...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Thursday, July 24, 2003
      ( 10:39 AM )
 
Be Vewy, Vewy Quiet...
there might be a Wabbit Snake in these Parts....

John Ashcroft snuck into Portland last Friday. The visit wasn't announced until the night before. Despite the late notice, over 250 protesters showed up. Good Ol' Portland! One has to wonder if Ashcroft has to sneak into most places that he travels to nowadays. Not only is he not much liked for inciting our local cops to go cukoo for coco pops on the "grab up possible terrorists, no matter if they've nothing to do with terrorism!" spree, but he is especially not liked for holding up the twice-voted-for assisted-suicide law in this state. His meddling has created a not-so-very-big fondness for himself - thus his secretive dashes in and out of the state.

Ashcroft continues to defend the Patriot Act and its successor, Patriot II. Here in Oregon, he did it standing in front of seven big flags, including the stars and stripes, Oregon's flag, and even the Department of Corrections flag. Despite growing concerns from citizens and lawmakers that the Patriot Act has given too much power to the justice department to spy on and prosecute people without cause, Ashcroft thinks he doesn't have enough powers yet. As David Sarashon so aptly puts it:

Ashcroft arrived at a time when three
states (Alaska, Hawaii and Vermont) and
more than 100 local jurisdications have passed
resolutions challenging the USA Patriot Act, and
in a place where two counties (Lane and Benton)
and five cities (Eugene, Corvallis, Ashland,
Gaston and Talent) have joined the cry.

[...]


Friday in Portland, Ashcroft said, "There are
some things the Patriot Act doesn't do that
we should consider getting done. As Congress
continues to (look into) this, they may be
upgrading the tools we use to fight terror."

And, some might say, allow the Justice
Department to keep an eye on more people.

When proclaiming the powers of the
United States government, seven flags are plenty.

But one Constitution has always been enough.

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