/Nexus - 1106 - New Times Magazine/pages/0013/image.png)
Page Content (OCR)
word "Liberty". I reflexively reach out to prevent the contents of my bag from scattering on the floor. The large male shoots out his hand, motioning me to stop. His other hand dives toward his belt, which bristles with some kind of paraphernalia. I stand to attention again. The trigger-happy moment is over. The female begins her search. She pats me down thoroughly, pausing at my crotch to ensure I haven't stashed a weapon of mass destruction there. After she is satisfied, she produces a cotton swab, the kind used to remove makeup. She swabs carefully around the perimeter edges of my rucksack and places the swab into a machine nearby. I am told to stand there. No one explains what is happening. I wonder what they're looking for. I make a brief inventory. Have I visited a botanic garden recently? Could I have traces of fertiliser on my bag? Has my bag been contami- nated by someone else's? And what happens to the millions of passengers who are now driving instead of flying? Have road blocks and barricades beeen erected? Are grandmothers and little girls being frisked at the roadside? Still standing to attention, I wonder what has happened to the America of my childhood and teenage years; family picnics in the park. There was terrorism in the world then, but Kennedy presided over a White House without barricades. Now, 9/11 is the answer to all questions. But no one yet has satisfactorily answered the question about who really caused it. One thing is for sure: it has unleashed a global siege. word "Liberty". I reflexively reach out to prevent the contents of | with any supply, computer or pipeline to US facilities in or around my bag from scattering on the floor. The large male shoots out —_ any of the thousands of US bases (or US corporations) stationed his hand, motioning me to stop. His other hand dives toward his around the world on the sovereign soil of other countries is belt, which bristles with some kind of paraphernalia. I stand to classed as an "enemy combatant" and deemed guilty of terrorism. attention again. The trigger-happy moment is over. They may be indefinitely detained, without charge, trial or reason- The female begins her search. She pats me down thoroughly, able cause. This also includes people who happen to be in the pausing at my crotch to ensure I haven't stashed a weapon of mass wrong place at the wrong time, such as the under-sixteen-year-old destruction there. After she is satisfied, she produces a cotton children who find themselves indefinitely captive in Guantanamo swab, the kind used to remove makeup. She swabs carefully Bay.’ It is dawning on me that the networks of prisons around the around the perimeter edges of my rucksack and places the swab globe for "enemy combatants", just like Guantanamo, are courtesy into a machine nearby. I am told to stand there. No one explains of the Patriot Act. It seems there are no more prisoners of war what is happening. I wonder what they're looking for. I make a under the Geneva Convention. And torture is now allowed. brief inventory. Have I visited a botanic garden recently? Could The Patriot Act also requires me to report anyone I know who I have traces of fertiliser on my bag? Has my bag been contami- may be intending to do anything "intimidating" to the US nated by someone else's? And what happens to the millions of Government, or even thinking about it. This requires special passengers who are now driving instead of flying? Have road clairvoyant skills, but the penalty for not knowing what others are blocks and barricades beeen erected? Are grandmothers and little thinking is a stiff 10 years in a US federal penitentiary. In girls being frisked at the roadside? addition, if anyone in any other country in the world thinks about Still standing to attention, I wonder what has happened to the those things, I am required to report them to the US authorities. America of my childhood and teenage years; family picnics in the They can then be spied on in their own country with the aid of park. There was terrorism in the world then, but Kennedy local-version anti-terrorist legislation which many countries have presided over a White House without barricades. Now, 9/11 is now passed through their Parliaments. It is designed to dovetail the answer to all questions. But no one yet has satisfactorily perfectly with the Patriot Act, empowering it over the peoples of answered the question about who really caused it. One thing is other countries without anyone having discussed it, voted for it or for sure: it has unleashed a global siege. consented to its powers. It seems that the sovereign nations of the world are deemed to be ruled under a Powers of the Patriot Act foreign power. Perhaps it's time for a The more laws that are written, referendum to find out what the the more criminals that are " . . people say—while it's still legal to produced.’ Police state: A nation whose vote. — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching rulers maintain order and Suspects under the Act can be removed from their own country to I ponder on my rights and wonder obedience by the threat of police the United States or to any unknown by whose authority I am required to ili . i whereabouts and have their assets stand here in a hostage position when or military force; one with or seized. (Echoes of Guantanamo I have done nothing wrong. I'd brutal, arbitrary government. again: creating a prison planet for boarded scores of flights before 2001, thought crimes, as foretold by but suddenly everything has changed. — Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, 3rd Edition Orwell.) If I should reveal the Now I'm being treated like a suspect, and so is the little three-year-old girl held without a trial, I could also be with her teddy bear ahead of me. deemed a terrorist and the penalty Then I remember that within barely 45 days of 9/11, the 350- can be death. If I fail to report anyone thinking or talking about location where persons are secretly page Patriot Act was written and passed by Congress without "intimidating" the US, I can have my own assets seized under anyone but Ron Paul and a few African American congressional section 806 of the Patriot Act, no matter where I live in the world. representatives reading it. Politicians may be exempt from Suddenly I realise we have all been recruited as part of the reading laws, but citizens are required to memorise the 100,000 global police. I'm supposed to look out for any action that "could new laws passed each year in the United States because result in a foreseeable risk", any time before the Act became law "ignorance of the law is no defense". The long arms of the Patriot (my emphasis). I'm beginning to realise, as I stand barefoot in the Act claim to have powers over not just Americans but over all airport, how high-maintenance this law really is. I'd have to think people in all countries of the world. The people of the world need back 40 years or so; it would take some time. Oh, but wait; to start reading. Now seems like a good opportunity for me to there's more. The Act requires a DNA sample from anyone recap the legislation. thinking about conspiring. That means a person is guilty of a I remember that the Patriot Act requires me to refrain from crime by the mere thought of it. That's a lot of samples. attacking, setting fire to or disabling mass transportation systems, Then there's the ban on "domestic terrorism". That is any act and spreading toxins or biological or radioactive weapons of mass that "appears intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian destruction. The Act states that I must also refrain from attacking population" (my emphasis). (I wonder whether that search of my nuclear facilities and from carrying a weapon, including a nail groin could be classed as "intimidating".) The Act also prohibits clipper, onto an airplane. So far that isn't going to be difficult for influencing government policy by "intimidation". Theoretically, me. that includes the activities of Greenpeace. However, it is still The Patriot Act II, however, exempts corporations from the legal for corporate lobby groups to "influence government policy" penalties of those very acts. And they are not required to disclose by buying politicians. information about toxins or biological or radioactive substances. "Domestic terrorism" is also defined as "affecting government Furthermore, any person found interfering, even unintentionally, conduct by mass destruction, as: nation or kidnapping”. I Powers of the Patriot Act The more laws that are written, the more criminals that are produced." — Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching 12 + NEXUS "Police state: A nation whose rulers maintain order and www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2004