How the patriot act is being abused (A MUST READ)

[Blue_Chill]

Many, including MSN's Slate, have stated that while many civil rights groups claim the Patriot Act allows the goverment to cross the line, no one can show actual examples of this. Well lucky me I ran into the following article on Wired News.

<snip>A North Carolina county prosecutor charged a man accused of running a methamphetamine lab with breaking a new state law barring the manufacture of chemical weapons. If convicted, Martin Dwayne Miller could get 12 years to life in prison for a crime that usually brings about six months<snip>

<snip>Some of the restrictions on government surveillance that were erased by the Patriot Act had been enacted after past abuses -- including efforts by the FBI to spy on civil rights leaders and anti-war demonstrators during the Cold War. Tim Lynch, director of the Project on Criminal Justice at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, said it isn't far fetched to believe that the government might overstep its bounds again.<snip>



source: http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,60440,00.html

[larryepke]

1. Here's another clip from that article

"Prosecutor Jerry Wilson says he isn't abusing the law, which defines chemical weapons of mass destruction as "any substance that is designed or has the capability to cause death or serious injury" and contains toxic chemicals."

By that standard, cigarettes are chemical weapons of mass destruction, but I doubt they'll be illegal anytime soon in North Carolina!

[wuushew]

2. This is an unwinnable battle

people will not care about the abuses unless it affects white middle-class America. People fail to see the unreasonableness of the laws because they cannot grasp the concept that members of other groups may also be innocent of crimes they are accused of.

[Blue_Chill]

3. wrong my friend

I post on gaming message boards that are insanely conservative, all true conservatives are up in arms about this. Only the *NEO* cons support it.

[wuushew]

5. People do not seem up in arms about the proposed no bail law

that would prevent anyone suspected of terrorism from receiving their constitutional guarranteed rights.

I will judge public opinion by what is on the frontpage, in the editorial section and the margin of victory when the bill comes to a vote.

[el_gato]

4. this issue is very winnable

people left and right are greatly concerned about
the patriot act

[jimshoes]

6. I suppose you could say that alcohol

would fall into that same category. The law as it is written it seems to me could easily be used by any unscrupulous law enforcer to harass ordinary citizens at will. This has to stop. Also the ridiculous conviction of Tommy Chong for selling bongs. When will this stupid shit cease.

[FlashHarry]

7. Damn! I'd better dismantle my still!