Dissidence
and foreign agents
Applicable provisions of
U.S. legislation:
Here
are some provisions of US law which applies to
dissidence and the activities of foreign agents within the
United States.
Imagine, if Cuba's government applied
US law what do you suppose would happen inside the island to
"dissidents"? Or, the reverse, what do you suppose would happen
if Cuba provided financial resources to critics of the US government and
openly stated that it was doing so in order to bring about "regime
change" in the US?
US law provides the answer.
The US has a long history of persecuting "sedition"
("dissidence"), which has been identified with "foreign
influence" See:
As you continue to report on
"dissidents" in Cuba, you might benefit by looking
at the US historical record on the matter. In fact, if Cuba's government applied
US law what do you suppose would happen inside the island to
"dissidents"? Or, the reverse, what do you suppose would happen
if Cuba provided financial resources to critics of the US government and
openly stated that it was doing so in order to bring about "regime
change" in the US?
US law provides the answer.
The US has a long history of persecuting "sedition"
("dissidence"), which has been identified with "foreign
influence" See:
1798 Sedition Act
http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/sedact.html
1918 Sedition Act
http://www.lyceum.org/events/HD2003/2100/1918.htm
1940 Smith Act
http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/smithactof1940.html
1950 McCarran Act or Internal Security Act
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/mccarran-act-intro.html
In fact, whenever the United States considers someone an "agent of a
foreign power" that person needs to inform the United States government
or be sent to prison. And what is the definition of "an agent of a
foreign power"?
Readers might wonder what an agent of a foreign
power cannot do? Consider these definitions, provided for members of the
United States armed forces at this time:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/l/blsecforeign.htm
The Patriot Act of 2001 reads, "Requiring the additional showing
that the intelligence gathering violates the laws of the United States is both
unnecessary and counterproductive, as such activities threaten the national
security regardless of whether they are illegal. This
provision would expand the definitions contained in 50 U.S.C. §
1801(b)(2)(A) & (B). Any person who
engages in clandestine intelligence gathering activities for a foreign power
would qualify as an "agent of a foreign power," regardless
of whether those activities are federal crimes."
Text of current (2003) version of the Patriot Act:
http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/patriot2-hi.pdf
Imagine if
Cuban law had such blanket statement,
the U.S. mass media would be screaming about it.