posted on January 6, 2002 12:45:11 AM
While CNN continues to show the happy, smiling faces of amused kids in school, it utterly failed to show the ugly crowds that protested his visit here. The local news is full of it, however -- that showing the local sentiment here for Bush. I can't believe that this is unusual for the minority-elected President and I wonder just how much more Americans are protesting Bush as he travels and not getting any national media coverage about it?
posted on January 6, 2002 06:43:20 AM
I wish I'd seen your post before I went to a party last nght - a lot of TV people there including one from CNN. I could have asked about the coverage.
I just wanted to add that it sounds as though we're destined to have fewer reality shows and more "feel good" types of programming - not necessarily additional inane sitcoms but more upbeat documentaries.
My friends and I have had this debate for years. The sensational sells. Everyone claims to hate that type of reporting, yet the papers fly off the newsstand or the TV whines away. What one person finds to be an uplifting story another person may find to be a refusal to examine the controversial aspects of the same info. It'll be interesting to see how the next year's programming plays out.
I think protests will have to be played up in local papers with national readership before they'll get the attention you hope for.
[ edited by saabsister on Jan 6, 2002 08:46 AM ]
posted on January 6, 2002 10:09:19 AM
I expect we will be seeing more of the Free Speech Zones set up for political visits that might provoke controversy and protests.
When my husband called from Philly and told me about the tiny Free Speech Zone set up for the Republican Convention, I thought he was joking. I had thought the USA was a Free Speech Zone. You have the right to an informed opinion -Harlan Ellison
posted on January 7, 2002 10:29:09 AM
The fact that people are prepared to go out into the cold and rain to protest the President's visit is significant. That disagreeing with what the President is doing in this wartime is seen as near Treason is very significant. And that Bush gave notice of his visit only a few days ahead meant that many people were unaware of his upcoming visit and the protest set up for him was done in all haste. Had Bush announced his visit a month ahead, the numbers would have been much more than a few hundred! No, Geo. Bush, Jr. has few friends in this state and around here, they have long memories.
posted on January 7, 2002 11:05:19 AM
I'm sure that this question was asked before, but I missed it over the Xmas season. So I wanted to ask: Does the name, "The Office of Homeland Security" give you the creeps? "Homeland"? Has that kinda northern European ring to it, not Anglo-Saxon at all. In fact, it sounds Teutonic, if you know what I mean. At least it does to me. Other folks I've asked say either they never thought about it or others think the same thing that I do.
But have any of you thought about how likely we are to be investigated by this new office? I mean, anyone who complains about the government fits into an awful lot of criteria laid out as the foundation of the new sweeping investigative powers of the office of homeland security.
That being the case, do those who openly walk in a protest - as they did in Portland, are they now having political profiles made up and their computers investigated and they are being watched by the OHS?
The OHS, IMO, is the beginnings of the American Secret Police. You know as well as I do that no government department that is once created is ever destroyed. This malarkey about the OHS being a temporary cabinet position is bull! If the war goes on for many years and it looks as if six to ten years will go by at least, then the OHS will become a permanent institution with broad, sweeping powers to investigate "enemies" of the State. It will be revealed to be the KGB of America and people will disappear in the night, never to be seen again.
A joke? That's already happening!
Take for instance an item on the news about two months ago. A Middle-Eastern man was arrested for snooping around a military base in Washington State and taking photographs. He was detained and investigated and the news mentioned that he had false papers on him and so forth. Ring a bell to anyone?
If that rings a bell with you, then know that this man is a close friend of mine and the information put out about him in the media was "misleading" to put it nicely. He was not a Middle Eastern person, but a refugee from Afghanistan. He was nowhere near a military base when he was picked up. In fact, he was taking pictures of the local sunset facing the Pacific Ocean and a passing Deputy Sheriff noticed his looks and arrested him on the charge of "Suspicion". Suspicion of what? It didn't say! It was just "Suspicion".
At any rate, he has a legitimate Green Card, an American wife and two kids, a mortgage and a career. He spent three weeks in detainment before he got his hearing before a judge. After the FBI cleared him of any wrongdoing whatsoever, a sub-prosecutor asked the judge to detain him some more! The judge turned to her and asked quite coldly, "Is there anything that you haven't told the court that we should know about?" She said NO and sat back down. Not an uncommon attitude after the 911 attack, but because she worked for the DA's office, it is a shame that she works there.
Anyway, because he was detained on "Suspicion", his boss fired him. Neat, huh? Not only did both the Russians and the Taliban back in Afghanistan butcher his family, but now America has shown him little sympathy as well. The fact that unlike other refugees, he refused to ever take a dime in Welfare or any other social program that many come here to take advantage of - he has that much pride and has worked from Day-one in this country to support himself. He has always paid taxes and abided by the law.
posted on January 7, 2002 11:39:29 AM
That is a frightening story. I understand that the Office of Homeland Security will have bases in every state manned by politically acceptable people. This fellow is lucky that he was released in only three weeks. Some "terrorists suspects" are still jailed.
The definition of a terrorist suspect is evasive, paving the way for political repression. The anti-terror legislation passed by Congress and signed by Bush allows for secret searches of the homes of people who meet the nebulous criteria of "suspected terrorist."
posted on January 7, 2002 01:39:13 PM"OHS = KGB ?"
Helen
Hi, Helen! IMHO, the OHS is very much the start of the American Secret Police. A Fascist State can't work without the network of official terror. And Corporate Fascism is what we have now in our country and in all countries around the globe. When the media starts to dissappear in the middle of the night for reporting on the actions of the OHS, it'll be time to oil your guns and weapons and take to the streets and organize into resistance cells. I predict the next Civil War will be in our lifetimes.
Like the saying used to go, back in the Ronald Regan Era, "One Man's Terrorist is another Man's Freedom Fighter!"
posted on January 9, 2002 02:19:37 AM
Mr. Bush also used the Portland speech to suggest for the first time that voicing a terrorist creed would be viewed by his administration in the same terms as
committing an act of terrorism. He told the crowd that anyone "who espouses a philosophy that's terrorist and bent, I assure you we will bring that person to justice." His aides did not elaborate. --New York Times
posted on January 9, 2002 01:13:51 PM
Wow the people of Oregon must be great because they know what the heck is going on. This year is so critical for us all. I know my state of PA is going to elect a democrat governor, and I know Jeb is out of Florida. Democrats should also take the house and senate.
posted on January 10, 2002 10:53:19 AM
The only thing IMO that will make any difference in who sits in power in Washington is for us to circulate and pass a constitutional amendment that goes something like this:
ARTICLE XXVIII - Anti-Corruption Amendment
"Only citizens of the United Staes shall give contibutions to any candidate for public political office. Under no circumstances is any foreign power or interest to contibute moeny to a public political campaign which is an act of war. No citizen shall knowingly receive give or receive funds from a foreign power or interest in contribution in part or in whole to a political campagn or party for public office. A total contribution limit of $10,000 per person per year is set and may be amended from time to time as the value of the dollar fluctuates.
"No citizen shall bribe or attempt to bribe a public official though funds or gifts or favors, except as allowed through campaign contributions. Any person knowlingly offering a bribe or accepting a bribe, except through lawful pursuit of criminal investigation within the boundaries of due process, is guilty of Treason and must be punished with death and the impoverishment of the family for one generation as allowed in previous amendments under Treason.
"Further, no government branch, department, or organiztion, nor office is exempt from criminal investigation."
Now, if we passed something like that, only THEN could we even begin to trust ANYONE who sits in power over there in Washington!
