Good news out of Ohio: if all goes well, soon you’ll be able to be arrested for no reason in public places. Whoopee! Cleveland’s News Channel 5 reports:

CLEVELAND — A bill on Gov. Bob Taft’s desk right now is drawing a lot of criticism, NewsChannel5 reported.

One state representative said it resembles Gestapo-style tactics of government, and there could be changes coming on the streets of Ohio’s small towns and big cities.

The Ohio Patriot Act has made it to the Taft’s desk, and with the stroke of a pen, it would most likely become the toughest terrorism bill in the country. The lengthy piece of legislation would let police arrest people in public places who will not give their names, address and birth dates, even if they are not doing anything wrong.

This really wigs me out, I tell ya. I mean, shit, do I even need to go into why? I sure hope not. This is also eerily similar to that dream I had earlier this year of a futuristic society where police sirens wailed to the tune of “America, the Beautiful” and if you stood still in a public place, or congregated with two or more persons, you were arrested.

Perhaps the wildest part of this whole thing is how very casually News Channel 5 reports this. Later in that article, they say:

“The variety of people who opposed to this is not just a group of the usual suspects. We have people far right to the left opposing the bill who think it is a bad idea,” said Al McGinty, NewsChannel5’s terrorism expert.

McGinty said he isn’t sure the law would do what it’s intended to do.

“I think anything we do to enhance security and give power to protect the public to police officers is a good idea,” he said. “It is a good law in the wrong direction.”

A good law in a bad direction? HOLY SHIT PEOPLE! We’re talking about the total reversal of basically everything that we consider freedom. This isn’t the time for politically neutral euphemisms. This makes the ranting of people like Alex Jones all the more relevant on issues like this. [Found via Cryptogon]