Mr. Ashcroft don't need no stinking Patriot Act, he has found an much older law that works just fine. The United States Attorney in Miami is prosecuting Greenpeace under an 1872 law that bans unauthorized boarding of ships about to arrive in port. According to the Washington Post, the law was aimed at boardinghouse owners of the 1800s and was intended to "stop them from jumping on board harbor-bound ships and luring away sailors with booze and prostitutes." The current case, the first one brought under the old law since 1890, stems from an April 2002 incident in which Greenpeace members took their Zodiac boats three miles offshore and boarded an inbound ship as part of a protest urging the Bush administration to stop what Greenpeace considers to be illegal logging. The members pleaded no contest and were convicted of relatively minor charges. Now, our illustrious Justice Department has decided to use a long-dormant law to go after the Greenpeace organization. Gee, I wonder why they would want to do that? It certainly can't be to stifle dissent, right?