(NaturalNews) As devastating as they were, human casualties were not the only tragic loss that took place on September 11, 2001. A compilation of incident reports put together by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) highlights the corresponding death of the First Amendment to the US Constitution in at least 33 US states that was initiated on that harrowing day.
Immediately following the events of 9/11, the US government enacted one of the deadliest blows to free speech in US history -- the USA Patriot Act. Its passage and the corresponding hysteria that ensued has resulted in Americans losing their privacy, their freedom to travel without being unlawfully searched and groped, and perhaps most disturbing of all, their freedom to speak and express themselves without being dubbed a potential terrorist.
According to the ACLU, law enforcement officials in at least 33 states are now actively spying on, harassing, or otherwise violating the free speech rights of citizens, and all in the name of fighting potential terrorism. This includes liberty-minded individuals who are outspoken against such government abuses and various types of illegal intrusion.
You can view an interactive, state-by-state map of these First Amendment violations here:
http://www.aclu.org/maps/spying-first-amendment-activity-state-stateIn accordance with the provisions set forth by the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) in its 2009 report,
The Modern Militia Movement, individuals that question authority and government actions, or support alternative political candidates like Rep. Ron Paul, are prime terrorism suspects. Law enforcement officials in the 33 free speech-violating states are also targeting individuals who gather for peaceful protests, photograph or record police officers while they are on duty, or record their own surroundings while in public.
Since practically anyone can qualify as a terrorist within the government's egregious new definitions, it is no wonder that citizens everywhere continue to face unlawful search and seizure, illegal wiretapping and spying, fines, arrests, and even imprisonment for simply expressing their freedom of speech.
Sources for this story include:http://www.activistpost.com/2011/09/in-wake-of-911-33-of-50-states-ar...
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