bigpoppanils Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Mondo Washingtonby James RidgewayUnexpected Steps Against the Patriot ActLeft, Right, Left, RightMay 21 - 27, 2003Some 107 communities in 24 states representing 11.3 million people have now passed resolutions opposing the federal USA Patriot Act. Alaska is expected to join Hawaii in opposing the Patriot Act, as is the city of Baltimore. This could be the beginnings of unexpected political opposition to the Bush re-election campaign, especially since the opposition now includes an important sector of the conservative movement itself. Such entities as the Eagle Forum and American Conservative Union are speaking out strongly against the act as a violation of civil liberties and have joined with the ACLU and other liberal groups in a coalition to fight the act. The assault has forced the government to launch its own lobbying effort to buoy support for the legislation. In the Albany FBI office, Keith A. DeVincentis, the special agent in charge, recently went to bat against the Ithaca city council, which had passed a resolution against the Patriot Act. "Contrary to popular television and theatrical portrayals, the FBI initiates cases predicated on facts, not suspicions or guesswork," DeVincentis said, and he added that the Ithaca councilmembers should "be aware that the FBI has been the primary entity in the United States responsible for investigating and bringing to justice those who seek to violate the constitutional rights of the American people." In Arizona, Senator Jon Kyl openly attacked the Tucson city council for passing a resolution opposing the Patriot Act. Kyl claimed that such "resolutions expressing doubts" about the Patriot Act represent "less than one-half of one percent of all incorporated municipalities in the United States." Kyl went on to insist that Tucson's action was unlike that of the U.S. Senate, which he said "thoroughly debated" the legislation that passed with "overwhelming bipartisan support." (At the time, Congress was criticized for failing to debate the act.) Meanwhile, the government's prosecutions under the act look fishy. The Philadelphia Inquirer, working with Syracuse University, found that 60 Middle Eastern men charged with terrorism in the fall of 2002 actually were guilty only of cheating on an English test for admission to a U.S. university. And that's just for starters. So far, the government has filed charges against 56 people for terrorism, but 41 of them had nothing to do with terrorism. They included Latinos accused of working without green cards at a Texas airport and people who allegedly trespassed on the navy's Vieques firing range in Puerto Rico. Activists there worked hard to get the navy to quit firing live ammunition on the island. Now they find themselves facing terrorist charges. Of the total of 56, six men had alleged ties to terrorist groups, and a few others were supposedly connected to money laundering alleged to have connections with terrorist operations. A GAO audit concluded that three-quarters of all "international terrorism" cases were not about terrorism. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Hey Igloo, Mrmas, cintron and the rest of you extreme right wing conforming idiots have to say to this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 :laugh: You guys are reaching..In Arizona, Senator Jon Kyl openly attacked the Tucson city council for passing a resolution opposing the Patriot Act. Kyl claimed that such "resolutions expressing doubts" about the Patriot Act represent "less than one-half of one percent of all incorporated municipalities in the United States." Yeah, The patriot act will def be rescinded lolIt's this type of appeasment of the immigration promblem that got us in trouble in the first place... The country is safer now but you guys don't see it-- CRAZY....Thank GOD we have John Ashcroft.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by mr mahs :laugh: You guys are reaching..Thank GOD we have John Ashcroft.... Amen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 i could care less. If the law went away, fine. If it stayed, whatever.wasn't the rave act stuffed into the patriot act? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by igloo Amen Racism worshipper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by mr mahs :laugh: You guys are reaching..In Arizona, Senator Jon Kyl openly attacked the Tucson city council for passing a resolution opposing the Patriot Act. Kyl claimed that such "resolutions expressing doubts" about the Patriot Act represent "less than one-half of one percent of all incorporated municipalities in the United States." Yeah, The patriot act will def be rescinded lolIt's this type of appeasment of the immigration promblem that got us in trouble in the first place... The country is safer now but you guys don't see it-- CRAZY....Thank GOD we have John Ashcroft.... This country is safer mrmas???Iraq war helped boost Al QaedaAllowed network to recruit: ExpertsSaudi envoy warns of more attacksLONDON - The U.S.-led war on Iraq gave Al Qaeda the opportunity to reinvigorate its weakened terrorist network with new recruits and more funding, say experts on terrorism.The Iraq war "clearly increased the terrorist impulse," said Jonathan Stevenson, senior fellow for counter-terrorism at London's International Institute for Strategic Studies.The U.S.