Eyeing What You Read: FBI in Libraries and Bookstores

The Village Voice ^ | 2-14-02 | Nat Hentoff

[Wm Bach]

What else is written into The Patriot Act?

Give unto Ceasar...all of it!

I wonder how many more days readers of Unintended Consequences will be allowed to live. Will they be the first targets of the pogrom?

"Not over my dead body will they curtail your free speech!" -- President George "Dubya" Bush (what he should say re: CFR)

What did Poppy say after he raised taxes? "Read my hips" or something...

[unamused]

Everybody seems to be too worked up worrying about the CFR bill (which gives the gubmint little additional power) to get concerned over the Patriot Act, which gives the government unbelieveable power. The Patriot Act gives the types of powers Joe Stalin needed for his purges.

If nothing else, this country's gonna' get interesting very soon...

[francisandbeans]

To paraphrase,
"We have met Lucianne.com, and we are it."

48 posted on 11/23/01 6:58 PM Pacific by exodus

That thread would have made me vomit if this comment didn't make me laugh so hard.

[Some hope remaining.]

Ah, but didn't you know that they keep track of the serial numbers of that cash you get out of the ATM?

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if they do but of course retailers aren't writing them down or scanning them yet.

[NC_Libertarian]

I'm worried some hump like Bill Bennet will start perusing this data to determine who should survive the virtue-purges.

I'm not convinced this is a far fetched idea anymore. You're either with us or a terrorist. Mr. BUSH, MR. ASHCROFT - YOU'RE EITHER WITH THE CONSTITUTION OR YOU ARE AGAINST *US*.

[AUgrad]

If nothing else, this country's gonna' get interesting very soon...

Methinks you are correct sir.

[Resplendent]

Is this the kind of America we want?

[Free the USA]

If they get a Court order as part of an investigation into a crime that has already occured I have no problem with this. Limit it to books read by a specific suspect and don't go on a fishing expedition to find everyone who read certain books.

[BlueLancer]

Boy, are they going to be bored.

[Mixer]

USA Patriot Act, can order bookstores to provide lists of books bought by people suspected of involvement in terrorism.

Insane!

[Pistias]

Maybe we could kick this Ashcroft fella in the pants.

You look to me like you might be one of them terrorists, mac...somebody get the G men in here!

[metesky]

I must have been absent the day Ashcroft-Bush passed this law. Silly me, I was under the impression that the House and Senate passed laws.

Where's the outrage at our elected reps?

[Whilom]

Her point is plain; in her estimation, it is far better for terrorists to do their deeds and escape than it is for law enforcement to look at her library's records. In my town, I pay for these records; they're public records, like deeds filed at the County Clerk's office or arrest records recorded by the Sheriff's Department or decisions taken by the City Council. Anyone who doesn't want to be among those records has the choice of not checking out books or other material. Keeping those records from me -- or anyone else -- is an assertion that some people have more rights than I do to access to public records.

[francisandbeans]

In other words, it is OK for the government to go after a bookseller (which is the crux of this argument) for thier records? Do you want a democrat to request that Amazon turn over the names of all buyers of "The Way Things Oughta be"? This is the power you are giving them.

[CJ Wolf]

isn't this how they found out what book a fat intern bought the x-prez?

Thought it was wrong then too.

[Khepera]

They probably have all our names doncha think :) They probably know everything we ever said on freerepublic doncha think? They probaably have us listed as being subversive or worse doncha think? There are probably too many of us to watch all the time doncha think.

We are all in trouble Doncha think?

[ruoflaw]

my house is full of books but 90% is nonfiction and many are history books...I could joke and say they would be bored but the truth is history is all about war and destruction. This is more than having our privacy invaded...it will be invaded by the same people that I no longer trust because of the way they have conducted or misconducted themselves during the last administration.