This article was originaly published soon after the WTC and pentagon bombing. Its call for action on the definition of "terrorist" are still relevant
Anti-Terrorism Bill- and the creep towards Fascism
by Daybreak Anarchist Collective 3:15pm Mon Sep 17 '01 (Modified on 6:47am Wed Sep 19 '01)
snufkin9@excite.com
The FBI's taking advantage of the current patriotic fervor and fear to try and "legally" extend their powers to intrude in our lives by making important additions to the 1996 anti-terrorism bill. While the FBI is pretending that these powers would be used only on "violent terrorists", it's inevitable in this time of increased dissent that this bill would be used against both Anti-globalization and direct action movements and eventually filter down to effect all progressives (first they came for the muslims...).
The FBI's taking advantage of the current bloodthirsty patriotic fervor to try and extend their legal powers
to intrude on our lives by making additions to the 1996 anti-terrorism bill. While the FBI is pretending that these powers would be used only on "violent terrorists", it's inevitable in this time of increased dissent that this bill would be used against both anti-globalization and direct action movements and eventually filter down to effect all progressives (first they came for the muslims...).
Let's remember that the ALF and ELF were listed as main terrorist organizations by the FBI just last year. Anti-capitalist protests have been encountering increased repression. They're looking for ways to undermine the movements we're building and this bill is a perfect opportunity. While it's true that these bastards don't usually follow their own rules too closely anyway, one danger is that this anti-terrorism bill they're slobbering for would make their actions that much more legitimate and acceptable, stemming any public outcry about persecution.
If they're able to push this through the likely result will be a criminalization of all dissent putting us in a precarious legal situation of constantly defending ourselves. It will be much easier to take this down now then to deal with it later when we're already on the defensive. Maybe by publicizing this we can also turn some heat off of the medias racist nationalism and help place some well deserved blame on the FBI and CIA for the traumatizing scenes of last tuesday.
As much as the idea of lobbying inspires nasuea in me it's important that we let authorities know that we don't want (as if they do what we want) and won't accept this bill. Whether we do that by mailing your
congressperson (yuck) or writing to your paper or having a demonstration is your initiative but it's important that we do something to publicize and ferment opposition against this bill.
Against All Terror! Against the state!
Daybreak Anarchist Collective
Original: Anti-Terrorism Bill- and the creep towards Fascism