Prolonged Detention - Rachel Maddow's Comments

This Caught Me By Surprise

Veteran reporter, Lawrence O' Donnell criticizes police as aggressors. 

His indignation at the treatment of Americans at the Occupy Wall Street gatherings and in daily interactions is apparent.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

If the Tar Sands ad plays before this clip, you might click here 

to read about something you likely missed in the news.

National Opt Out Day

Tomorrow is National Opt Out day for scanners and genitalia searches.

As far as I'm concerned, every day is Opt Out day!

We still have the 4th amendment in place and the current TSA protocol is in clear violation.

There is NO LAW requiring us to submit to such offensive, oppressive tactics.

Yes, it's a different world since 9/11. But, I don't remember anyone saying anything about dissolving the 4th amendment. Until we do that, we don't have to allow a search of our genitalia to leave town. If we allow fear to rule our intellect, history tells us we are on a dangerously slippery slope.

Let's not let the argument be misdirected; this is NOT about being forced to absorb radioactivity (although a valid argument), it is about privacy and our inalienable rights.

Fear does not overrule the Constitution of the United States.

Mr. Pistole, the TSA Administrator, in his US News and World Report interview said, "We want to treat each passenger with dignity and respect.".

Mr. Pistole, treating citizens with "dignity and respect" does not include the presumption of guilt, rather than innocence and it doesn't include a reach-around!

Matt Kernan provides an example of how to be respectful, not allow the TSA or police to violate your 4th Amendment rights and then be allowed to travel.

Sam Wolanyk also declined. His approach was more attention grabbing.

Stand up for yourself. Stand up for your country.

All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.

~Thomas Jefferson

Be Love

Enough is Enough

Ron Paul on the floor of the Congress last night, speaking on the ridiculous treatment of citizens by the TSA:

Terrorism is bad.
The 4th Amendment is good.
Fear should not rule our intellect.
Fear does not trump inalienable rights.
Let's reinstate the 4th amendment--then there wouldn't be a need for his bill.

RFID Tracking Used on Children in Texas Schools

Tracking devices used in school badges

Two districts are first in the area to use ID tags that raise privacy, security concerns

By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Oct. 11, 2010, 10:00AM

Jerry Baker Chronicle

Sixth-graders, from left, Jacorey Jackson, Deante' Maxey, Casandra Hernandez and Kamryn Jefferson, all 11, wear special tracking badges at Bailey Middle School in Spring.

Radio frequency identification — the same technology used to monitor cattle — is tracking students in the Spring and Santa Fe school districts.

Identification badges for some students in both school districts now include tracking devices that allow campus administrators to keep tabs on students' whereabouts on campus. School leaders say the devices improve security and increase attendance rates.

Read the entire article here.

I have family raising children in the Spring district and look forward to their insights and comments.

In light of my last post, I would like to ask for people's opinions on the RFID program in the Spring and Santa Fe school districts and ideas about how to create something to impact our communities and the planet in a positive way.

Dear Texan Friends - CALL SOMEBODY!!!

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

As many of you know, I have moved to British Columbia. I, however, have not forgotten about all of my friends and family in Texas. I have not been posting political stories and have been focusing on art, massage and music. But the time has come to post about a couple of stories that need the attention and action of Texans now.

The first is a video news report from Houston, TX in which the Houston Police Department has been testing spy drones. Yes, just like in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I find it intriguing that the Police feel it necessary to monitor and lie to the public. Please call Mayor Annise D. Parker at 713.837.0311 to let her know what you think of being monitored like a military enemy.



The other story that caught my eye is the El Paso Police Department is purchasing 1,145 AR-15s. You can read about it here. So we all have nothing to worry about if we are doing nothing wrong...Right?

I hope to be posting more about the wonders and beauty available to us all in the near future.

What Forced Vaccinations?

I have numerous acquaintances and readers who believe there is no push for forced vaccinations. I would like to agree, but cannot. Below, I offer up two videos for your consideration and an ad for a health workers' protest in New York.

The first is Judge Andrew Napolitano commenting on the unconstitutional bill in Massachusetts that will allow the governor to declare an emergency and "allow" police to force their way into your homes to vaccinate you:

The second is of Charlie Crist who has filed a law suit regarding Florida's forced vaccination statute and has mentioned the Governor in that suit.

Here's a rally poster for Health Care Personnel who are opposed to mandatory vaccinations.

Neighbor Has the Wrong Idea? Turn Them In to the Whitehouse!