-led invasion, at least in the short term, drew more people toward Osama bin Laden's vision of a global clash between Islam and the West, Stevenson said yesterday.It partly explains the series of co-ordinated, multiple attacks last Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where 34 people died, and on Friday in Casablanca, Morocco, where 41 people, including 13 attackers, were killed by five bomb blasts. Stevenson believes U.S. President George W. Bush's administration knew full well the war would initially increase support for Al Qaeda. But U.S. officials estimated the long-term impact of setting up a democratic government in Iraq would outweigh the short-term pain of more terror attacks, he said.Other experts, however, believe that the U.S., and those European countries that supported the war, badly miscalculated."The political masters in the U.S. and Europe underestimated the extent to which bin Laden would use the war in Iraq as a propaganda weapon to rejuvenate the movement and attract more funds," said Paul Wilkinson, head of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence at St. Andrew's University in Scotland."As far as the war against Al Qaeda goes, it possibly has been counterproductive. We face turbulent times ahead," Wilkinson told Sky TV.U.S. officials partly tried to justify the Iraq war by insisting there were links between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's ousted regime — an assertion most experts continue to believe is unsubstantiated.By linking the Iraq war with the war on terror, Bush has left himself vulnerable to Americans concluding the invasion was a failure if terrorist attacks continue, said Andrew Garfield, director of the International Centre for Security Analysis at King's College in London.Garfield believes Al Qaeda continues to plan "something big" in the way of an attack in Europe or North America. But police crackdowns and increased security co-operation across borders have foiled attempts to carry out such plans since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, told reporters in Riyadh yesterday: "There is chatter, a high level of chatter regionally and in other international spots" that something could happen in Saudi Arabia or the United States. Al Qaeda was always a loose collection of local terrorist groups. But the loss of its training camps and bases in Afghanistan after the U.S.-led war there, as well as the arrests of several top lieutenants, have forced the terrorist network to become even more decentralized, Stevenson said in an interview."So while the Al Qaeda leadership has been weakened, the network as a whole has become more elusive than before," he said, adding that responsibility for planning and carrying out attacks rests more than ever with local groups.Prevented from attacking Western countries, Al Qaeda- linked groups are turning their attention on "soft" targets in countries where they have some popular support, and where security is weak, such as Saudi Arabia and Morocco.But Morocco said yesterday no connection had yet been established between Al Qaeda and last week's Casablanca attacks.Stevenson believes Al Qaeda-linked groups will further focus future operations in the Persian Gulf region because of the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.And Garfield argued the more "preventive wars" the U.S. launches, the more Muslims will feel Al Qaeda is the only choice.Garfield said this strategy has been used successfully by groups such as Hamas during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The more Israel fights against Hamas suicide bombers by clamping down on the occupied Palestinian territories, the more ordinary Palestinians believe violence is the only alternative.That means the U.S. must seriously work to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which fuels Arab anger throughout the Middle East and help alleviate poverty, he said.FROM STAR STAFFHow "safe" is your "beloved" country now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by cintron i could care less. If the law went away, fine. If it stayed, whatever.wasn't the rave act stuffed into the patriot act? you would care if you have dark skin and hair, were just walking somewhere one day, and cops nab you because they suspect you are a "terrorist"this happened twice to a school friend of mine who is indian from kenya....he was jailed twice because the fucking security at the airport and the cops in sd thought he was a terrorist because he happened to have dark skin, hair, and had some facial hair.how and what the fuck is a terrorist supposed to look like.....this is the most racist thing anyone can pass....and knowing the makeup of the congress, i'm sure they don't give a flying fuck about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by sassa you would care if you have dark skin and hair, were just walking somewhere one day, and cops nab you because they suspect you are a "terrorist"this happened twice to a school friend of mine who is indian from kenya....he was jailed twice because the fucking security at the airport and the cops in sd thought he was a terrorist because he happened to have dark skin, hair, and had some facial hair.how and what the fuck is a terrorist supposed to look like.....this is the most racist thing anyone can pass....and knowing the makeup of the congress, i'm sure they don't give a flying fuck about that. He'll care the day they start racially profiling hispanics like himself.Right now to him, anyone who doesn't match his skin color, wears a beard, a turbon or a hajib and a veil and speaks Arabic or Farsi is a terrorist.What would you expect from a racist pig like himself?