History Forum / General / British History / January 2004

The American Judicial System is functioning precisely as it SHOULD, by
bringing issues such as this to the fore:
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"Judge Helps Experts Help Terrorists"

"What would terrorists do without experts?  They may not need to find
out, thanks to a ruling by Judge Audrey Collins, who sits on a federal
trial court in California.  The Associated Press reports that on Friday
Collins "declared unconstitutional a portion of the USA Patriot Act that
bars giving expert advice or assistance to groups designated foreign
terrorist organizations."

The AP reports that Collins, a Clinton appointee, "said the ban on
providing 'expert advice or assistance' is impermissibly vague" because
it prohibits giving advice on "lawful, nonviolent activities" -- even
though the ban applies only to advice whose recipients the U.S.
government has designated terror groups.

Here's a question for John Kerry and John Edwards, both of whom are now
waging demagogic campaigns against the Patriot Act, despite having voted
for it: Do you believe the U.S. Constitution protects the right to give
expert advice and assistance to terrorist groups?  And if so, do you
pledge to appoint judges who share this view?"

James Taranto
The Wall Street Journal
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It will be interesting to see how this one turns out.

Deus Vult

Sholem Aleichem

D. Spencer Hines

Lux et Veritas et Libertas

Vires et Honor