I have been making an effort to focus on and post primarily photography, music, poetry and the like lately. However, I read an article by Macon Phillips on the White House blog (Ironically titled "Facts are Stubborn Things") on Tuesday and have been stewing over it since. Macon is the White House Director of New Media.

(Photo:Zbigniew Bzdak/McClatchy News)

According to comrade Phillips:

"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care. These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

Silly me. I had no idea it was the White House's responsibility to track all opposition to their programs. What if it is something other than fearing corporate health care designed by those we accuse of destroying the current system? Are there other addresses for other offenses? What if I disagree with bombing a country that our Congress and Senate never authorized? What if I ask about the destruction of the product life cycle? How many dissenters are being tracked? Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

(photo:NiceDeb)

Since people opposing this plan are "spreading disinformation", we should turn them into the White House staff? Macon and his buddies can't keep up with everyone who is opposing it, so we need you to report your friends, relatives and neighbors to the White House so that we can knock down any dissent. The "New Media" policy appears to be to turn in fellow citizens who have dissenting political opinions from the White House.

Debates about health care, finance, defense, security and privacy will continue to rage. I just hope that our leaders find a way to participate in the discussion without spying on constituents or asking them to turn each other in for their beliefs. (My civics teacher in high school had called Russia's (1980s) government tyrannical and overreaching for instituting such policies.)

Military Police at Kentucky Derby

I retrieved these shots while surfing through new AP photos of the Kentucky Derby on Yahoo and Google, respectively.  I suppose that posse comitatus does not apply in Kentucky?

Give Me Liberty - Handbook for American Revolutionaries

Naomi Wolf, author of "Give Me Liberty: A Handbook for American Revolutionaries" is interviewed October 4, 2008 on Mind Over Matters, KEXP 90.3 FM Seattle.

She connects a few dots including the 1878 Posse Comitatus coming to an end, abuse of citizens, arrests of journalists, instability, hyped threats and crises, martial law, the 2007 Defense Authorization Act, the Patriot act and the growing police state.  She believes that time is running out to stem this tide.  

What do you think?

Love > Fear

Denton Police Force Goes Paramilitary?

In my research about a TX arrest, I visited the site of the Denton Police Department.  I was interested to see what they had to say as I attended NTSU (now UNT).   I was dismayed to see another example of marketing a paramilitary police force.   Denton is a college town of about 80,000 with two universities, UNT and TWU. 

This is the only photo on their homepage:

The paragraph under the photo begins: 

"These are exciting and challenging times for public safety service delivery and we seek to meet those challenges by creating new and different ways to better serve our customers."

Is Osama Bin Laden hiding in Denton?  What is their intent in posting this.  Is this how they want to be seen now?  Someone thinks this is good PR for them?  No one has gotten upset about this in a city filled with college students?  

Is this what serve and protect has come to look like in your town?

Where have all the sheriffs gone?

Am I just being too sensitive about all of this?  Am I blowing things out of proportion? 

CNN Footage from the RNC

More from the RNC as CNN reports:

Amy Goodman About her Arrest (FSTV)

Here is a Free Speech TV interview with Amy Goodman after her release from police custody:

What do you think?

Journalist and Producer Nicole Salazar Arrested at RNC

Nicole Salazar, a producer for Democracy Now! was arrested while filming at the protest.  The film is unsettling as you hear her ask the officer where to go to get out of the way.  Credentials around her neck and camera on her shoulder, she is forced to the ground and drug away, face down.

This is making me ill.

Please take action.

Journalists Arrested in a Post 9/11 World!

Wake up!!!  

It's not Terrorists!

It's not anarchists & hippies! 

They are arresting journalists!  

Wake up!!!  We have been sitting in the melting pot of the U.S. as the police state has turned up the heat.  The water is too hot!!!  Wake up or perish!!!  Wake up!!!

On September 1st, police in St. Paul arrested several more journalists including Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and and AP photographer as they covered the protests at the RNC

Time to do something!!!

The people from FreePress.net have created a letter campaign to be delivered to the Mayor of St. Paul, Chris Coleman, the RNC host committee and the local prosecuting attorneys. They hope to obtain at least 10,000 signatures in the next 24 hours.  The letter requests that all journalists be released immediately.  You can sign the letter by clicking here.

This is why I blog. I am trying to prevent just this sort of activity from becoming even more prolific than it has been. Our Constitution is more than just a "GD piece of paper" (GW Bush) and should be treated as such. We are American citizens and should be treated as such. If we do not speak up, they will assume we agree. If no one says stop, do you think it will stop?

