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Patriot Act Author Warns EU Against Dragnet Response To Terror (politico.eu)

Posted by Soulskill on from the those-who-cannot-remember-the-past-are-condemned-to-repeat-it dept.

schwit1 writes: Jim Sensenbrenner, former chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, was one of the driving forces behind the Patriot Act. He introduced the legislation a month and a half after the Sept. 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, and in 2013 he led the charge to scale back its powers, after Edward Snowden's revelations. Now, in the wake of the tragedy in Paris, Sensenbrenner is warning the EU that sweeping surveillance measures are not a proper response. Sensenbrenner said, "The cautionary tale is that democracy depends upon a respect for civil liberties. ... Talking about it in practical terms, the answer is to target the people which you know are up to bad stuff rather than bringing in the 99.8 percent of the inhabitants there, including the vast majority of followers of Islam, who have no intention whatsoever of conducting a terrorist attack."

7 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Exactly Right by PvtVoid · · Score: 3, Funny

    Instead, the Euros should do like we do here in the U.S. and hand out AR-15's and Glocks to anybody who wants one. That'll keep them safe.

    1. Re:Exactly Right by PvtVoid · · Score: 3, Interesting

      We don't do that. That is part of the problem from the viewpoint of the gun rights supporters.

      Good point. Any sane reading of the Second Amendment should make it obvious that citizen gun purchases should be financed by government, as part of the militia. Any citizen should be able to pop up to their local National Guard armory and pick up an AR-15 and a couple of thousand rounds of ammo, no questions asked. It's the only way to keep a free society.

    2. Re:Exactly Right by Nidi62 · · Score: 3, Informative

      That is an interesting, while accurate, way to read the Second Amendment.

      Technically no, as a militia at the time of the writing of the 2nd Amendment was comprised of citizens who brought their own weapons. So a more accurate reading of the 2nd Amendment would be that the military or local National Guard unit would provide instructors to lead regular drill sessions that are open to local citizens training with their own weapons.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    3. Re:Exactly Right by DoctorBonzo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I'm perfectly OK with a complete ban on guns as long as we start with the military and police...

    4. Re:Exactly Right by GlennC · · Score: 5, Interesting

      ...the military or local National Guard unit would provide instructors to lead regular drill sessions that are open to local citizens training with their own weapons.

      To expand on that idea, how about we automatically enlist all gun owners in the National Guard, with all attendant requirements?

      Want to keep your gun? Attend the monthly training and annual 2-week deployments. If you can't be bothered to be part of a "well-regulated militia," why should you be trusted with a gun?

      --
      Go on, citizen, stamp the vote card. R or D, your choice.
  2. Re: It's time... by ClickOnThis · · Score: 4, Funny

    E: Invalid operation Islamic_terrorism

    Oops, sorry: apt-get install Islamic_terrorism.

    Although I'd prefer apt-get purge Islamic_terrorism.

    --
    If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
  3. Re: It's time... by vel-ex-tech · · Score: 4, Funny

    (sudo-)Islamic terrorism

    Oh god, they've got root?! Cut the hard line!