If you still weren't convinced that the War on Terror has gone too far...

I don't mean for this to become a political blog, but this is something that really outraged me and I don't think it got much media attention: the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. This bill cleared the House on November 14, and basically says that if you or any other citizen engages in a non-violent protest, boycott, media campaign or leafletting against an "animal enterprise" and cause that enterprise to be deprived of potential profit, you are a terrorist and can be charged as one. The bill defines "animal enterprise" as: "a commercial or academic enterprise that uses or sells animals or animal products for profit, food or fiber production, agriculture, education, research, or testing."

I mean, are you hearing this? That the justice department now considers you a terrorist if you cause a corporation to forgo profits due to your non-violent protest? Granted, I'm no fan of ALF, but I don't care if the business makes AIDS vaccine - citizens should be able to engage in ANY of the above activities against a corporation if they choose to exercise their constitutional right to do so! I just wish I had heard about this sooner so I could have told my reps. not to vote for it.

Also on November 14 we have this piece of news on American jurisprudence run amok from Democracy Now:

Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Muhammad Munaf Case
In other news on Iraq, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the case of Muhammad Munaf – the U.S. citizen who is facing a death sentence in Iraq. He was sentenced on charges of kidnapping three Romanian journalists. Munaf was unable to hear or challenge the evidence against him. His lawyers say the judge had been prepared to dismiss the case until two US military officials intervened and told the judge to hand him the death penalty. The Supreme Court gave no explanation for its order Monday denying Munaf's request.

Way to make me feel like I'm living pre-Magna Carta, Supreme Court. I'd like to emphasize that Munaf is a CITIZEN of the US, which to me says it's only because they think they can't that the GOP hasn't suspended Habeas Corpus for us all.