At the end of October, the U.S. Congress passed the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, which is intended to prevent acts of domestic terrorism such as the Oklahoma City bombing.One of Congress’s findings is that the “Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.”

Does this mean that the government is starting to patrol what we look at on the Internet? With the Patriot Act, the government can already track what books we borrow from the library, which is ridiculous. But now they will be checking if we show up on radical Web sites.

Our current government must be a lover of George Orwell’s “1984,” because that book becomes more and more relevant. In the book, a terrorist attack caused the start of the new rules and enforcement. Much of our country’s policies have been shaped after and by the events of 9/11.

Sure, it is the duty of the government to protect its people, but since when does protect mean control? This act is another attack on the Constitution and the liberties it provides.

There are some who have argued that this law will not be able to succeed in its goal and that it is the wrong way to prevent terrorism. They want the law to focus more on more criminal activities than radical ideas.

Homegrown terrorism, according to the Act, includes people who “intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States.” Does this definition mean that protestors will now become terrorists? If this is true, I guess I could be considered a potential threat.

Our civil rights as citizens of this country are now in constant threat of being taken away. We need people to fight for their rights and make sure that they are not violated, even in times of “terror.”

Our government keeps warning us, with its color system for terror warning that an attack is on its way. But has one occurred? Not that I have seen, and yet people are being linked to terrorism for saying the wrong words or speaking their minds. Without a voice, little can be done in protecting what our freedoms. We must defend our right to speak, think, and believe in what we want to believe.

I am not supporting terrorism, I am supporting my right as an American to “be free” but if this is the direction that America is heading, maybe I should pack my bag, grab my passport and enjoy some foreign freedom.