An idle thought(crime?)

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know that the whole "A Mosque kinda near Ground Zero!!!" controversy has been done to death but it has been a while since I harped on about Individual Rights and Civil Liberties so I thought I'd call attention to this...

There is no question there is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some. And I join those who have called for looking into how this opposition to the mosque is being funded,

Rep. Pelosi calls for investigation of mosque's opposition

Now I agree whole-heartedly with Congresswoman Pelosi that "how go forward in New York is up to New Yorkers". I can even respect(as a purely civil matter) the ADL's desire investigate thier oposition, but the government and it's representatives need to stay the hell away.

On what grounds can she(or anyone else in Congress) call for an investigation? and if a perpetrator is found what will they be charged with?

Last I checked "being an jerk" or "Disagreeing with Congresswoman Pelosi" was not a crime. If it is, we've strayed into Orwellian terretory.

Comments

[rogerdr.livejournal.com]

That is reaching a bit too far. It's not even funding opposition to a referendum, much less a candidate in an election. Seems to me that whatever funding would be protected political speech through and through. Sucks, but there it is.

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

Why shouldn't both sides be open with who is funding them?

The quote doesn't seem to be calling for a federal investigation, though. She says "we should ask who supports both sides," but I don't know if "we" = "we the federal government" or "we" = "we the people"

[hey-its-michael.livejournal.com]

I second this comment. You pretty much said what I came here to say.

[voicetrack.livejournal.com]

This.

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

Yeah it seems more like a "hey someone should find out whose behind this!" not a "I'm asking the FBI and CIA to Gitmo these fuckers till they talk".

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

That ambiguity is the problem.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Roger Clemens agrees.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Also, OJ still scouring golf courses looking for the "real killers".

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

Criminalizing political opposition has been a long-time goal of the Democrats.

The hypocrisy of a California Representative claiming that something has to be investigated because it's interfering with a New York issue is of course lost in the forest.

Her tossing in a blatant appeal for political gain by invoking 9-11 while doing so is the fetid icing on the crap cake.

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

Criminalizing political opposition has been a long-time goal of the Democrats.

lol McCarthy

[hey-its-michael.livejournal.com]

"Criminalizing political opposition has been a long-time goal of the Democrats."

Well, when I was at our last Democrat meeting we did discuss how to institute the imprisonment of political opponents, as well as the forced-gay-marriage of all straight men, but for some reason it was vetoed by Chairman George Soros. However, we did finally agree on a new hiding place for Obama's Kenyan birth certificate. Y'all will NEVER find it!

*sighs*

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Now while we could have counted on Hillary to lock up the social conservative menace in Guantanamo, I have no confidence that Obama will drop the foolish notion of bi-partianship in favor of more effective measures.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

It's the distraction for her crony dealings with Treasure Island in San Fran.

[usekh.livejournal.com]

At least try to pretend at rational debate every now and again.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Nancy Pelosi is kind of an ass - her recent sponsorship of a bill based on the urban myth of candy-flavored meth (http://www.bastiatinstitute.org/2010/07/28/mythical-meth-cannabis-candy-and-ludicrous-legislators/) is yet another dishonest attack on medical marijuana in her state.

[op-tech-glitch.livejournal.com]

I don't see Pelosi mentioned there, but I'll certainly agree with the same characterization in regard to Feinstein.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

C'mon, you knew when you posted this that it was going to number of lefties defending Pelosi with hackneyed reasons or just mocking the topic.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

Boo this man! Boo him! BOOOOOO!

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

Transparency is your friend.

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

I'm going to quote you on that later.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Pelosi would be the one opposing the 1st Amendment here.

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

You do realize a member of congress cannot call "an investigation" via press conference. Wake me when its more than just a congresswoman spouting off.

Though I agree with others that it sounds more like she agrees we should know whose funding them then spearheading some crazy prosecution.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

It sounds to me like she wants some crazy federal investigation. I think she has enough history to support that conclusion from her slightly ambiguous comments.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

So how exactly did you arrive to the conclusion that she was calling for a federal investigation?

[op-tech-glitch.livejournal.com]

Pelosi = fedrul guvvvmint.

How clear does it have to be?

[reflaxion.livejournal.com]

"And I join those who have called for looking into how ... this opposition to the mosque is being funded."

This is calling for a Federal investigation... how, exactly?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

The main reason I would be able to support this would have been if they had say, done investigations into groups that threaten to burn down the community center or something like that. At least from this it appears that it's just those mealy-mouthed motherfuckers trying to play politics with civil rights, something Democrats should have left behind when all the Dixiecrats deserted to the GOP.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, this *is* Nancy Pelosi, a US Speaker of the House who makes the various dictators of Egypt look like paragons of efficiency. If she's calling for any investigation the Know-Nothings have nothing to be afraid of.

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

It's all part of a narative that the Left uses on most issues. "Oh yeah well you're funded by Big (insert sucessful industry)

Her comment reminds me of an interview regarding global warming.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0503/27/cp.01.html
Patrick Michaels is one of the researchers who has received funding from the fossil fuel industry, more than $150,000 worth. But he says it's a small percentage of his total funding. That has to taint everything you say, doesn't it?

There's always that underingling belief that if you disagree with me it's not because you don't see the validity of my arguement it's because you're in the back pocket of someone else.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there was an article I read recently about the WH Press Sec. mentioning the "professional left" and the shit he's getting for it, and leading along to the idea that the professional left can't comprehend the concept that the right isn't the same way, so they always see (or claim to see) a big corporate backer for everything on the other side, because that's how they operate.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Last I checked "being an jerk" or "Disagreeing with Congresswoman Pelosi" was not a crime. If it is, we've strayed into Orwellian terretory.

Welcome to 1985. Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and don't say a word, cause big brother is watching you.

XD

Speaking of Orwell:

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

The message above was brought to you by the party of fiscally conservative deficit spending and the party whose small government has grown it more over the last 30 years than it had in the century prior.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

we SHOULD ask who is funding expressions of intolerance, bigotry and racism in this country. Absolutely we should.

[404.livejournal.com]

Your'e right. It's probably being funded by Saudis.