For those who say they have read this act, and that it doesn’t affect us, take a look at their definitions listed at the top of the act:

The term `homegrown terrorism’ means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

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.

Do you see the words "force OR violence?". What is it that we try to accomplish when forming, or participating in a grassroots movement, a protest, an email, phone, or letter campaign?

We are trying to force a change in government action, ideology, or trying to force a change in thought of every day citizens who have the power to locally affect legislation being passed in their state, or local communities.

Congress found "The promotion of violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence exists in the United States and poses a threat to homeland security."

Meaning those threats of force OR violence pose a threat to Homeland Security.

Congress found "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."

Meaning that restrictions will most certainly be imposed on the internet to immediately cease traffic to and from known sites commencing with "terrorist" ideologies. After that, and sites with a lot of traffic adhering to their definitions of violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, or ideological based terrorism (by the ever changing definition of Homeland Security), will not only be monitored, but the users who post many comments hoping to inspire, motivate, and drive people to action will also be individually monitored, possibly banned from these sites, or otherwise restricted. These restrictions will likely be imposed in other ways of life as well. Look at the no fly lists, police databases, CCTV cameras in Chicago, and the trackable CCTV cameras in London.

Congress found: "Any measure taken to prevent violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence and homegrown terrorism in the United States should not violate the constitutional rights, civil rights, or civil liberties of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents."

Unless of course, they amend the constitution to allow it. Or, they pass an act, such as this very act, or the patriot act, or the protect america act, that allows executive privilege in a vaguely defined "time of emergency", to disregard those rights in order to protect the homeland.

Congress found: "Certain governments, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have significant experience with homegrown terrorism and the United States can benefit from lessons learned by those nations."

CCTV cameras, Internet monitoring and censorship, media consolidation under government decree (Canada), face tracking (London), country/continent unification (European Union, North American Union), excessive tasering, the development of surveillance material to be used in public places, and in gatherings of protest/dissent (small hovering microphones and cameras, the development of hovering taser devices).

I can go on and on, and if need be I will.

If you honestly think that this doesn’t affect us, that our government couldn’t possibly commit illegal acts of censorship, silencing, monitoring, and installing fear among their own citizens, you couldn’t possibly be more wrong. The government has done all of these things before, and we didn’t know about it until many years later when these acts were deemed irrelevant enough to be "declassified".
We have several covert federal agencies operating with our police system, our court system, the internet, phone companies, and will soon be within our medical records as well (RFID chips anyone?).

This is something that WILL affect us. This is something that we have to take care of. WE MUST RETALIATE.

Flood the offices of your congressional leaders with phone calls. Write a letter to them on your computer, save it, and print and send dozens of copies. It’ll cost you what, five dollars in stamps?
Contact your media again and again and again. Discuss it with your family and friends.

The time for the passing of this legislation is near. We must act now. We have to act now.

We cannot let apathy get the best of us. We cannot let fatalism or defeatism get the best of us. You are not alone, you are among many. You will make a difference, because your voice will be among thousands. If we don’t protect ourselves, our children, and our neighbors, what left will we have to live for? How will we be able to organize and fight for further infringements and atrocities if our rights to organize and dissent are slowly withering away?

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