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by sassa you would care if you have dark skin and hair, were just walking somewhere one day, and cops nab you because they suspect you are a "terrorist" FYI, I do have dark skin and dark hair. I'm sure people mistake me for being arab - I'm Puertorican. Hispanics and some middle easternerss can look very alike.Its called profiling. Not the first time its been done and certainly not the last. Just look at the majority of terrorist attacks carried out over the past decade, then look at the individuals responsible...and then look at the physical composition of said individuals.not justifying the FBI's actions in any way... but while it may seem immoral to some, profiling does work in certain instances, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Originally posted by cintron FYI, I do have dark skin and dark hair. I'm sure people mistake me for being arab - I'm Puertorican. Hispanics and some middle easternerss can look very alike.Ok, fine. Stood corrected, and true that some Middle Easterners can look alike.Its called profiling. It's called racial profiling, the same thing Hitler did to the Jews and is now being used on Arabs (and soon haitians) in this country and is the most racially blatant thing anyone can do and is wrong. It is generalizing anyone who isn't the same color of the majority who run this country as terrorists.Not the first time its been done and certainly not the last. Just look at the majority of terrorist attacks carried out over the past decade, then look at the individuals responsible...So that gives them the incentive to racially profile Arabs and label them terrorists? Why haven't we racially profiled whites because of what Timothy McVeigh did? Should whites be racially profiled too?and then look at the physical composition of said individuals.Arab, bearded, wearing turbons, hajibs and veils. Does that make every Arab a terrorist?not justifying the FBI's actions in any way... but while it may seem immoral to some, profiling does work in certain instances, To the advantage of the racists who generalize them. The racist assholes in our own government.How would you feel if the US suddenly began profiling hispanics like yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by cintron FYI, I do have dark skin and dark hair. I'm sure people mistake me for being arab - I'm Puertorican. Hispanics and some middle easternerss can look very alike.Its called profiling. Not the first time its been done and certainly not the last. Just look at the majority of terrorist attacks carried out over the past decade, then look at the individuals responsible...and then look at the physical composition of said individuals.not justifying the FBI's actions in any way... but while it may seem immoral to some, profiling does work in certain instances, so it's justified to target them, even if they have no ties to terrorist activities? that's bullshit. your argument doesn't hold up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by sassa so it's justified to target them, even if they have no ties to terrorist activities? that's bullshit. your argument doesn't hold up. there is no argument there. I'm stating my ethnic background and my viewpoint of profiling. read it again, esp the part that says "not justifying".always looking for a fight aren't we? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassa Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by cintron there is no argument there. I'm stating my ethnic background and my viewpoint of profiling. read it again, esp the part that says "not justifying".always looking for a fight aren't we? you don't have to use those words for people to get the gist of your argument.not looking for a fight...i'm just appalled sometimes at the way people think. but i guess that's not my concern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigpoppanils Posted May 24 Author Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by cintron i could care less. If the law went away, fine. If it stayed, whatever.wasn't the rave act stuffed into the patriot act? the rave act was stuffed into the Amber Alert bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normalnoises Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by cintron wasn't the rave act stuffed into the patriot act? It got stuffed up your ass along with the patriot act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cintron Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by normalnoises It got stuffed up your ass along with the patriot act. you're such a troll and you're begging for attention. Stop being so pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 I will say this again meatheads...19 high jackers were arab...The majority of terrorits attacks were conducted by middle eastern men...You want fish go look in a lake and that is the BOTTOM LINE...