C.J. Graham -- Cyber-Security Legislation Has Origins In 'Summits Of The Americas'

CYBER-SECURITY LEGISLATION HAS ORIGINS IN 'SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS'

By CJ Graham
April 18, 2009
NewsWithViews.com

Two new pieces of legislation are causing quite a stir and rightly so. Americans protective of our freedoms and privacy are once again confronted by the constant onslaught against our rights which requires our vigilance.

This new legislation seeks to give even more power to the government to regulate the Internet and, in future, the possibility to regulate content and usage. What begins as a method of defeating terrorism and protecting telecommunications, can quickly become a method to regulate ‘hate speech’ to assign ‘motive’ or ‘intent’ to harm and even to regulate and legislate the flow of information that is deemed by the ‘thought police’ to be inflammatory or counter-productive to their cause.

I believe this legislation to be a framework for future, more invasive legislation. It is a first step to the loss of internet privacy, free speech and the free flow of information. From the same people that would re-instate the ‘Fairness Doctrine’ and continue ‘Hate Crimes’ legislation, what begins as a tool to protect, has the ability to morph into a weapon to silence and control.

Senate Bill 773:

Title: A bill to ensure the continued free flow of commerce within the United States and with its global trading partners through secure cyber communications, to provide for the continued development and exploitation of the Internet and intranet communications for such purposes, to provide for the development of a cadre of information technology specialists to improve and maintain effective cybersecurity defenses against disruption, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [WV] (introduced 4/1/2009)]

Senate Bill 778:

Title: A bill to establish, within the Executive Office of the President, the Office of National Cybersecurity Advisor. Sponsor: Sen. Rockefeller, John D., IV [WV] (introduced 4/1/2009)

Before the text, other than the summary, is even released for public consumption (and spin) the public is raising its voice to cry out against yet another ‘death by a thousand cuts’ assault on our liberty.

But this legislation is not the brainchild of its author Senator John Rockefeller of WV. It is the culmination of years of planning by the United Nations (UN) and its agency, the Organization of American States (OAS), in partnership with the Inter-American System and the Summits of the Americas.

It becomes even more urgent, by the day, that all Americans are exposed to the inner workings of these organizations which labor day and night to integrate and harmonize the United States of America into the Western Hemisphere and International Law through the UN.

I have provided you with numerous links throughout this article and I encourage you to follow them so that you can see with your own eyes the planning that has gone into this legislation and the organizations that have planned it for many years. We must understand who is pulling the strings and what their ultimate agenda becomes.

In this March 2005 Newsletter from the ‘Summits of the Americas’, the agenda was spelled out in black and white. It is to the shame of our representatives that the American people were not informed fully of this agenda and made to understand the implications.

(Excerpts)

[Fifth Regular Session of the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE)

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (February 16-18, 2005)

On this occasion, the “Declaration of Port-of-Spain on Strengthening Cooperation on Strategies to Sustain and Advance the Hemispheric Fight against Terrorism” was approved. Some of the topics discussed included strengthening border controls and money movements; discussions on transportation threats (ports and airports) and the cyber-security issue.]

And who is CICTE?

The Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism, an agency of the Organization of American States (OAS). The OAS is a 34 member multinational hemispheric organization, an agency of the United Nations, of which the USA is one member state with one vote.

Listed on their webpage are the upcoming events and actions related to cyber-security and you can get a pretty good idea by visiting the link, how deeply involved this organization is.

(Excerpt from CICTE Webpage)

[The Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism (CICTE) serves as the preeminent organization within the Inter-American system for the coordination of efforts to protect the citizens of the member nations from the scourges of terrorism. Functioning through the exchange of information amongst the preeminent leaders, subject matter experts and decision makers work together to strengthen hemispheric solidarity and security.]

Purpose of the Database:

This database contains examples of national legislation of member states regarding terrorism, legislative examples from other nations of the world, and draft legislation form related international organizations such as OAS-CICAD, the Commonwealth Office, the United Nations, and other appropriate agencies. The database also contains test and examples of regional and multi-national treaties and conventions related to terrorism.]

Working hand in hand with CICTE to further entangle the American people is another agency of the OAS:

CITEL (Commission for International Telecommunications)

Adoption of the Comprehensive Inter-American Strategy to Combat Threats to Cybersecurity

[To increase security of the networks and information systems, CITEL began working with the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the Group of Governmental Experts on Cyber-Crime of the Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA).]

