My open letter to Indiana Congressman Joe Donnelly

Below is a letter that earlier today I sent to my congressman Joe Donnelly representative of Indiana's 2nd District. It concerns the passage in the US House of H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007.

I hope that you will take the time not only to become aware of what our elected representatives are doing but to contact them and let them know how you feel on the issues. Do it while you can folks. I really believe that it is going to get alot worse before long.


Congressman Donnelly,

I am in a quandary on how to broach my disappointment of your support of HR1955. Will I be in violation of this bill; should it become law, by doing so? I know that the last section of the bill, "`SEC. 899F. PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES WHILE PREVENTING IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE AND HOMEGROWN TERRORISM.", outlines (hopefully) that the bill cannot be enforced if doing so would violate constitutional rights, subject to an audit of the circumstances surrounding the charge. In light of other “laws”,( NSPD-51, HSPD-20 & H.R. 5122 ), that have "stretched" rights and taken power not granted by the Constitution in the interests of "security" please understand my concern.

Since the bill doesn't specifically define what an extremist belief system is, it is entirely up to the interpretation of the government. Considering how much the government has done, in my opinion, to cripple the Constitution they could even define Ron Paul supporters as promoting an extremist belief system. Literally, the government according to this definition can define whatever they want as an extremist belief system. Essentially you in your support of HR1955 have defined violent radicalization as thought crime.

To see that such a huge majority of congress voted for this is disturbing. That all but one Representative from Indiana voted to pass this is nothing short of a call on how out of touch they are with what the people they are suppose to represent actually feel.

I, myself, have been at fault for not voicing my opinions earlier. Like so many I have sat back and hoped that those I helped to elect into office were going to do what was best for us. I can see the fallacy of these thoughts now. I just hope that others do also.

I’m glad for the chance to voice my opinion and I hope that all of us will continue to have that right in the future.

David McDougle