What if you could combine the worst excesses of the Patriot Act, the War on Drugs, mandatory minimum sentences and the California 3-strikes law (i.e. life imprisonment for stealing a video or a candy bar)? While we’re at it, let’s throw in a few odds and ends from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union (people being forced to inform on friends, neighbors and coworkers).
Uncle Sam Wants You!! To enlist in the War on Drugs. Actually, enlist isn’t the right word — You’re Drafted!
This is straight out of George Orwell’s most chilling novels, or those old film clips of Hitler Youth members turning their parents over to the Gestapo.
It can’t happen here, right?
Orwell himself couldn’t have come up with a better name for this proposed law. HR 1528 is called the “Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act.” What a nice name. Who could be against a concept like that?
Behind the flowery title, this proposed law will force everyone who witnesses a drug violation of any kind to report it to the proper authorities — within 24 hours. Failure to do so will result in a minimum prison sentence of two years (and possibly up to ten years).
The drug offender could be your best friend, a family member, next door neighbor, coworker, someone across the room at a party — it doesn’t matter. You will be a Good Citizen and report the offending behavior, Comrade. Or Else!!
If you “witness” or “learn about” any such drug offenses, you are not only required to report it to the authorities. You are also required to provide “full assistance in the investigation, apprehension and prosecution” of the offender.
The brains (using the term loosely) behind this law is William Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. This guy makes Joseph McCarthy look like a Libertarian.
There hasn’t been a peep out of the “liberal media” about this. They’re too fixated on Michael Jackson and the runaway bride to bother worrying about the Constitution. But this bill — and its quiet steady progress through the House — is well documented.
In addition to AlterNet, this law is being highly publicized by Downsize DC. They’re a non-partisan group best known for trying to free all internet communication from campaign finance laws, and for promoting a law that would require lawmakers to read every bill before they vote on it. Their website provides an e-mail (text already filled in) to send so you can protest this law.
The Drug Policy Alliance also goes into great detail about this proposed law; they also provide an e-mail that you can send.
If you do a web search for “HR 1528” you’ll come up with a lot of additional links.
If you don’t want to be thrust into George Orwell’s worst nightmare, please send these e-mails. And forward them on to everyone you know. It can happen here if we’re not careful.
cross-posted at Who Hijacked Our Country
