Civil Arrest

Why do the Republicans continue to insist on trying to destroy the foundations of our government?

Here's an article re: the new bill “The Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010” being proposed by McCain and Lieberman, which if passed could allow the US military to detain suspected domestic terrorists - without habeas corpus - for interrogation....Which means if they want, they will have you sitting in jail for life and with no trial.

And who is to make the decision if you or I are an 'enemy belligerent'?....Who knows. And doesn't it state in the Declaration of Independence that it our 'duty to throw such a Government off as Despotism'.

So if I'm just a supporter of the Tea Partiers (which I'm not) I would be considered an enemy belligerent?

If anyone doesn't recall, here's a nice section from The United States Declaration of Independence:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,[71] that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Obama Isn't the Only One Being Inaugurated on Jan. 20th

Obama Isn't the Only One Being Inaugurated on Jan. 20th
By Arianna Huffington

Barack Obama is not the only one being inaugurated on January 20th. We all are.

And that's not just because Obama has promised to make a call to service "a central cause" of his presidency. It's because this moment in history demands that we stop waiting on others -- especially others living in Washington D.C. -- to solve the problems and right the wrongs of our times. Now, more than ever, we must mine the most underutilized resource available to us: ourselves.

The night before Obama is sworn in, HuffPost is co-hosting a pre-Inaugural ball at the Newseum in Washington. Just before midnight we are going to have a Countdown to a New Era. It's a new era not just because the Bush Years will officially be over, and not just because Barack Obama will be president, but because taking on the challenges America is facing will require a new era of citizen responsibility and engagement.

To illustrate this we are putting together a video that will symbolize that we are all stakeholders -- all being inaugurated on January 20th -- by having people from across America send us video of themselves taking the presidential oath of office: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The preamble of the Constitution starts with We the People. And it has never been clearer than it is now that we can't "form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" without the active participation of millions of us. It is not just the Bush Years that should be over on January 20th, but also the expectation that a knight in shining armor will ride into town and save us while we cheer from the sidelines. Even if the knight is brilliant, charismatic, and inspiring. It's up to us -- We the People.

And Obama himself has said as much many times throughout the campaign. He asked Americans "to step into the strong currents of history, and to shape your country's future. Because your own story and the American story are not separate, they are shared. And they will both be enriched if together, we answer a new call to service to meet the challenges of our new century...."

Arianna Huffington is asking us to make and send our own Oath Videos (more info in article) and then sign the service pledge

Should the Military Be Called in for Natural Disasters?

Should the Military Be Called in for Natural Disasters?
By Siobhan Morrisey for Time Magazine

Theoretically, even pacificists would probably admit that no one can respond as quickly and efficiently to a major U.S. disaster as the military. But the news that active duty soldiers fresh from a combat tour of Iraq will be gearing up to assist civilian agencies charged with responding to anything from accidental chemical spills to terrorist attacks has sparked mixed reactions from experts in emergency management and civil liberties advocates....

Facebook's War on Nipples

Facebook's War on Nipples By Ada Calhoun

A clash of culture wars....when did breast feeding become obscene? and why is it ok to show a fully naked guy on facebook but not a boob? It's Janet Jackson's Superbowl fiasco all over again...

Book Burning....Computer Style

by George Ure for Urban Survival

Don't know if you have seen the story yet, but "Google Earth accused of aiding Terrorists" says a Times Online report.

In court papers, seems Indian authorities are saying that Google Earth was used for mapping out some of the terror events.

Don't know about you, but I have a problem with this 'ban Google Earth' move. What if (as seems likely) the terrorists used other readily available tools? Would the Indian court system be considering whether to "Ban Microsoft Streets and Trips"? "Banish Garmin from the Indian subcontinent"?

Hell, ban printed roadmaps while we're at it , too!

Better lock up the pens, pencils, and paper, too while we're at it - those could become terrorist tools as well.

