Big Brother is watching you, and if he's not, he's certainly trying. On Oct. 23, while we were off in our own worlds, distracted by the wildfires in California or worried by upcoming mid-term exams, something happened that should've been the talk of the nation. The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 was passed by Congress with 404 votes in favor to six votes of nay. This act, also known as HR 1955, could be another notch in the Bush Administration's belt of attempts to strip citizens of their civil liberties.
This new bill includes vague language and spine-chilling implications that fundamentally challenge the First Amendment and sound eerily Orwellian. This bill targets the civilian population and is bi-partisan supported. As defined in the act, Violent Radicalization is "the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system … to advance political, religious, or social change." In the bill, what is considered to be an "extremist belief system" is not defined and is therefore left open to interpretation. This gap in information is one of the aspects of this bill that make it dangerous. Depending on whose hands the power falls in, we are all at his or her mercy. And since when have social change and political advancement been solely terrorist thoughts? Change and advancement is why our democracy was initially established.
In another excerpt from the bill are the "findings" listed in Section 899 B. The bill, proposed by Democrats, has found that the "internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens." Well, since the Internet is also referred to as the "information superhighway" there are naturally going to be broad and constant streams of all kinds of propaganda, but it is our first civil right amendment to have the freedom of speech and post propaganda. But now what? Since anything can fall under the title of an extremist belief system, what is terrorist-related propaganda?
In addition to the aforementioned consequences of passing this bill, HR 1955 would also amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002, creating a "National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism" as well as a "Center of Excellence," which will be based in universities nationwide. The Center of Excellence is where we shall get our answers on what defines homegrown terrorism and what doesn't. The Center will do this by having university researchers gather data in order "to study the social, criminal, political, psychological, and economic roots of" the loosely defined forms of dissent. Researchers will then report to the President and Congress 18 months after the commission was established. The reports are to provide recommendations in the steps necessary for "homeland security officials to mitigate" the dissident citizens.
It seems completely ironic that these Centers of Excellence are going to be based on national universities; pillars of what I used to consider independent thinking and liberalism. These centers are merely providing loopholes that will allow for the Thought Police to convict dissidents in the court of law. What the dissidents would be accused of are thought crimes, and in a country that prizes free speech, this seems more than contradictory.
Until recently, I hadn't heard any talk of this bill, and that's scary, because I'm sure I'm not alone in this boat. This bill is in the Senate's hands now, awaiting their vote. As a generation and a target of this bill, I'm hoping to raise a little awareness of the situation at hand and hopefully pull some heads out of you know where. If it means missing an episode of "The Hills" or taking a little time from your usual load of work, take a minute to watch who wants to watch you.
Reach the reporter at: adprice4@asu.edu.
