LInks to Read on RNC Police Harrassment

In case you haven't come across these already. The following are a couple of place to find out how police reaction to activists during the RNC. One Two

And People Wonder Why Activists And Aware People Don't Trust Cops

The Republican National Convention is going down in St. Paul, MN this week. IN this midst of John McCain trying to have his cake and shit on women's reproductive freedom and reproductive justice with choosing Sarah Palin as a running mate comes news of the police conducting preemptive raids against activists.

It's time like this that make me wonder if those in the government and the police realize that they don't help themselves when they pull this shit.

DNC Protest

One of the more interesting things regarding the Democratic National Convention was this protest by Iraq Veterans Against the War. Between 3,000 (media estimates) and 10,000 (IVAW estimate) marched on the Pepsi center to ask Presidenital candidate Obama to endorse their goals. Along the way the march had a standoff with Denver Police.

Is it just me or is there something ironic about a standoff between police and war veterans?

Some Things Never Change

As you know the Democratic National Convention is going down this week in Denver. While calls for change are being made inside the convention area amongst them (and to the TV audience), police pepper sprayed and arrested 91 demonstrators.

According to one observer in the video report (mentioned in the transcript, but you can see it in the video)it is clear that he is walking in front of police who have no badges or ways to identify them. Not shocking if you know what's up but still disturbing and not good for the future of the country. Sad

And They Say Big Brother Doesn't Exist

In the last few years we have lived in very scary times for the Constitution and our rights. On Thursday July 17, 2008 the ACLU revealed that Maryland State Police Had Spied On Anti War and Anti Death Penalty Groups. Thus once again revealing how out of touch those in power are when it comes to issues such as fear, safety, and dissent (to name a few things).

I know it shouldn't surprise me that those who want a different future than the ones offered up by the current administration (and its corporate masters) are more likely to have their rights violated in the name of security than the government would try to track down actual terrorists, but it still angers me. Somehow the lessons we, as a nation, should have learned from COINTELPRO and the Church Committee hearings of 1975 seem to have been forgotten as we seem to line dance towards potential fascism. Yes, we live in a somewhat dangerous age in the seven or so years since the 9/11 tragedy. However, we seem to forget that when we give up our liberties and allow things like this to happen then the people we're supposed to be scared shitless of have won.

I really hope steps are taken to put the brakes on this bullshit. Still, it does prove the English dub/punk/rock band AOS3 right when they said "Scary Times Are Never Dull."

New Summer Blockbuster _ Return of The Caveocrats

Remember back in January when Congress actually showed a rare instance of having a spine and refused to pass a bill on warrantless wiretapping that allowed immunity (retroactive and otherwise) for telecom companies. WHile the Democrats tried to compromise the GOP decided to let the bill die rather than hold the phone companies accountable. At the time the question was would the Democrats hold firm on this or would they eventually do what they're too damn often known for doing these past however many years - cave and give Dubya and the right what they want. We now have our answer.

Yesterday Congress voted on a "compromise bill" that allowed for the telecoms to receive "retroactive immunity." Bush is pleased and signed this into law. A handful of Democrats, including Sen. Russ Feingold (D, WI) who called this a "black mark not only on the Democrats, but on the Congress, and really the history of our country."

Whether this is a compromise or a capitulation has been debated in Congress and by the pundits. However, one thing can be taken into account - some Democrats may have voted for this because they want the power to do what the Bush administration has done; not everyone but I'm sure there are some who lust for power on that face of our one party system.

One thing i do wonder is if Obama gets elected, how quickly will the Republicans all of a sudden gets concerned about the Constitution and the right to privacy? Not for any real reasons but simply 'cause they only want that power themselves. Some readers may think it won't happen but if and when it does it will make for an ironic, and stomach turning, twist.

Now if the Democrats would realize that, election year or not, caving to the right wing of our country doesn't help them - not even a little bit.

40 Years Ago Today

Today is the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, TN. Let's have a brief moment of silence.


Okay, now let's talk about the state of things since King was murdered. As we view much of the news today there will inevitably be at least one story on this topic. Usually commenting briefly on his civil rights activism and try to paint how far we've come without having to really say anything (something the corporate owned media likes to do). However, while things have progressed somewhat (institutionalized segregation is largely a thing of the past for example) there's still a long way to go and some people trying to turn back the clock. IN an election year the fact that the Kasas GOP was caught with a caging list of voters they're going to challenge is one example (such lists are usually used to target African American voters) shows that we still have a long way to go.

As for remembering Dr. King himself, the mainstream media always seems to want to keep him frozen in 1963 with the I Have A Dream speech. While it's a great speech to hear, they tend to forget that when King took on the Vietnam War much of the same media went out of their way to attack him, claiming he was no longer relevant to his cause (look up the criticism King got to Beyond Vietnam for examples). So, on the 40th anniversary of this tragic day, let's keep what Dr. King fought for in our thoughts and try to make this world a little better than it is now. I have a strange feeling that's how he'd really like to be remembered.