This gets to the ugly heart of the 'terror' mindset that has infected world governments. If people had surety of a place, regular meals, and meaningful work, plus a chance to work hard and get ahead (instead of work hard for 40-years then get eff'ed-over by inflation, financial fraud, and whathaveyou) then gee, where would terrorism find root?

I know, don't be asking those obvious questions ("Where does it stop, though?"). Common sense is the kind based on the near-certain knowledge that someone who means you harm is going to get you with a .308 round, or a knife in your back. With or without Google, Streets & Trips, LandSat data which is all over the place, or a trip to key targets with a video recorder - maybe we should ban them, too?

Where does it stop? With the banning of everything! The end game is in a police state where we're all employed watching each other. And then everyone will join whatever revolution against oppression comes along.

Book burning always ends badly and this is just the same thing...with a few more chips and maybe a lithium battery.

"Prop 8 - The Musical"

Starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more...
No more picking and choosing what you want to take from the bible...So let's promote love.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Feinstein's Statement on Interrogations

So it looks like we are having some favorable movement in the government toward a renewed policy of anti-torture.

Incoming Senate Intelligence Committee chair Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, released a statement yesterday, clarifying her position on what standards the Obama Administration should use to govern interrogations. ....

Here is the new Feinstein statement:

I strongly believe there should be a single, clear standard for interrogation across the federal government, and that this standard should comply with the Geneva Convention, the United Nations Convention Against Torture, and U.S. law. I plan to introduce legislation in January that would close Guantanamo, make the Army Field Manual the single standard for interrogations, prohibit contractors from being used to carry out interrogations and provide the International Committee of the Red Cross with access to detainees. If the incoming administration decides to propose an alternative to this legislation, I am willing to hear its views. But I believe we must put an end to coercive interrogations by the CIA.

Bravo..

Ten Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong

A Funny List grabbed from a Facebook Group

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms, just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

Gen-We

Numbering 95 million, Generation We or "Millennials" were born between 1978 and 2000 and are emerging as a social, political and philosophical force. In 2016 the youngest of us will reach voting age and we'll be the largest voting block in the history of the country.



Join the movement...The 'We Declaration'

Gen-We plans to release a site in 2009 that will allow us to connect, organize, develop campaigns, and launch actions that influence the political process, enable collective voices to be heard and heeded, and encourage a movement of globally responsible citizens.

Newt Gingrich Concerned About Gays

When did protesting for your rights become radical and fascist?



And for a little irony on the situation we always have Wonkette...
Newt Gingrich Very Concerned About, What Now, The Gays

Here’s what Newt Gingrich tells Bill O’Reilly in response to the latest Homosexual-Mormon War battles: “I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think that it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion.” Dude… they’re just Mormons.

Newt loves “traditional religion” and its values so very much. You know, Ten Commandments and the like! Such as, say, leaving your wife for a mistress while impeaching someone who got a BJ.

You can tell he really enjoys pretending that he has any convictions whatsoever. Also: near the end of this video he is credentialed as, “Co-Host Of The DVD, ‘We Have The Power.’” Which “they” don’t.

How to Close Guantánamo

How to Close Guantánamo
By Mark Kukis for Time

...Obama has vowed to close Guantánamo and reject the Military Commissions Act, the 2006 law underpinning the ongoing Guantánamo tribunals. But major hurdles stand in the way of doing so, even for a new President with a clear mandate....

First, what do you do with the roughly 255 people currently imprisoned at Guantánamo — a group of whom only 23 have been charged? If Obama wanted to move as swiftly as possible to close Guantánamo, the strongest step he could take as President would be to simply shutter the camp by Executive Order and transfer all of the detainees to prison sites inside the U.S. At that point, in theory, the detainees would face four possible fates: being charged with offenses that could be tried in federal courts; court-marshaled according to the Uniform Code of Military Justice; turned over to the governments of their native countries; or simply released...

