Marsha Blackburn, Conservative?????: April 2010

Thought Crimes.

This bill (H.R. 1955), known as the “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of

2007,” could more aptly be titled the “Thought Crimes Act.” The bill would establish a National

Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism and establish a grant

program to prevent radicalization in the United States. However, critics charge that the bill is a thinly

disguised attempt to criminalize dissent, based on the bill’s vague and open-ended language that could be

used to trample basic rights to free speech and assembly, and turn legitimate dissent into thought crimes.

For instance, the bill defines “violent radicalization” as “the process of adopting or promoting an extremist

belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or

social change.” The bill does not define either “extremist belief system” or “facilitating ideologically based

violence.” The bill also states that “the Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically

based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and

constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.” The House passed H.R. 1955 by

a vote of 404-6 (Roll Call 993) on October 23, 2007.

The bill threatens legitimate dissent.

Marsha Blackburn voted FOR this bill.

(Source: The New American – December 10, 2007)

Marsha Blackburn, Conservative?????