Tuesday, June 6th, 2006
Bringing lots of sauce…
I just thought of something in relation to the content of my last post. Thomas Cadmus and his American Legion cronies may be guilty of a Section 802 violation of the PATRIOT Act. Section 802 amends Section 2331, Title 18 of the United States Code to read as follows:
(5) the term ‘domestic terrorism’ means activities that–
(A) involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State;
(B) appear to be intended–
(i) to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;
(ii) to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or
(iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and
(C) occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
Inciting American Legion members to politically-motivated violence most certainly "[involves] acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State" and is without a doubt "intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population."
Sauce for the goose is just as good for the gander, as they say.
Oh wait - that’s right, the Patriot Act only applies to liberals and "swarthy males."
Funny, you’d think that the American Legion, which bills itself as a "patriotic, mutual-help, war-time veterans organization," would be well aware of the following clause in the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
But, alas, our faith in the Legion’s dedication to the principles of the Founders has been sorely misplaced. According to an AP-Ipsos poll, 87% of Americans can understand this vital principle. Why can’t the American Legion? I guess they’re too busy advocating theocracy in America - another First Amendment violation. (D’oh!)
Of course, in Right Wing World, I’m a troop-hater for daring to criticize the American Legion. 
Technorati tags: American Legion, Iraq War, Patriot Act
(See original post on the old blog here - originally posted Aug. 31, 2005 4:15 AM)