There are no good options for trying the roughly 14 others the government appears intent on prosecuting, because the Bush Administration has held them for so many years by Executive Orders in contravention of regular U.S. criminal and military law...

Obama may consider working to create so-called national-security courts, which would essentially be a hybrid tribunal system blending military and civilian criminal law. Those who support the creation of national-security courts say that only a new, carefully constructed system can effectively deal with issues like classified evidence and other matters that sometimes snarl proceedings in regular criminal and military courts...

The emerging Obama transition team has yet to spell out its plans for closing Guantánamo officially...But there's little doubt that the Guantánamo problem Bush leaves behind for Obama will be one of the hardest the President-elect will face when he finally sits in the Oval Office.

Change Depends On Us....And the Job Begins Now

REAL CHANGE DEPENDS ON US
from Jim Hightower's Common-Sense Commentaries

Obama elected! Job done, right?

Uh… not quite. If last week’s sweeping vote for change is to mean anything substantive, We The People have stay alert and on the move. And the job begins now.

Like fresh-poured concrete, the shape of Obama’s presidency is going to set up quickly, and we can’t be lulled into thinking that casting a ballot is all that democracy requires of us. Now is not the time to crank back in our La-Z-Boys, trusting Obama to do the heavy lifting for us. Wall Street, the war machine, Republican Congress critters, weak-kneed Democrats, and other powerful forces of business-as-usual policies will be all over him. These insiders intend to shape him in their mold.

We have to be the counter force – an aggressive and vociferous Loyal Opposition pushing insistently and persistently from the outside. We must stand up and speak out on every move the insiders make; we must propose and propel progressive ideas and ideals; and we certainly must expose and vigorously oppose any capitulations that he’ll be pressured to make to the corporate powers. If his presidency is to be worthy of the deep potential of this political moment in our history, you and I have to step up.

It’s real change we’re after, a fundamental shift in national direction and policy: Get our troops and our national reputation out of Iraq, provide good health care for all, end “tinkle down” economics, reign in corporate greedheads, reinvest in America’s infrastructure, deal with global warming, no more torture, get serious about green energy, restore our stolen liberties – and generally reinstate the Common Good as our nation’s governing ethic.

Obama himself has often said that he is not the change, we are. Through him, we opened the White House door to the possibility of change last Tuesday. Now, we must see it through.

Bush Lies About Closing Guantanamo Bay

It Happened to People Like Us

These video clips are frightening....Is MTV trying to 'remember' the holocaust or prevent a new one, I'm not sure? Is this what martial law will look like?

ACLU's Request for Info Re: the Deployment of the 1st Brigade

Many of you are already aware of the Army Times article, that reported an army brigade, the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division, will now become the first army brigade to have active duty service and be assigned essentially to the United States and many of you also realize the serious implications this could have on us and the laws that are being broken by this deployment. But I was happily just made aware that the ACLU filed the Freedom of Information Act, requesting a whole variety of info from the government on the deployment. So hopefully we will have some answers soon...

Australia to Implement Mandatory Internet Censorship

AUSTRALIA will join China in implementing mandatory censoring of the internet under plans put forward by their Federal Government.

The plan was first created as a way to combat child pronography and adult content, but could be extended to include other controversial websites....

The End of America

Naomi Wolf's new documentary film The End of America has finally been released (this is a brand spankin' new film and includes yours truly in the audience third row in the middle). Please take this opportunity to watch this powerful documentary about the current state of our democracy, how it's being threatened, and the steps the Bush administration has taken since 2001 to undermine our liberties and our rights as Americans. It's 75 mins long with a few interspersed ads. Also a brief warning on the film, I found there to be some very chilling and upsetting footage but even though it maybe upsetting this is necessary to watch to understand the importance of what is happening to the U.S..

America’s Cops Prepare For Race War

Police Prepare for Unrest
Alexander Bolton from The Hill
10/21/08

Police departments in cities across the country are beefing up their ranks for Election Day, preparing for possible civil unrest and riots after the historic presidential contest.