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by mr mahs I will say this again meatheads...19 high jackers were arab...The majority of terrorits attacks were conducted by middle eastern men...You want fish go look in a lake and that is the BOTTOM LINE...... :clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by igloo :clap: These ACLU goons have no argument.. They scream civil liberty violations but offer no solutions.. Do they think it will just go away? Lives are at stake and they don't want to harm anybodies feelings, it's absurd! If it were 19 italians that dropped two buildings I wouldn't have a promblem answering questions but I will tell you this, if my ethnic or religous group was being tarnished by a SELECT few I would make my voice heard and denounce the militant acts of my ethnic backround which is DEFINETLY not happening by muslim clerics in this country I wonder why? Why aren't more muslims in these hate schools coming forward and exposing the rotten apples in their group? maybe it's because the whole tree is rotten!!! Just my 2 cents... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 The unfortunate truth is that some people simply do not want to face, admit, understand what this country is truly up against---and what it is going to take to defend this country, in a war that will last years and years...Nothing but "civil liberties" overblown alarmists reaching for yet another "cause" to give them a false sense of importance and elitism, and a chance to chant "racism"...Maybe Ashcroft has done a good job making it more difficult for terrorists to operate in this country ....or is that too much for the antiBush crowd to handle and comprehend.....God forbid Ashcroft should get some credit..I suggest you blowhards, if you are so concerned with civil liberties, racism, and human rights -take your show on the road, and join a cause for reform in the ME---- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by igloo The unfortunate truth is that some people simply do not want to face, admit, understand what this country is truly up against---and what it is going to take to defend this country, in a war that will last years and years...Nothing but "civil liberties" overblown alarmists reaching for yet another "cause" to give them a false sense of importance and elitism, and a chance to chant "racism"...Maybe Ashcroft has done a good job making it more difficult for terrorists to operate in this country ....or is that too much for the antiBush crowd to handle and comprehend.....God forbid Ashcroft should get some credit..I suggest you blowhards, if you are so concerned with civil liberties, racism, and human rights -take your show on the road, and join a cause for reform in the ME---- Thank God for Ashcroft..You can't pussy foot around the promblem..it's their and ready to bite us AGAIN... People who cry injustice are quick to say that we are failing and the country isn't any safer but complain about our 1st line of defense.. With solving any promblem you must first identify that promblem, set a plan and then execute that plan this isn't any diffrent.. The promblem is Islamist radicals know our liberties provide them with cover, thank god they look diffrent then the rest of the population so it's it's easier to identify what kind of person which is trying to hurt us.. I am sorry innocent people are being singled out but hey that' s the way it is Sept 11th changed EVERYTHING it's fortunate for them this isn't China where every muslim would be hanging from light posts if they dropped a building in Beijing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by mr mahs Thank God for Ashcroft..People who cry injustice are quick to say that we are failing and the country isn't any safer but complain about our 1st line of defense.. This sums up the left perfectly... on any issue-complain about both sides of the coin, and offer zero alternatives......hence why the Democrats, hijacked by the useless left, are in big trouble---the country is tired of their endless stream of "everything sucks" and "blame Bush for everything", yet they offer nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr mahs Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Originally posted by igloo This sums up the left perfectly... on any issue-complain about both sides of the coin, and offer zero alternatives......hence why the Democrats, hijacked by the useless left, are in big trouble---the country is tired of their endless stream of "everything sucks" and "blame Bush for everything", yet they offer nothing Right.. don't you notice how the democratic pres wanna bees. always paint a dismal picture where evrything is about to collapse and that we need major reform? The truth is, yes we can do better but this country is the best in the world for a reason, our way works just look at the GDP for god sakes..and people who oppose it are fueled by envy and lust for us but they will never admit it!!Hey- do you post on any other message boards. I surf thru hannity's boards, that place is nuts mostly conservatives.. I would like another left wing cess pool board to spread my conservative views lol... got any? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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