rumour that this sweeping new law was not made available to members of Congress for review before they had to vote on it. WTF?? Got Facism? Congressional members were pushed to bend over and smile by this damned thing because of the insidious nature of it's name - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Apporopriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act. The blatant premise behind this was to insinuate that anybody that was against this legislation was 'unpatriotic'.

Both liberal and conservative critics are saying that it does next to nothing to protect us from the dread 'terrorist menace', AND it has the added bonus of SHAFTING us by stripping citizens of our basic fundamental rights GUARANTEED by the Constitution, which George W. Bush and his father are now happily wiping their asses with.

The Fourth and First Amendments are now no longer part of our rights as Americans because of this bill. Not that we really needed a bill like this to take away the freedom of speech. It's easier to silence people through fear and harrassment. Just look at all of the press people and media personalities that are speaking their minds, which just happen to be against Bush at this particular moment. Christ...after the plane accident in NYC yesterday, security guards in LaGuardia began switching television channels in the airport to sports games or other 'lighthearted fare' so that the citizens of New York would be 'protected' from 'harmful information'. Last time I checked...that was censorship.

Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act defines 'domestic terrorism' as 'engaging in activity that involves acts dangerous to human life that violate the laws of the United States or any state and appear to be intended: (i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass distruction, assassination or kidnapping.'.

Wow...under those guidelines members of the current administration can be considered 'terrorists'. I find myself wondering if we're actually going to see the flip side of this coin, where they'd have to jail various religious factions around the country for promoting violence against gays and abortion clinics and doctors 'in God's name'. Probably not. God knows who the almighty Bush-fuhrer will see as a threat and label a terrorist next.

There are also a great many provisions for easier wiretapping priveledges, and the officials 'investigating' and sifting through said information only need to state that the information that they're searching for is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation.

I would personally like to 'thank' the Bush Administration for screwing me out of the rights that made this country great, and for turning the American flag into a red, white and blue Depends undergarment.

Next time you wanna FUCK me, KISS me first.

"Former special prosecutor Kenneth Starr predicts that the curtailment of civil liberties, including the use of torture, will be approved by "at least five Supreme Court justices," The Washington Post reports."

FICTION:

Jhada and Argent || The Model and the Mad Scientist || Gabriel || An Unlikely Pairing || The Worst Porno Story Ever

POETRY:

No Longer Angry || Depression || Run with the Moon || Love is a Virus || BloodDance || Diamanda || Murderer || The Watcher || Confusion || Dream || Romeo is Bleeding || Cribdeath || HoPeLeSs || Soulmate || Darling || Illuminate || Madness || Insecurity || Fear || Angel || The Job || Pathetic || Shard of Hate || Thin || Departure of Friends || Empty Life || Kindred Spirit || Why Bother? || Loss of Control || Lonely Girl || Loss of a Dream || Damaged || Done|| Excision  || Missing You || Jhada|| Hope ||  Reflection ||  History Repeating

TIRADES:

Sucky Movies || Relationships || Marriage || Shortcomings || Parents || Monstrous Brats || Barbie's Newest Trauma || Babies in Trashcans || Religion || Listening || Public Facilities || Choices...|| Grieving || Legalize Prostitution ||  Sports VS Public Service || Y2K || Abortion || To Buffy, or not to Buffy? || Enough with the HATE Already! || Christmas|| Valentine's Day || Love in the 90's || The Big Trenchcoat Freakout || Keeping Up Appearances || Presidential Scourge || Legislating Safety || Anti-drug commercials || Dating || Annoying Anonymity || America West || The Great Bug Debacle || Smoking || Anthrax, anthrax, anthrax || The USA Patriot Act