Justifiable Homicide: A Political Thriller (Robert Paige Thrillers Book 1) by Robert W. McGee Page B
Authors: Robert W. McGee
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We can’t let the Constitution get in the way of protecting America from terrorists. Which provisions are bothering you?”
Seth looked away to avoid eye contact. “The part about shutting down Web sites. The law would give us the authority to shut down any web site that might be engaged in copyright infringement or might be connected to people who are merely being labeled as terrorists. All we would need to shut down a web site would be for someone to merely allege that someone who is connected with the web site is a terrorist. We wouldn’t be required to get a court order or anything. We wouldn’t need proof. We could close them down preemptively. It could lead to abuse.”
Bennett leaned back in his chair. “What’s wrong with that? How else are we going to prevent people from stealing intellectual property like music?” He leaned forward again, for emphasis. “How else are we going to shut down terrorist networks?”
Seth glanced at him briefly, then looked away. “The law would allow us to do it without judicial oversight. We could shut down any web site we want for practically any reason we want. We could sign our own search warrants. We wouldn’t need a judge to do it. We could use the intellectual property laws or the antiterrorism laws as an excuse to shut down anybody we want.”
Bennett swiveled around in his chair, picked up his cup of coffee and took a whiff. It didn’t smell too bad. He winced a bit as he drank it. It had been on the pot too long and had become bitter.
“Seth, I wouldn’t worry about it. The laws are made to protect us from thieves and terrorists. Most of the people we shut down will be one or the other. The law Senator Garrett is proposing would just make it easier to do our job.”
Seth leaned forward, looking briefly into Bennett’s eyes before turning away. “The problem I have with it is that we don’t have to prove guilt first. We could shut down Amazon.com for selling a book to someone who’s on the terrorist list. All we would have to do is allege that they’re aiding and abetting the enemy. We wouldn’t have to prove anything until years later, after they’re out of business.”
Bennett looked visibly pissed. “If Amazon.com sells books to terrorists, they should be shut down.” Seth and his ilk just didn’t get it. “We’re at war, Seth. We have to use all the tools at our disposal to shut down terrorists wherever we find them. Besides, isn’t there a provision in the law that waives their right to judicial process as a condition of doing business in the United States?”
“Yeah, there is, and that provision bothers me too.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because doing business is a right, not a privilege that’s granted by government. People shouldn’t have to give up their constitutional rights as a condition of doing business.”
“Seth, you’re living in the past. Those days are gone.” He flicked his wrist at the air as he said it, for emphasis. “We have to protect the people against terrorists.”
“If all the law did was help us fight terrorism, I might not have a problem with it, but it does much more than that.”
“Like what?”
“It allows us to shut down any web site that’s linked to someone who’s on the terrorist list. If some college student has a friend on LinkedIn or Facebook , we could block their web site just because of the link.”
“What’s wrong with that? If they’re connected to a terrorist, they’re probably giving them aid and comfort. The last time I looked, that was treason. We should do more than just block their web site. We should arrest them.”
Seth became emboldened at that remark. “You know as well as I do that just because someone is on the terrorist list doesn’t mean they’re a terrorist. Grandmothers and infants get placed on that list by mistake all the time. A lot of the people on that list don’t belong there.”
“Yeah, I know. No system is perfect. You just have to try to be as
Seth looked away to avoid eye contact. “The part about shutting down Web sites. The law would give us the authority to shut down any web site that might be engaged in copyright infringement or might be connected to people who are merely being labeled as terrorists. All we would need to shut down a web site would be for someone to merely allege that someone who is connected with the web site is a terrorist. We wouldn’t be required to get a court order or anything. We wouldn’t need proof. We could close them down preemptively. It could lead to abuse.”
Bennett leaned back in his chair. “What’s wrong with that? How else are we going to prevent people from stealing intellectual property like music?” He leaned forward again, for emphasis. “How else are we going to shut down terrorist networks?”
Seth glanced at him briefly, then looked away. “The law would allow us to do it without judicial oversight. We could shut down any web site we want for practically any reason we want. We could sign our own search warrants. We wouldn’t need a judge to do it. We could use the intellectual property laws or the antiterrorism laws as an excuse to shut down anybody we want.”
Bennett swiveled around in his chair, picked up his cup of coffee and took a whiff. It didn’t smell too bad. He winced a bit as he drank it. It had been on the pot too long and had become bitter.
“Seth, I wouldn’t worry about it. The laws are made to protect us from thieves and terrorists. Most of the people we shut down will be one or the other. The law Senator Garrett is proposing would just make it easier to do our job.”
Seth leaned forward, looking briefly into Bennett’s eyes before turning away. “The problem I have with it is that we don’t have to prove guilt first. We could shut down Amazon.com for selling a book to someone who’s on the terrorist list. All we would have to do is allege that they’re aiding and abetting the enemy. We wouldn’t have to prove anything until years later, after they’re out of business.”
Bennett looked visibly pissed. “If Amazon.com sells books to terrorists, they should be shut down.” Seth and his ilk just didn’t get it. “We’re at war, Seth. We have to use all the tools at our disposal to shut down terrorists wherever we find them. Besides, isn’t there a provision in the law that waives their right to judicial process as a condition of doing business in the United States?”
“Yeah, there is, and that provision bothers me too.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because doing business is a right, not a privilege that’s granted by government. People shouldn’t have to give up their constitutional rights as a condition of doing business.”
“Seth, you’re living in the past. Those days are gone.” He flicked his wrist at the air as he said it, for emphasis. “We have to protect the people against terrorists.”
“If all the law did was help us fight terrorism, I might not have a problem with it, but it does much more than that.”
“Like what?”
“It allows us to shut down any web site that’s linked to someone who’s on the terrorist list. If some college student has a friend on LinkedIn or Facebook , we could block their web site just because of the link.”
“What’s wrong with that? If they’re connected to a terrorist, they’re probably giving them aid and comfort. The last time I looked, that was treason. We should do more than just block their web site. We should arrest them.”
Seth became emboldened at that remark. “You know as well as I do that just because someone is on the terrorist list doesn’t mean they’re a terrorist. Grandmothers and infants get placed on that list by mistake all the time. A lot of the people on that list don’t belong there.”
“Yeah, I know. No system is perfect. You just have to try to be as
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