Last night, we reported on rumors that Barack Obama would give a speech at 9:00 AM, eastern standard time, to address the surging rebellion on his own campaign web site by people outraged at Obama’s support for the FISA Amendments Act. The FBI now appears to be preparing to use the FISA Amendments Act as a tool for persecuting ethnic and religious minorities within the United States. The legislation is so broad, and circumvents so many checks and balances within the government, however, that its spy powers could be used against any group that falls out of the favor of the President.
The anti-FISA Amendments Act group now numbers at 14,024, the largest grassroots activist group at BarackObama.com. Yet, now just a couple of minutes before 9:00 AM, I see no information at that group or on any other part of the Obama campaign web site, about a speech to be made. Was this rumor of an Obama concession to the popular uprising among progressives against his FISA Amendments Act nothing but a hoax, or a mistake?
As I write this, it is now 9:00 AM. I can find nothing of any speech. Perhaps Obama is trying to make it low key, if it exists. Perhaps, there will be no speech. Perhaps Barack Obama still is refusing to listen to his supporters.
In lieu of a speech by Barack Obama on this vital subject, I give you a piece of free speech made by Peggy from Shelbyville, Kentucky. Peggy says that she got an email response from the Obama campaign this morning, purporting to explain why Obama supports the FISA Amendments Act.
After reading the Obama explanation, Peggy remains unsatisfied. “This lame explanation was clearly designed for “low information” voters. It is weak sauce and insults the intelligence of any informed citizen,” Peggy says.
She writes her own response to the staff of the Obama for President campaign: “Not buying it. Read the goddamn bill. There is no evidence that the American people have ever been made more secure as a result of this wholesale, warrantless data mining operation. There is no evidence whatsoever that undermining the individual’s right to privacy and ignoring the Constitution has ever ensured safety. But there is a vast amount of evidence that an individual may be at grave risk due to this invasion of privacy.”
Thanks to Peggy, and to all the other members of BarackObama.com who are not sitting down, shutting up and obeying orders. We need more activists like these, Americans who are willing to think for themselves, and hold America’s leaders accountable to the Constitution.
