From: L' Ermit (lhermit@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Jan 11 2002 - 15:44:30 MST
Freedom's just another word for what we will not have...
I keep noticing cross-post messages contrasting the Free "Secular" US with
all those terrible undemocratic Islamic nations. These posts bearing subject
lines beginning "The end of freedom..." are intended to focus in our minds
the freedoms we appear to be electing to sacrifice in the anticipation of a
temporary security.
The questions I see as significant right now are:
How many freedoms can be sacrificed before it will be impossible to tell the
difference between US and Them?
If we were to reach the point where our freedoms are as limited as those in
any terrible undemocratic Islamic nation, will we still appear to be a
viable target for terrorist activity?
If we do manage to reach this point, will we still be advocating our
freedoms as justification of the justice of our cause?
Given that I have just finished a news report
[http://www.politechbot.com/p-03021.html accessed 2001-01-11] which states
that Al Gore garnered more votes than any Presidential candidate other than
Ronald Reagan, isn't it time we stopped refering to Islamic states as
undemocratic?
Regards
Hermit <Reporting from the Theocratic Republic of Amerika>
===
Source: http://www.politechbot.com/p-03022.html accessed 2001-01-11
Calif gov. Davis' election year ploy: Tap Internet and telephones
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/01/08/MN206009.DTL
Davis calls for added wiretap authority
PRIVACY: State could track e-mail, Net use
Lynda Gledhill, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau Tuesday, January 8, 2002
Sacramento -- Gov. Gray Davis wants to give state and local police
broad new powers to obtain wiretaps and monitor e-mail, a proposal
likely to inflame civil libertarians and set up a showdown with
members of his own party in the Legislature.
George Vinson, Davis' security adviser, said yesterday the expanded
wiretap capabilities -- which mirror those given by Congress to
federal agents after the Sept. 11 attacks -- would give more tools to
state police investigating potential terrorist activities.
[...]
--- Coverage in LAT and WP follows. Cohen's story also explores some precedents on state and fed roles in legislation impacting civil liberties--"The last thing we need is 50 FBIs, some of them effectively accountable to no one." --XJ <<Wednesday January 09 10:12 AM EST Davis' Wiretap Plan Smells a Lot Like Reelection Insurance <http://www.latimes.com/news/yahoo/la-000002028jan09.column?coll=la%2Dnews aol%2Dheadlines> Finally, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Gov. Gray Davis (news - web sites), in a sure-fire plan to keep Al Qaeda terrorists at bay in California, is going to make it easier for every podunk police department to snoop into e-mail files and listen in on phone calls. Barney Fife takes out Osama bin Laden (news - web sites). That's the legislation Davis is pushing up the hill, anyway. And I don't know about you, but I haven't felt this secure since Davis bravely stepped in front of TV cameras and warned us about unspecified threats against unspecified bridges at unspecified times. For the sake of discussion, let's say Al Qaeda forces are using Rancho Cucamonga as a staging center. Under the Davis model, which borrows if not steals from the federal Patriot Act signed by President Bush (news - web sites) after Sept. 11, Cucamonga cops would theoretically bust up that cell before you could say, "Praise be to Allah." (...) >> <<A Wiretap In Every Home By Richard Cohen Thursday, January 10, 2002; Page A19 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22888-2002Jan9.html> If it is true that all trends start in California, then the rest of the country had better pay attention. Gray Davis has proposed that his state's police agencies be given the same authority to fight terrorism that Congress recently gave the feds. If this keeps up, there won't be an untapped phone in the nation. It's not that what Davis proposes is so awful. What he has in mind is a state version of the insultingly named USA Patriot Act, which among other things expanded wiretap authority at the federal level. It also permits the government to monitor e-mail and Internet sites. Uncle Sam is going to know if you've been bad or good -- so be good for goodness' sake. But you better watch out. Because already other states are asking for the same authority. All this is being done in the name of anti-terrorism, but the expanded powers could be used for any purpose approved by a court -- a state court at that. You need only peer back in history to wonder if we are going to be any safer or, maybe, much worse off. Here I must state a prejudice. Having once been a statehouse correspondent (Maryland), I am underwhelmed by the competence and professionalism of state government. Most legislators are part-time, but the lobbyists are not. Often, they lead the representatives around by the nose -- offering expertise, advice and, in a pinch, a free vacation to somewhere very nice. Similarly, state judges do not match the caliber of their federal counterparts. [...] --- From: "Xeni Jardin" <xeni@xeni.net> To: "Declan McCullagh" <declan@well.com> Subject: more on Davis' plans for "roving wiretaps" & in-state bugs on email, phones Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 06:50:02 -0800 You can watch a rebroadcast of the "state of the state" address in which he discussed some aspects of his proposals here: <http://video.dot.ca.gov/state/index.html> excerpt from the speech: "....Since September 11th, we acted swiftly to protect our airports, bridges, highways and dams, to secure our water supplies and electricity grid and to prepare our health facilities. But there is more we can and must do. First, we're working with the Bush Administration to create a tiered system of public warnings when terrorist threats occur. Second, we're asking the federal government to allow Highway Patrol officers to provide additional "sky-marshal" protection on in-state flights they're already taking in the course of their duties. Third, we'll ensure that law enforcement officials - with the authority of the court - can monitor communications by suspected terrorists and allow "roving" wiretaps on suspects. Fourth, we'll tighten controls over the transportation of toxic and hazardous materials. In addition, I will ask the Attorney General to review new federal Anti-terrorism legislation to ensure that California law is consistent with - and at least as tough - as national law. Attorney General Lockyer, I commend and applaud you for your vigilance and cooperation during these difficult times...." --XJ _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com
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