Public safety officials said in interviews with The Hill that the election, which will end with either the nation’s first black president or its first female vice president, demanded a stronger police presence.

Some worry that if Barack Obama loses and there is suspicion of foul play in the election, violence could ensue in cities with large black populations. Others based the need for enhanced patrols on past riots in urban areas (following professional sports events) and also on Internet rumors.

Democratic strategists and advocates for black voters say they understand officers wanting to keep the peace, but caution that excessive police presence could intimidate voters.

Sen. Obama (Ill.), the Democratic nominee for president, has seen his lead over rival Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) grow in recent weeks, prompting speculation that there could be a violent backlash if he loses unexpectedly....

"Fringe People"

Saw this posted in Time Magazine today.....more echoes of a Police State, this time it's coming from the State and not the Federal government. When are Americans going to wake up....When they're on the list?

When the State Police Fingers Terrorists
By Robert Baer

"After greatest hits like Abu Ghraib and domestic eavesdropping, it takes a particularly brazen abuse of power to shock most Americans weary from eight years of the Bush Administration's war on terror. Even the recent revelation that the National Security Agency has been listening to the private calls of our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq probably didn't surprise too many jaded citizens. But the news that Maryland State Police had entered the names and personal information of 53 peaceful left-wing activists and protesters into state and federal databases as terrorists, well that may take the cake. None of them had done or thought anything more violent than raising a placard against the war in Iraq and the death penalty. You have to wonder how many more lists like Maryland's are out there.

The surveillance of the activists that led to their inclusion in the databases took place in 2005 and 2006. "I don't believe the First Amendment is any guarantee to those who wish to disrupt the government," Thomas Hutchins, the former Maryland state police superintendent who authorized the monitoring program of the activists, told a state legislative hearing earlier this month. The names were entered into the Maryland state database, as well as a federal Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area database, and some of them may have been shared with the National Security Agency — though current state police officials claim none were entered into the official federal terrorist watch list. All of the victims are being sent letters notifying them of their inclusion in the database, and their information will soon be purged.

In defending the use of the program, Hutchins described its targets as "fringe people." Other than describing some of my family, I hadn't realized fringe was a criminal activity. But more to the point, What does Maryland know about terrorism? Does the Baltimore grocer from Pakistan's North Waziristan merit ending up on Maryland's terrorist list because he calls home every weekend?

The other day I got a call from a friend in Europe. He was both frantic and furious. He had just been turned back at New York's JFK airport and sent home on the first flight. He missed his son's wedding — the son is an American citizen. The FBI at JFK was courteous but would only tell him he was on a terrorist list. Nothing the man could say helped. Was he on Maryland's list, now an undesirable alien and permanently excluded from the United States? Probably not, but in this era of secret evidence, who knows.

When you start to think about the vast digital databases that shadow our lives, the general incomprehension about the Middle East, and the readiness to blacklist people — guilt by association — you start to suspect George Orwell was right. And, incidentally, it doesn't have to be this way. Before 9/11, the FBI and CIA sifted through tens of thousands of terrorist leads every day. Ninety nine point nine per cent turn out to be bogus. The names never made it onto national master list and stayed in the raw files where they belonged. We missed 9/11, but not because the two San Diego hijackers were not on a list. We missed it because so many names float through Washington that their significance was missed.

Abusing the system like Maryland has is not going to improve our national security — it is only going to irritate Americans who will rebel against it. Terrorism lists should be compiled by the FBI, and reviewed by an Congressionally-mandated, independent body to purge the names that shouldn't be on it. The United States does not do well as a police state, but it does even worse when local and state authorities get to decide who the enemies of this state are."

Robert Baer, a former CIA field officer assigned to the Middle East, is TIME.com's intelligence columnist and the author of See No Evil and, most recently, The Devil We Know: Dealing with the New Iranian Superpower