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<span style="font-size: small;">Expat "Simon Black" writes today -<br>
<br>
<br>
*****<br>
<br>
...</span><span style="font-size: small;"> If the victim had been
Gabrielle the bus
driver instead of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, it would have
barely registered a few words at the bottom of the CNN news ticker. </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: small;">With
one of their own victimized, however, I'm concerned that politicians
will close ranks, capitalize on the social mood to generate a renewed
faith in government, and pass a host of reactionary policies... all
after sanitizing their Twitter feeds for any reference to violence, of
course.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps some form
of gun control is in the works... though with a Republican controlled
Congress, I'd think new legislation targeting suspected 'Anti-American
subversives' could be on the table, or something that gives sweeping
new powers to government agents and police forces.</span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: small;">In
1946, the 79th Congress of the United States passed public law 601
giving permanent standing to the House Committee on Un-American
Activities. This committee was authorized significant powers to
investigate 'subversive and un-American propaganda' and assist Congress
in 'necessary remedial legislation.' </span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: small;">Ironically,
in its efforts to ensure that America was nothing like the Soviet
Union, the US government began turning the country into a fascist
collective. Given what may come after the weekend's shooting, I fear
we may be returning to a time when it is increasingly dangerous to be a
free thinking individual anywhere in the West...</span><span
style="font-size: small;"></span>
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