For '60s activists, fear of old abuses in new FBI powers Shouldn't we all fear these new powers?

Nat Hentoff in today's Washington Times says we should all be worried since our politican's aren't. He hopes some billionaire will come to the rescue by educating everyone on the Bill of Rights. Not likely.

The Washington Post is reporting that the White House is concerned that Attorney General Ashcroft is stealing the limelight from GW. Now this is more apt to lessen his power than any complaints we the people might have.

And Newsweek has published the emails of some prosecutors working on the John Walker Lindh ("American Taliban") case, showing that even they don't believe in their case against him. And that no one's emails are private.

Help out the Innocence Protection Act. Fax your senator and congressperson Monday and Tuesday.

The Innocence Protection Act (IPA - S 486 / HR 912) and other death penalty reform proposals will be the subject of back-to-back hearings before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on Tuesday, June 18, 2002.

This important legislation provides critical new safeguards in capital cases by:

Ensuring convicted offenders can request DNA testing on evidence from their case that is in the government's possession to prove their innocence.

Helping states provide professional and experienced lawyers at every stage of a death penalty case.

Requiring states to inform juries of all sentencing options, including the option to sentence a defendant to life imprisonment without the possibility of.

Providing those who are proven innocent after an unjust incarceration some measure of compensation.

Making sure the public has more reliable and detailed information regarding the administration of the nation's capital punishment laws.

For more on this, visit The Justice Project

TalkLeft is finally going mainstream and creating a blog on its perennially "under construction" chat page. The intent is to create a home for thoughts, as opposed to links, on crime, politics and injustice.

We don't like Attorney General John Ashcroft's May 30 guidelines on warrantless monitoring of conversations (it shouldn't be allowed at all); on the use of confidential informants; on undercover FBI operations; and on crimes in general and RICO (organized crime) and Terrorism in particular.

If you're interested in reading them, you can find direct links on the CrimeLynx Research Page under "US Attorney's Manual and Other Documents"

It has become readily apparent that this Administration is not interested in preserving our rights, only in convincing a fearful public that it is fighting terrorism.

We really like the way the ACLU has jumped on Mr. Ashcroft and the administration since Sept. 11.

We think the FBI has no business engaging in domestic spying. Not after all its past abuses.

It seems like progressive and liberal websites and blogs are sprouting daily. Hopefully it will be in time to cause a major defeat for the Republicans in the 2002 elections.