While You Slept Your Congress Took Away Your Constitution

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Most all of your representatives that you elected including Robert Wexler and Louis Capps voted yes on this bill. They essentially voted to nullify the US constitution and strip every American citizen of all of his or her rights.

[edit on 8-6-2008 by 123space]

Because I dispise slanted ideas and want to make up my own mind about things I decided to look up H.R. 1955 to see for myself what the deal is.

One thing people need to start doing when looking at videos or the news is to question them. Question the motives behind the debate, go read for themselves to find out the truth to the matter and then report it to the bord. Nothing is wrong with the OPs opinion but it's possible to have another side to the story and not rely on a google video of the problem.

Now as for H.R. 1955 at the time of this post was passed by the house and is headed for the sennate. It is not law at this point but a bill. So we have the unique opertunity in this country to write our representitives and let them know how we feel about this piece of legislature. Always, always go directly to the source if it is available in order to make up your own mind about an issue.

`SEC. 899F. PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES WHILE PREVENTING IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE AND HOMEGROWN TERRORISM.

`(a) In General- The Department of Homeland Security's efforts to prevent ideologically based violence and homegrown terrorism as described herein shall not violate the constitutional rights, civil rights, or civil liberties of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents.

`(b) Commitment to Racial Neutrality- The Secretary shall ensure that the activities and operations of the entities created by this subtitle are in compliance with the Department of Homeland Security's commitment to racial neutrality.

`(c) Auditing Mechanism- The Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Officer of the Department of Homeland Security shall develop and implement an auditing mechanism to ensure that compliance with this subtitle does not violate the constitutional rights, civil rights, or civil liberties of any racial, ethnic, or religious group, and shall include the results of audits under such mechanism in its annual report to Congress required under section 705.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of contents in section 1(b) of such Act is amended by inserting at the end of the items relating to title VIII the following:

Source: Provided Link at top of post boldining done by whatukno


[edit on 6/8/2008 by whatukno]

reply to post by whatukno


What if legsilation or future legsilation has been or will be passed to modify or remove the previous definitions of constitutional rights, civil rights, or civil liberties of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents?

Paragraph (a) offers no protection and has no legal significance.





[edit on 8-6-2008 by harvib]

reply to post by harvib


This is why we have a supreme court. If the supreme court says that this bill even if it becomes law is unconstitutional they can throw it out. If you believe that this bill cannot be argued against in court with a lawyer then you should write your representatives immediately and tell them to not allow passage of this bill through the senate.

Getting involved with your government has advantages. Surprisingly though many would rather just whine instead of taking a stand and voicing their opinion. A senator or congressman works for you because you are their constituency. If you do nothing then they can do whatever they like to your civil rights. but if you take a stand you can change their minds about an issue. What if you took your argument to a congressman or a senator? If you document your argument correctly then you can perhaps persuade them that your side is right. And if they go ahead and vote for the offending piece of legislature then you have the option of not voting for them in the next election. You can make a difference if you try. Spreading the word is only one small part to a bigger whole.

One must take action and do things the right way in order to change this nation for the better. If your representatives decide that they want to do things on their own then you have to tell them no and if they continue you tell them that you will not vote for them in the next election. Enough people do this and things change. How do you think that our elected officials make decisions? They listen to those that tell them what to do, not just themselves. or not just to people that bribe them or lobbyists. You the voter in the end have more power than you let yourselves believe. I have already written my representatives in the senate and told them of my concerns on this bill. I think that other ATSrs should do the same if they feel that this bill is not in the best interests of preserving our freedoms or our rights as a nation. Get to work and do something or you have only yourself to blame for loosing your freedom.

[edit on 6/8/2008 by whatukno]

Whatukno,
a breath of fresh air are you. Thank-you.

I guess I was not clear on the point I was trying to make. I wanted to convey that paragraph (a) has no significance. So if one reads the bill and feels that they are "protected" by paragraph (a) they are being mislead.

reply to post by harvib


Well seeing as it's not yet a law then your right it would have absolutly no legal protection for us, however seeing as it is not a law the enforcement of this bill is at this point impossible anyway. So you have time to write your senitors and request a change in the law to more accurately protect your constitutional rights if you feel that they are being betrayed.

However Im probbaly right in assuming that you won't write your representitives and thus have no voice in the matter and thus have done nothing yourself to protect your own rights as an american.

If you do nothing you have no reason to whine about laws being passed by our government. Thus you are part of the problem and not part of the solution. If you would like you could make a difference and demand your representititve incorporate more protections for you as a citizen however if you do nothing you get what you deserve.

Res Ipsa
Thanks I try and just speak the truth of the matter.

First off I am confused as to what I have said to give you the assumption that I am not vocal to our so called representatives. Second I have trouble believing they represent me in any fashion. I have wriiten my representatives on multiple issues. As far as I can tell most bills being passed are overwhemingly in opposition to the peoples' wishes. Is it your belief that this failure of representation is a lack of individuals writing letters? Do you believe that these representatives are unaware of the peoples expectations? These are not rhetorical questions, I am open to the idea that the path of our government and the peoples discontent with that path is a failure of communication.

reply to post by harvib

First off I am confused as to what I have said to give you the assumption that I am not vocal to our so called representatives. Second I have trouble believing they represent me in any fashion.

This statement and ones like it make my believe that you have become apathetic to what congress does and like most of us Americans only wish to bitch and moan about the problems in Washington however will do nothing to cure the problems themselves. You feel that Washington does not serve your interests yet do you consistently write your congressmen? do your representatives know what you want? do you petition people for change in our government?

I have written my representatives on multiple issues. As far as I can tell most bills being passed are overwhelmingly in opposition to the peoples' wishes.

Are you sure? have you polled people and asked them what their wishes are? perhaps there are more people out there writing to their representatives in favor of such laws than people that are writing against such laws.

Is it your belief that this failure of representation is a lack of individuals writing letters?

Only you hold the power to make your representatives work for you. If you do nothing they will do what is best for the constituency that do write them and voice their opinions.

Do you believe that these representatives are unaware of the peoples expectations?

The representatives are aware only by what they receive as what the will of the people. if they don't receive any word from a majority of people against such legislature they will simply go with what opinions they do have. If they get no input from the people they will do what they think is right. They work for elections, if your representative constantly went against the will of the people he represents then that person at election time would find themselves out of a job.

These are not rhetorical questions, I am open to the idea that the path of our government and the peoples discontent with that path is a failure of communication.

And that failure of communication is a failure of people that refuse to communicate with our representatives and not vice versa. If you (and when I say you I mean most of the US population not you personaly) do not do anything to show your opinion to your congressmen then it's only you that is to blame when your constitutional rights are being trampled on.

[edit on 6/8/2008 by whatukno]

You make the statement that only I have the power to make my representatives work for me. I understand the point you are making but please understand mine. What happens when ones representative views the letters they recieve subservient to the financial backings of corporate and political interest. This is the situation we are facing. Unless our letter writing campaigns are backed by financial incentives then they seem to be futile.

I would be interested in seeing data that supported the idea that policies are based on letters recieved and not by financial backings.


[edit on 8-6-2008 by harvib]

reply to post by harvib


Then don't vote for those representitives that use financial backing as a tool in which they base their votes on. When people, a lot of people send a clear message to our representitives that we are over it and we no longer require thier services which are more often than not corrupted. Then we as a nation will get better. Untill then if we allow apathy and lazyness get the uper hand then the status quo will not change.

encourage others to do their part, I do my part, I am also encoraging you to do yours. Get involved with your government and make the changes you want to see done.