Is it possible, due to growing opposition to Bush's USA PATRIOT Act, that the Justice Department has decided instead to use arcane laws to go after its enemies? Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act stipulates that a person or organization can be considered terrorist if they engage in activity intended "to intimidate or coerce a civilian population" and "influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion." In the above example, blocking the driveway of a federal building may very well be considered "intimidation or coercion" by the Justice Department.

Ashcroft and USA PATRIOT have come under increasing fire -- and that's why the Justice Department organized a 16-city tour to "correct misinformation" about the draconian aspects of the law. On the final day of this closed-door, invite-only dog and pony show, more than 1,200 demonstrators in Boston and 2,500 in New York City made their displeasure known.

Ashcroft and the Justice Department will likely continue to plumb the depths of out-dated law and fashion iron-fisted responses to the environmental and peace movements.

posted by Cyndy | link | | |