No need to worry about the PATRIOT act, we're here to help you.

[Edit 12/29/2005] This story now appears to have been a hoax.

As reported in a number of places, including the Standard-Times, Homeland Security Agents visited the home of a student after he requested a copy of a Mao Tse-Tung's The Little Red Book via interlibrary loan. The article goes on to point out that the student had spent a fair amount of time abroad, and he combination of those two factors warranted a visit from Homeland Security.

The thing that really bothers me about this is that it would appear that The Little Red Book is on some sort of "watch list".

Firstly: Why is ANY book on a "watch list"? I don't understand why the consumption of ideas (of any ilk) is an activity that should be "watched".

Secondly, IF we are going to "watch" books, why in the hell are we watching books by a dead Communist? How many Cold-War leftovers are we still employing in the US security structure? Communists? Good grief! I do believe that dead horse has been beaten beyond recognition by this point in history.