Media Roots Radio- US Imperialism, Spying, Self-Censorship, Building Communities by Media Roots

MEDIA ROOTS- This discussion covers US imperialism: wars, costs, media and government propaganda; the culture of self-censorship and the erosion of privacy in the US; information as power and how communication is an important tool to strengthen and build communities.

(video below the fold)

In the name of homeland security after 9/11, anti-terror legislation passed that granted sweeping authority to federal agencies to investigate all targets, foreign and domestic. The conclusion reached by many of our elected representatives, and echoed repeatedly by President Bush, was that the government needed this additional authority to protect America from future terrorist attacks. After a brief overview of the Founding Fathers’ intent in crafting the Constitution, theN3TWORK explores the current challenges to keeping our rights under mounting pressure to yield them to national security. We provide startling examples of how new and ambiguous pieces of legislation, like the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, have already curbed our civil liberties. Included in the episode is a breakdown of the MIAC report, along with very disturbing CSPAN footage from the introduction of the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Bill. A must see for every American citizen!

Panel Prepares to Target Bogus “Homegrown Terror”

Kurt Nimmo
December 26, 2007

On December 25, Audrey Hudson wrote for the Washington Times:

A commission proposed by key senators would study the emergence of homegrown terrorists and how U.S. citizens become radicalized through ideologies to commit acts of violence.

The National Commission on the Prevention of Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism is the brainchild of Sen. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut independent and chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the ranking Republican member.

“The homeland security committee’s extensive and ongoing investigation into homegrown terrorism has confirmed to our committee that this is a real and growing threat to our nation’s security,” Miss Collins said.

“The attacks in London and Madrid, as well as the recent thwarted attacks in the U.S., were the work of homegrown terrorists inspired by, but not directly linked, to al Qaeda,” Miss Collins said. “But we do not yet fully understand what inspires someone to become a violent terrorist.

Senator Collins has absolutely no evidence of this and simply regurgitates the now official fairy tale version of events in regard to the attacks in London and Madrid...

Continued...
http://www.truthnews.us/?p=1423

Facebook group protests U.S. House bill By Justin Mohn, Staff Writer.
http://www.themaneater.com/article.php?id=28488

Tyler College sophomore Ryan Steele, the creator of another protest group called “Students Against H.R. 1955,” said he thought the bill broke with the Founding Fathers’ view of America, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

“I think it broadens the description of a terrorist,” Steele said. “I think it includes U.S. citizens who are against the government in the description.”

Shey said he is also worried about the descriptions of terrorists.

“Would ‘9/11 Truthers’ or anti-war protestors, such as Code Pink, constitute having an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence?” he said. “If definitions such as this one are stretched, dangerous conclusions could be reached.”

The vague language of the bill caused concern, Shey said.

Note the language of the latest Washington Post story about 9/11 skeptics:
U.S. Rebuts 9/11 Homegrown Conspiracy Theories.

Forget the dubious claim that the US government has "rebut" anything. The use of "homegrown" is an intentional echo of "homegrown terrorism," the White House attempt to subconsciously reinforce Bush's line that "if we don't fight them over there, we'll have to fight them here at home."

"Homegrown" terrorism also plants the seed of suspicion everywhere, and it justifies calls for a more "unified" intelligence response to terrorism. In other words, the terminology encourages consolidation of power. Here is what FBI director Mueller said back in June:

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/northamerica/article_1175300.php

'There is no one person, no one agency, no one police department, indeed no one country that has all of the answers,' Mueller said.

'Our greatest weapon against terrorism is unity,' Mueller stated. 'And that unity is built on information-sharing and coordination among our partners in the law enforcement and the intelligence communities.'