Coleman co-sponsors troubling, under-the-radar domestic terrorism bill

"Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman is the Senate co-sponsor of a little-noticed domestic anti-terrorism bill that could carry us several steps closer to the good old days of the House Un-American Activities Committee and Joe McCarthy. The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act (S.1959) is currently in committee after passing the House last year with no media scrutiny and no real debate by a 404-6 margin. The primary sponsor of the Senate bill is fellow Republican Susan Collins of Maine.

"The purpose of the measure is to create a permanent federal commission to scrutinize radicals and would-be terrorists, and to fund a series of university-based centers devoted to ferreting out and tracking the dangerous subversives among us. The latter would operate under the auspices of the Department of Homeland Security. A handful of critics from the blogosphere and the legal world have called out the measure on grounds that it its vague mandate amounts to criminalizing dissent. But even in the civil liberties demi-monde, it seems to be making little impact.

"One reason the bill has attracted so little attention: It's a thoroughly bipartisan push that actually originated in the Democratic party ...
Source

Thought Crime Bill

Alert Congress: Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act fails to meet Constitutional Benchmarks

More at Huffington Post

Categories: terrorism, war-on-terror, surveillance, liberty, authoritarianism, usa

Sacred shrine of shamans threatened by real estate speculation in Brasilia

"In Brasília the local administration wants to build a luxurious neighborhood, called Northwest, in a place where indigenous groups of different ethnicities, like Fulni-ô/Thapuwia, Tuxá, Cariri-Xocó, had live [sic] for more than 30 years. The place is also the last area of Cerrado in the city, a native vegetation from the central part of Brasil. It´s a environmental sanctuary of great importance for the regional rivers and at the same time is also a place where indigenous from diferent parts of the country can stay while travelling trough Brasilia.

"The financial interests are huge and defended by those who were supposed to take care of a healty environmental and for cultural diversity, instead of being spokesman of the private interests that wants to destroy the Shamans Sanctuary, the indigenous and the environment. The governor José Roberto Arruda was involved in scandals in the Congress a few years ago and the vice governor Paulo Octávio, a senator, owner of the biggest land company, owner of a TV station and also owner of the Brasilia newspaper (Citizen Kaine), wants to destroy this history, using state propaganda that the Northwest Sector will be an ecological neighborhood, a model of modernity and progress when in fact it's a prove of the intolerance, prejudice and racism of the capitalist development that destroy the nature and victimizes native and black people, and all those who opposes this mega project ..."
IndyMedia

Categories: racism, brazil, environment, protest, activism, religion, shamanism

Olympic torch protests

"Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister, warned Beijing yesterday that he would not allow Chinese officials to provide their own security for the Olympic torch when it is carried through Canberra this month.

"Speaking after complaints in London and Paris about the behaviour of the Chinese Olympic officials who wrestled with demonstrators and, at one point, appeared to take control of Downing Street, the Australian leader said that such incidents would not be repeated in his capital.

"'All security, repeat all security, is provided by Australians,' he told The Times during a visit to London.

"The Olympic torch is due to be carried through Canberra on April 24 and is likely to attract antiChinese demonstrations similar to those seen in London, Paris and this morning in San Francisco."
Times Online

Olympic torch route through Australian capital is changed

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2008 Summer Olympics torch relay, at Wikipedia

Coloradans Head To San Francisco For Torch Protest cbs4denver.com
Radio New Zealand - San Francisco Chronicle
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Categories: china, olympics, tibet, protest