Police Detain and Attempt to Intimidate More Journalists

Thanks again to the brave people at The Uptake!  It is through your efforts and those like you that we may be able to salvage our Constitutional rights.  Keep the spotlight of truth shining in the darkness, dear patriots.  Thank you for fighting for the rights of Americans.

"Sat. Aug 30, 2008. Saint Paul, MN Police Department raids a home at 951 Iglehart Avenue at gunpoint. The journalists include a contributing photojournalist with "Democracy Now", whose host Amy Goodman appears in this clip jumping a fence to question police officers."

"This is part of a series of police actions on the eve of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul."

"After several hours, all those detained were released. No arrests. No property was seized as result of the search warrant. The clip ends with an interview with homeowner Mike Whalen. At the start of the clip, a neighbor shouts to the media and onlookers that we could all come into her backyard to see the detained people held in the adjacent backyard."

Didn't I say I wanted to focus on art, music and beauty? I said I didn't want to focus on politics. Well...I haven't given either of the false-dichotomy choices any more time on my blog. However, the police state is being documented very well at the moment and there are some very important happenings I feel people should see. If you find something wonderful and beautiful that you think might be a welcome relief to my blog readers, please send it in.

Police Seize Journalists Computers, Cameras and Notes

What is happening in our country?  

Artists/Journalists in Minneapolis were stopped, detained, questioned, searched and removed of personal property.  This group of journalists from the Glass Bead Collective is known for documenting police misconduct and first amendment protest activities around the U.S..

The all said they would not consent to a search, but the Minneapolis police allegedly searched them anyway. They allegedly confiscated their cell phones, 2 video cameras, 2 skill cameras, a computer, personal objects and money.

You can gain more information about it at http://theuptake.org

Clip from "The Uptake"

Quid cutodiet ipsos custodes?

ABC Reporter Aggressively Arrested at DNC

ABC reporter, Asa Eslocker was arrested in Denver while taking pictures of Senators, lobbyists and big donors at the DNC.  Notice how members of the press are treated and maybe you will understand my concern.  Our police are squaring off with the press and our decorated veterans. 

Watch a police officer shove ASA into traffic, across the street and then is joined by his thug buddies, one of whom grips his throat and then twists the producer's arm behind him to cuff him.

I miss serve and protect, I oppose intimidate and enslave.

A Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

This is an interesting video that is narrated by Ira Glasser, the Executive Director of the ACLU from 1978 to 2001. I am posting it as an educational piece on how to exercise your rights when confronted by a police officer. There are several scenarios presented. Each illustrates what to do and what not to do when confronted by an officer.



Although the actors in each scene have done something illegal and want to exercise their rights so that they can avoid prosecution, I feel it is important that all of us exercise our full rights each time we are confronted by police. These are our rights and making certain that they continue to be respected shouldn't be considered a hassle or an indication of guilt. The more often we, as citizens, exercise our rights; the more likely it will be that we will be approached as if we actually have rights.

NY Cops Beat Tibetans in Front of U.N.

Did you see this on the news?

The United States has given China most favored nation trading status. China is hosting the Olympics. Our corporations lobby against the rights of workers in China. We accept China's financial bailouts year after year. It only stands to reason that Police Officers in the United States would show their support for China by beating the crap out of peaceful "Free Tibet" protesters in front of the United Nations.

The following footage was shot at a free Tibet peaceful march and assembly in New York on the 14th of March.

It shows the protestors holding flags and signs and peacefully walking down the street towards the UN building as police vehicles screech onto the sidewalks, cops pour out and begin to beat the protesters with clubs as UN security guards stand and watch.

At one point, you can hear Officer Serano threatening to "f***ing kill" two of the peaceful protesters.

You can hear the cameraman say,

"Look at these cops, clubbing people in front of the UN, unbelievable, protesting to free Tibet, cops clubbing people in their legs on the sidewalk, in front of the UN in America, unbelievable, this is not China."

According to Wikipedia:

In the 1990s continued most favoured nation status for the People's Republic of China sparked U.S. controversy because of its sales of sensitive military technology and its use of prison labour, and its most favoured nation status was only made permanent in 2000.

If you would like to call the NYC Internal Affairs Bureau to have your voice heard, you can reach them at 212-741-8401.

Anyone else going to call their local news station to ask why this hasn't appeared?