posted on Feb, 28 2005 @ 11:47 PM
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has outlined an agenda much broader than that of former Attorney General John Ashcroft. Gonzales says that under
his leadership, the Justice Department will make greater efforts to prosecute obscenity cases. Attorney General Gonzales has asserted that the
distribution of obscene material is not protected by the first amendment of the Constitution. Other Justice Department priorities layed out by
Gonzales include cracking down on human trafficking and renewing the Patriot Act.
www.cnn.com
"I am committed to prosecuting these crimes aggressively," he said to a Washington meeting of the California-based Hoover Institution.
The Justice Department is appealing the dismissal of an obscenity case in Pittsburgh in which a federal judge said prosecutors went too far in trying
to block the sale of pornographic movies over the Internet and through the mail. The case initially was prosecuted under Ashcroft.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
The regulation of "obscene" material is not within the jurisdiction of the federal government. No one forces people to buy pornographic movies.
It is a choice that one makes. If someone does not approve of pornography, they can choose not to view it. Also, parents should be responsible and
monitor their children's online activities. This is the job of parents, not the federal government. The federal government is not (more precisely,
should not be) a babysitter. The only exception should be child pornography, which exploits children. It is within the role of the federal
government to step in to protect children.
One of the biggest infringements upon the Constitution and individual freedoms is the Patriot Act. Granted, it does have provisions that are useful;
however, many of its provisions violate fundamental rights protected by the Constitution. The Patriot Act should not be renewed in its current form.
Lawmakers should roll back its provisions that infringe upon the freedoms of American citizens. Gonzales' support for the renewal of the Patriot Act
is a slap in the face to liberty and the Founding Fathers.
All of this should be expected when someone who attempts to justify torture is appointed Attorney General. President Bush is partially to blame for
this, but the majority of the blame belongs to those Senators who voted to confirm Gonzales.
[edit on 3/1/2005 by XX_SicSemperTyrannis_XX]
[edit on 3/1/2005 by XX_SicSemperTyrannis_XX]
[edit on 3/1/2005 by XX_SicSemperTyrannis_XX]