Originally Posted by
cparekh
While I truly understand where you are coming from, I must disagree. The distinction between someone who is likely to commit a crime (but has not committed one) and someone who has committed a crime is important. Once we start policing intent rather than action, the ability for government to abuse its power is just too great.
I understand that we have to do some of this, but I think we already do plenty. An extreme example of my argument would require that we allow guns on planes, since there is no way for the government to know if I intend to use it or not. This, of course, is now an absurd idea, but I think we have to draw the line somewhere.
The line, to me, and I believe also the Constitution, is that the bomb is immediately dangerous, while the knowledge of how to assemble a bomb is not dangerous. Weighing to costs and benefits, we allow one and prevent one.
There is a line.
For the most part, I agree with what you're saying. I don't feel that ANY book should be banned but there are certain books, when couple with certain situations that will raise concerns. There is also a huge difference between someone who may or could commit a crime and someone who is LIKELY to commit a crime. When combined with the magnitude of the crime this often warrants further investigation.
Knowledge is not a crime and can't be allowed to become one. Intent by itself is also not a crime. However, intent when combined with an overt act justifiably raises alarm bells. Not sufficiently so to cause deprivation of civil liberties but certainly enough to cause further investigation. Note that I did not say that the TSA (or any other agency) should have the automatic right to prevent a person in posession of a bomb making manual from boarding a commercial jet. What I said was I disagreed with the concept of them having NO BUSINESS in doing so. Since they, as you said, have no idea of the persons intent (good, bad or indifferent) they would be duty bound to advise a properly trained LEO and it would then be up to them to investigate the situation and take whatever action/nonaction within the law that they saw fit.