Secrecy masks Patriot Act?s conduct

[Insane3D]

Amid rights debate, scope of law is cloaked

Sept. 8 ? In Seattle, the public library printed 3,000 bookmarks to alert patrons that the FBI could, in the name of national security, seek permission from a secret federal court to inspect their reading and computer records - and prohibit librarians from revealing that a search had taken place.

Scary stuff, and it looks like both sides of the political spectrum are having concerns...

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Eureka . . . this is a secret campaign by Bush to have an entire nation be as poorly read as himself.

 

[Mean MrMustard]

I wish I had a list of all books selected as "edgy" or a "threat" to national security. I would go out of my way to check out as many as possible, because as we all know now, I must be a terrorist. Bring it on!

 

[DealMonkey]

Yeah - seriously, what books would get you in trouble? I mean, it's not like they stock the "Anarchist's Cookbook" or the "al Qaeda" handbook at your local library. Why would the FBI even care?

 

[MovingTarget]

How long will it take for congress to repeal this crap and restore our civil liberties? The government is not supposed to dive that deep into our lives as to inspect what we are reading. They search records of you without your consent or knowledge. It is not only anal and paranoid, it should be unconstitutional if i'm not mistaken. I believe I speak for many here when I say it has to go...now!

 

[Ldir]

Originally posted by: BaliBabyDoc
Eureka . . . this is a secret campaign by Bush to have an entire nation be as poorly read as himself.

LOL. Make his Texas education scores look better.

 

[Insane3D]

It's hard to give them the benefit of the doubt when they keep everything so secret in the name of national security. That seems to have become the blanket excuse for withholding information...

 

[UltraQuiet]

They are not going to library to get a list of people who are reading certain books. The FISA court won't approve that. What they are doing is going to the FISA court, presenting evidence that a certain person is suspected of being a terrorist and asking FISA court to approve a warrant based on that evidence.

There is a record of the FBI abusing this procedure dating back to the 70's. What needs to happen is for Congress to insist (read pass a law) on Congressional oversight of this process.

Liars and abusers should be tarred, feathered, castrated and decapitated. Not necessarily in that order.

 

[Wag]

Eureka . . . this is a secret campaign by Bush to have an entire nation be as poorly read as himself.

He's not poorly read, he just reads the same book over and over again...

 

[PatboyX]

this is so effing scary to read about.