(Key CITEL Activities on Cybersecurity)

[Recognizing the breadth and complexity of the cybersecurity challenge, CITEL supports an active multi-disciplinary approach that pools its efforts with the efforts and expertise of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), and the Justice Ministers and Attorneys General of the Americas (REMJA). The OAS has adopted a Comprehensive Inter-American Cybersecurity Strategy to combat threats to citizens, economies, and essential services that cannot be addressed by a single government or combated via a solitary discipline or practice. This Comprehensive Inter-American Cybersecurity Strategy relies on the efforts and specialized knowledge of CICTE, CITEL, and REMJA. ]

And who is REMJA?

(Excerpts from the website)

[REMJA is the Meeting of Ministers of Justice or of Ministers or Attorneys General of the Americas, which has met periodically under the auspices of the Organization of American States (OAS) since 1997. Its purpose is to promote legal and judicial cooperation among the states of the Hemisphere.

The objective of this REMJA working group of experts is to strengthen cooperation between states of the Western Hemisphere in order to jointly address cyber crime. To that end, it holds technical workshops on the writing of legislation regarding cyber-crime and has developed a web page with a public section and restricted access section, which contains information about cyber-crime and existing legislation on the topic.]

And finally, how does the ‘Summits of the Americas’, including the upcoming summits in Trinidad and Tobago April 17, 2009 tie into this spider’s web wherein American free speech and privacy may be strangled?

A resolution from the OAS General Assembly, who works to implement the declarations of the Summits process, spells out their intentions.

(Excerpts)

[the OAS Conference on Cybersecurity, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 28 and 29, 2003, in compliance with the above-mentioned resolution, demonstrated the gravity of cybersecurity threats to the security of critical information systems, critical information structures, and economies throughout the world, and underscored that effective action to deal with this issue must involve intersectoral (sp) cooperation and coordination among a broad range of governmental and nongovernmental entities;

Welcoming the Comprehensive Inter-American Cybersecurity Strategy: A Multidimensional and Multidisciplinary Approach to Creating a Culture of Cybersecurity (CP/doc.3901/04), recommended to this General Assembly by the Permanent Council as the joint effort of member states and their experts with the technical expertise of CICTE, CITEL, and the REMJA Group of Governmental Experts on Cyber-crime;]

The final piece of the puzzle; the tie in to the United Nations.

[United Nations General Assembly resolutions 55/63 and 56/121 on combating the criminal misuse of information technologies; 57/239 on creation of a global culture of cybersecurity; and 58/199 on the creation of a global culture of cybersecurity and the protection of critical information systems;]

What is the slippery slope that takes us from protection to tyranny? What or who defines terrorism? What agenda or social project sets the parameters?

Recall the MIAC Report recently discredited and the fusion centers that put out that report? Remember who were pegged possible terrorists? It was not Muslim extremists or Central American drug cartels. It was Americans who oppose abortion, Americans who support third party candidates, Americans who display anti UN bumper stickers on their vehicles. Although the MIAC report has been rescinded, the damage is done. You cannot unsay what has been said.

Americans must always remember the misuse of that ‘security threat analysis’ and how it endangered and incriminated innocent Americans. We must be vigilant and guard against abuse.

It is in the interest of every American that we have a secure Internet and telecommunication infrastructure. It is the intent of the legislation and the final outcome of which we must be watchful, leery and vocal.

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The slippery slope to tyranny is greased with good but misguided intentions, outright evil intentions, and the blood and tears of the victims of witch hunts.

Please do your part to spread this information far and wide, learn as much as you can about the organizations I have linked, and contact your ‘Representatives’.

"CJ" Graham is a Veteran and the proud wife of a retired USAF Veteran. She is a dedicated mother, activist, conservative, independent, who's allegiance is to her country and not to a particular political party. She is a firm believer in the power of the Citizen of the United States of America to whom she writes with a empowering and encouraging spirit. She knows that the Citizen of the USA can make a difference through peaceful, focused, knowledge empowered, activism working within the system and with media and legislators to effect change. As an author, she writes from the heart but backs up her work with facts.