That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

'violent radicalization' means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.

'homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

And the obvious joke here is:

Thought Crimes?

Wingnuts won't have much to worry about from this bill, will they?

The definition of violent radicalization uses vague language to define this term of promoting any belief system that the government considers to be an extremist agenda

"The criminal law is a blunt instrument, and too many of our young people are already being pushed out of our schools and into our prisons," he told the committee. "A far wiser course than increasing federal prosecutions would be increasing federal investment in services designed to soothe the racial and ethnic tensions simmering in our nation's schools and to respond promptly when hate crimes occur."

Cohen said Congress should consider increasing the size of the Justice Department's Community Relations Service, a program created more than 40 years ago to foster peaceful relations in communities where those relationships are threatened. He noted that as the country has grown more diverse, the service has actually shrunk in size.

the def. of ideologically based violence is nutty:
`(4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE- The term `ideologically based violence' means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual's political, religious, or social beliefs.

Nor is it surprising who sponsored it:
Harman (Calif.)

Yes.  Her.

I guess she couldn't figure out why it is she keeps getting primaried.  

It's stuff like this, stupid.

I only had to Google this "US Congress passes Thought Crime Bill" to discover 1,800,000 entries. I originally found a reference to this post in the Best of the Web section of the Guardian on line. I think we can safely assume that it is more widespread than previously thought?