[IP] here we go again -- yet another police-state extension
Delivered-To: dfarber+@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
X-Sender: jwarren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 1 May 2004 14:23:12 -0700
To: Dave Farber:;, Declan McCullagh <declan@xxxxxxxx>
From: Jim Warren <jwarren@xxxxxxxx>
Subject: here we go again -- yet another police-state extension
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Have you noticed how the constitution-bending powers granted for
administration surveillance of citizens, and to law enforcement, by the
so-called "Patriot Act" were justified as essential to "fight terrorism"
... but quickly perverted for use against numerous other crimes, large and
tiny, that have nothing to do with "terrorism"?
And remember how the excessive enforcement and prosecution powers of the
RICO law -- Racketeer-Influenced Corrupt Organizations -- were justified to
"fight organized crime" ... but was quickly applied to numerous other
crimes, large and small, that had nothing-at-all to do with organized
crime? (E.g., two teens allegedly conspiring to rob a liquor store
suddenly becomes a RICO case!)
And we've all seen how the trial-less, guilt-less forfeiture powers that
began as "necessary" to fight vile drug lords ... are now routinely used to
take homes, land, vehicles, computers and even candy and pre-recorded
labeled music tapes, from everyone from alleged -- but unarrested,
unchanged, untried, unconvicted -- teenage computer crackers, to guys who
pay for sex in the back seat of their quickly-forfeited cars.
Well ... here's what appears to be yet-another one of those massively
over-reaching "law'n'order" proposals to give evermore excessive powers to
law enforcement, with massive penalties, complete with an ill-defined and
ambiguous definition of a "gang" and "gang membership".
If you're a member of ANY organization that ANY enforcer -- liberal or
conservative -- might target (cannabis advocates, survivalists,
environmental "extremists", gun-rights advocates, etc.) or if you are even
merely friends with or hang out with some folks who might be in such a
group ... YOU can be next!
Guit (and imprisonment!) by association.
--jim
I urge you to oppose the below described bill, which imposes
disproportionate penalties on juveniles for poorly defined "participation"
in a "gang." The bill is being proposed by Dianne Feinstein (D-California)
and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).
States already have really harsh penalties for participation in group
activities. These bills enhance penalties for crimes committed if you are
part of a "gang," sometimes adding 10+ years to a sentence. Like the
states' three strikes law, this federal bill would add prison time for a
circumstance completely unrelated to the commission of the crime.
In fact, under the new bill, people could be given felony convictions for
hanging out with people who later go out and commit a crime. The result
would not be less crime or fewer gangs, it would be more kids growing up
to be hardened criminals in jail.
Please consider clicking on the link below--you can send a fax to your
senators in less than one minute.
Click here for more information and to send a free fax to your Senators:
http://www.aclu.org/CriminalJustice/CriminalJustice.cfm?ID=14925&c=15
Urge Congress to Oppose Overreaching and Punitive Crime Laws
Less than 18 months after the Senate passed rational and balanced federal
juvenile justice legislation, two Senators have introduced a new punitive
bill that would expand the use of the death penalty and create new
ill-defined crimes.
Under this proposed legislation, people could be convicted and sentenced
to death for ill-defined illegal "participation" in a "gang," which could
be as few as three people. The law's loose definitions and expansion of
the death penalty would increase the probability that people are wrongly
convicted and possibly even convicted.
This legislation would interfere with the right to a fair trial.
Astounding as it sounds, this measure could also allow people to be given
felony convictions for hanging out with people who later go out and commit
a crime.
Take Action! Tell your Senators to oppose this punitive and irrational
legislation.
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