Georgia GOP Uses Mentally Ill Woman to Pass a Bill Opposing Involuntary Implantation of Microchips

This story was picked up by Alternet, after appearing on the Washington Monthly's Political Animal blog, who picked it up from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

OK, now that we have cleared that up - these people are fucking insane, and more than a little evil. And I am not even talking about the one person in the story who is mentally ill.

Here's the story (the real issue is in bold):

Last Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee entertained SB 235, the bill sponsored by Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) to prohibit the involuntary implantation of microchips in human beings.

In Gov. Roy Barnes’ stump speech, the bill has become a routine example of the Republican tendency to attack problems that don’t exist, and ignore the ones that do. Besides, Barnes argues, if someone holds him down to insert a microchip in his head, “it should be more than a damned misdemeanor.”

Three states have instituted bans, and others have considered the legislation. In Virginia, a bill supporter declared microchips to be the “666″ mark of the beast referred to in the Book of Revelation.

Pearson has said his motivation isn’t biblical or religious – that he is simply working in advance of technology’s next assault on personal privacy. Not unlike limiting the uses of DNA testing by health insurance companies, he argues.

At the House hearing, state Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Kennesaw), who is shouldering the legislation in the House, spoke earnestly for better than a half hour on microchips as a literal invasion of privacy.

He was followed by a hefty woman who described herself as a resident of DeKalb County. “I’m also one of the people in Georgia who has a microchip,” the woman said. Slowly, she began to lead the assembled lawmakers down a path they didn’t want to take.

Microchips, the woman began, “infringe on issues that are fundamental to our very existence. Our rights to privacy, our rights to bodily integrity, the right to say no to foreign objects being put in our body.”

She spoke of the “right to work without being tortured by co-workers who are activating these microchips by using their cell phones and other electronic devices.”

She continued. “Microchips are like little beepers. Just imagine, if you will, having a beeper in your rectum or genital area, the most sensitive area of your body. And your beeper numbers displayed on billboards throughout the city. All done without your permission,” she said.

It was not funny, and no one laughed.

“Ma’am, did you say you have a microchip?” asked state Rep. Tom Weldon (R-Ringgold).

“Yes, I do. This microchip was put in my vaginal-rectum area,” she replied. Setzler, the sponsoring lawmaker, sat next to the witness – his head bowed.

“You’re saying this was involuntary?” Weldon continued.

The woman said she had been pushing a court case through the system for the last eight years to have the device removed.

Wendell Willard (R-Atlanta), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, picked up the questioning.

“Who implanted this in you?” he asked.

“Researchers with the federal government,” she said.

“And who in the federal government implanted it?” Willard asked.

“The Department of Defense.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

The woman was allowed to go about her business, and the House Judiciary Committee approved passage of SB 235.

What the fuck was that? Using a paranoid delusional woman as an "expert" witness to pass dumbass legislation? Those people need to be arrested and charged with some kind of crime - and if there isn't one on the books, then we need to create one that prohibits the use of mental ill people in any way that is unethical - and this was seriously unethical.

This was supported - and witnessed - by the governor, so it will likely become law.

While this particular case is evidence of abusing and misusing the mentally ill for political purposes (again, this should be a criminal act), Georgia will become the FOURTH state to pass such a law. Really?!? Are there government agents implanting microchips in people against their wills?!?

From the Political Animal blog:

We talked in February about an identical effort among Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates, where a GOP lawmaker sought to prohibit involuntary microchip implantation in order to help save humanity from the antichrist. His proposal passed.

Indeed, there are now three states -- and counting -- that have instituted bans on involuntary microchip implantation. Georgia will likely become the fourth. At the same time, some conservatives are apparently concerned about non-existent microchip-related provisions in the Affordable Care Act.

Was there some kind of memo about the dangers of microchips at some point? Where did all of these concerns come from? I like to think I keep up fairly well on far-right rhetoric, but all of this seems to be popping up around the same time, out of the blue.

Sounds like a really bad episode of the X Files. Or maybe they have been reading Alex Jones' conspiracy site.

Tags: Georgia, GOP, Mental Illness, legislation, Involuntary Implantation, Microchips, paranoia, delusional, Psychology, Gov. Roy Barnes, Politics, Sen. Chip Pearson, Rep. Ed Setzler, Department of Defense