By Force, Intimidation, and Threat
Of the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who protested the United State's imminent invasion of Iraq "The St, Patrick's Four" have been singled out by the federal government as particularly dangerous. These four, Clare and Teresa Grady, Daniel Burns and Peter DeMott have been charged with conspiracy by force, intimidation and threat to impede an officer of the United States, criminal damage to property and trespass. If the government prosecutors are successful the four will face 8 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The government is particularly motivated in this case because the four alleged conspirators impeded the ability of a military recruitment office to solicit prospective applicants for military service. In a climate where recruitment quotas have not been realized and projections for the coming year are bleak, conspiracies designed to force recruitments further down cannot be tolerated.
The demonstration received coverage at the time in a small publication, The Catholic Worker and in the local press. The initial prosecution was unsuccessful after a local jury voted 9 to 3 to acquit. A federal prosecution will send a strong message to activists around the country that while marches and gatherings are a traditionally accepted form of demonstrating and will continue to be allowed, demonstrations aimed at recruitment centers will not be tolerated. There are very high stakes on both sides in this case; the four activists face 8 years in prison; the government risks the possibility of a "high profile case" that exposes a vulnerability it hopes to protect. It certainly would not do to have bloody recruitment windows all over the country.
The case comes to trial on September 19 and you can cut the irony with a knife; spilling blood to avoid the spilling of blood; spilling blood on the American Flag; the charges themselves could apply to the prosecution in a relevant context.
Do we remember the questions surrounding the supposed cell phone calls from the hijacked airliners on Sept 11, 2001? I still do, and my questions still haven’t been answered.
John Kaminsky in his The Day America Died – Why You Shouldn’t Believe the Official Story of What Happened on September 11, 2001 writes:
“Canadian professor A.K. Dewdney has been from the outset at the forefront of questioning the authenticity of the controversial cell phone calls made on 9/11.
… calculated that the likelihood of a cell phone getting through to a caller under normal circumstances was one in a hundred.
Worse, the aluminum skin of an airliner and trying to make a call at high speeds further the likelihood that cell phone calls can get through from flights at typical airline altitudes and speeds…”
Well, hopefully that won’t be a problem too much longer. Read this from today's Reuters business wire.
Qualcomm, Connexion to test in-flight mobile calls
Mon Aug 8, 2005 9:25 AM ET
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2005-08-08T132546Z_01_N08320306_RTRIDST_0_TECH-TELECOMS-QUALCOMM-CONNEXION-DC.XML
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wireless technology company Qualcomm Inc. and Boeing Co.'s Connexion said on Monday they would test in-flight mobile phone calls in the hopes they can overcome public skepticism.
Connexion, which already provides wireless laptop Internet services in airplane cabins, hopes to provide in-flight wireless voice and data services if regulators give the go-ahead.
The tests will be conducted through September in a specially equipped Boeing 737-400 aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration told lawmakers last month that substantial challenges remained to the in-flight use of mobile phones even if communications regulators eased a ban currently in place.
Boeing's archrival Airbus said last month that it was working with Germany's Siemens to develop technology that would make ordinary mobile phone calls possible for in-flight passengers by 2006.
Connexion has said it expects to start selling cellular phone services to airline passengers as early as next year, though some surveys have shown customer doubts about voice services in close cabins.
Qualcomm sells technology licenses and chips for mobile phones based on CDMA, the dominant cellphone standard in the United States.
So. Where were those “cell phone” calls made from?
That the Divine Self-existent, the Exalted One, and Defender of the Faith, the crackhead president bush would deign to offer us mere commoners his Enlightened Wisdom on science education for the children of the unwashed, I see as a hopeful sign.
For too many years now, his All-Seeing Eye was necessarily fixed on foreign shores in a desperate struggle to keep the barbarian hordes from the shores of our beloved Homeland. But now, his God-inspired wisdom has all but defeated those unexpectedly fiesty Iraqi rebels. Why, there’s even talk about bringing some of the troops home as early as next year sometime. A ray of sunshine, finally, down here in the drudge of the lower castes’ daily lifes. Now we can get on with our tasks with lighter hearts, and so be more productive. Knowing that the Anointed One’s concern can again turn to alleviating the burdens of his acolytes, thereby showing again the compassion that must truly reside in his heart, as his high-priests tell us is so, surely must put a song in the hearts of the rest of us. Except, of course, for those who have turned from the Light, and must therefore travel in Darkness and Despair.
Knowing the crushing burdens of modern life on his beloved people weighs heavily upon him, while he wrestles with the siren temptations of the succubi that visit him in the night, whispering doubts and seductions to him, while they gently soothe his troubled brow. And then god, in his mercy, whispers in georgie’s ear, the secret, the key to it all.
When the president bush wakens his resolve is again strong. No more doubts caused by the night time fevers and nightmares, the effects of which are hidden by a judicious use of some light make-up by his handlers. And then, that long awaited day. A happy day. One which the president bush declares that “Intelligent Design” should be taught in his nation’s public schools. No longer will our children be burdened with learning facts and explanations. No more learning how to solve problems, or to even think. Why, even only one book will be necessary. No more heavy backpacks which can hide anything, as we know. The Bible. But only one particular version of that book. All the answers are there. All that’s needed is a blind belief. Oh, how so much easier our lives will be.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking. “How can our children become successful and compete in this new world economy, if they don’t learn things like real science and real math, and real history?” There’s no need to fret. That’s not the purpose that the bushista/corporate cult has for your children. Their purpose is to serve their betters. So, why a need for all that learning stuff?
Think of how much happier they will be when they learn, and accept, their true place in this “Grand Design”. And isn’t that what we want for our children?
Of course, there will always be calls from those in the Darkness outside of His Light that, no, our children deserve better. They need, and deserve, at the least, the same opportunities and choices we had when we were growing up. HA. As if they have anything useful and truthful to say. If they did, they’d be on the TV, and in the newspapers.
Oh. And about all that death and destruction going on in foreign lands, far away? That’s just a bit of “regrettable” collateral damage along the True Path to the Promised Land envisioned by our Dear Leader dreams. Fortunately we can count on the determination of the president bush to guide, with his gentle hand, our faltering feet as we stumble along the obstacles on the path to his Glorious Vision of a ‘christian’ America, all-powerful, and ready to export our Enlightenment to the lost souls throughout the world.
So. The president bush appointed bolton, in a direct slap to the US Senate, and the Constitution of the United States. The ‘opposition party’ should, by now, know that no amount of compromise is possible with the majority. The bushista/corporate cult (b/c cult) is going to do whatever it wants. The only sane and moral choice now is to say ‘No.’ to every appointment that the bush makes. They’re going to be appointed anyway. So why sell out? If the democrats had any moral and personal courage, they would oppose bush with everything they can. The American people are watching, as are the world’s peoples. Now would be a good time to show us what you got.
The 2006 elections are coming up, and the American people want to see what they’re going to be voting for. And, they are looking for a choice from bush and his Congressional allies. No way are they going to bother if you give them more of the same. The American people don’t want the Iraq war, they don’t want tax cuts for the rich, they don’t want cuts in Social Security, and they don’t want ‘private accounts. They do want affordable health care, they want affordable housing, they want good jobs with security, they want good public schools. And they don’t want to leave their kids and grandkids with a crushing debt to pay for the bush tax cuts and the bush wars.
This is a corrupt, immoral, and criminal administration. As we’ve seen, every appointment and policy coming from it is the same. So. Roberts should be toast. At least as far as the democrats are concerned. The republicans are going to do whatever they want.
And now would be a good time for a real opposition to start cranking up. Be loud, be proud, and ‘take no guff when you strut your stuff’.
