First they came for the Muslims

Is it time to revolt yet?
By Frank Pitz

First they came for the Muslims
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Muslim.
Then they came for the Mexicans
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Mexican.
Then they came for the Blacks
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Black.
Then they came for the Women
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Woman.
Then they came for the Queers
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Queer.
Then they came for Dissenters
and I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Dissenter.
Then they came for me
and I told them I couldn’t go right then
because the NASCAR race wasn’t over yet
so they shot me.

I get pissed, I quit posting to this as well as other sites because I just get tired of the same rhetoric over and over. You know; the Bush administration is doing, has done_____________________(fill in the ubiquitous blank). Then follows the plethora of outraged comments from readers expressing their dismay and exhorting their fellow posters to stay the course; elections are coming, “we’ll make change.”

I got news for you delusional folks, Bush just declared this country a totalitarian state, right under your latte sipping noses. I don’t know if this means anything to you folks out there in la-la-land, but right now, under Bush’s new legislation, anyone can be labeled an ‘enemy combatant.’

The bill also expands the definition of an unlawful enemy combatant to cover anyone who "has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States." One person has already been charged with aiding terrorists because he sold a satellite TV package that includes the Hezbollah network. And by the way, the definition on just who “has purposefully and materially supported hostilities against the United States,” is left up to the interpretation of Bush, Cheney and Company.

Folks’ tell me I’m angry, you can bet you sweet bippy I’m angry. Folks’ tell me I “gotta work within the ‘system.’” What frigging system? Bush just eliminated Habeas Corpus, folks, is the electoral process far behind? How do you want to work this next “peaceful demonstration” out? Shall we have the Gestapo place the ‘protest area pens’ next to the nearest Starbucks?

http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1271.shtml

Or, later. Depending.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

is a reasonable approach........beats the hell outa good old fashioned debate

Title: The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798
Author: U.S. Government
Year Published: 1798

THE ALIEN ENEMIES ACT

An Act respecting alien enemies.

  SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government, and the President of the United States shall make public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed, as alien enemies. And the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby authorized, in any event, as aforesaid, by his proclamation thereof, or other public act, to direct the conduct to be observed, on the part of the United States, towards the aliens who shall become liable, as aforesaid; the manner and degree of the restraint to which they shall be subject, and in what cases, and upon what security their residence shall be permitted, and to provide for the removal of those, who, not being permitted to reside within the United States, shall refuse or neglect to depart therefrom; and to establish any other regulations which shall be found necessary in the premises and for the public safety: Provided, that aliens resident within the United States, who shall become liable as enemies, in the manner aforesaid, and who shall not be chargeable with actual hostility, or other crime against the public safety, shall be allowed, for the recovery, disposal, and removal of their goods and effects, and for their departure, the full time which is, or shall be stipulated by any treaty, where any shall have been between the United States, and the hostile nation or government, of which they shall be natives, citizens, denizens or subjects: and where no such treaty shall have existed, the President of the United States may ascertain and declare such reasonable time as may be consistent with the public safety, and according to the dictates of humanity and national hospitality.

And this:
The debate over the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 revealed bitter controversies on a number of issues that had been developing since the penning of the Constitution. The writers of the document knew that over time the needs of the nation and its people would change, and therefore provided for its amendment. But by not expressly delegating powers to specific organizations, whether the federal government, state governments, or the people themselves, they inadvertently created a major problem in the years to follow. The two parties, Federalists and Republicans interpreted the Constitution in terms of how this interpretation would fit their very different interests. The result of these differences were the Alien and Sedition Acts, followed closely by the secretly formed Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions.

Passed in early 1798, the Acts laid down a number of harsh restrictions on foreigners. They were enacted by a Congress dominated by the Federalist Party and signed by President John Adams during a crisis with France. Though the acts were allegedly in response to the hostile actions of the French Revolutionary government on the seas and in the councils of diplomacy, they were designed to destroy Thomas Jefferson's Republican party, which had openly expressed its sympathies for the French Revolutionaries.

<snip>

The contents of the Alien Act were either ignored or welcomed by most Americans. It was accepted that people from foreign countries were enemies of the nation and, as their leaders had taught them, impressed upon then undemocratic principles. There was also a sense of isolation. most Americans had difficulty believing themselves to be even a part of the United States; most never left the states in which they lived and considered themselves more Virginians or Alabamians than Americans. As for the Sedition Act, it was targeted at "strangers", those who were not Americans and therefore the law was unimportant. (Doc C)


http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=23285

that's why i put the "or later" down in the post. And Sedition is different than Revolution.

I had a sociology intructor back East named Frank Pitzeferri. This stuff sounds like something he would say.

Who will speak?
By Frank Pitz
Online Journal Contributing Writer
Feb 21, 2006, 15:48

Who will speak for the generations to come? Who shall act for those yet to be born? All I hear is silence. All I see is nothingness. No, let me rephrase that, I do see something; I do hear something.

What I hear are the rantings of a maniacal egotist, mouthing the regurgitated words of his Nazi masters. What I see are the jackboots of repression marching swiftly over the land, led by corporate fascists with a sword in one hand and the power of the press in the other.

Will they speak or act for the future generations? How can they when they care not one damn bit for the future? For the fascist, there is no future -- only the present. For the totalitarian, there is no future, there is only now, fueled by the aphrodisiac of unrestrained power.

The oppressor-to-be always speaks to the future (in terms of establishing thousand year Reichs), but the dictator never sees beyond the here, and now. If the corporate fascist does give thought to the future it is solely in the short term, i.e., ensuring there are enough young men and women to serve as cannon fodder for the endless war machine.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_523.shtml

I Just watched this video on YouTube: Aired on PBS in 1987, Bill Moyers' Documentary gives quite an overview of the last 50 years in The Secret Government; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sstDwKTCpM The full video "The Secret Government" is 90 minutes and available at Google video. Thank god we have Obermann and Cafferty!Bush Pardons himself! Who is is really Protecting?...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8mYwHLO2L8&mode=related&search=

We are in a bit of a catch twenty two here. The more this 'scary' stuff is repeated the farther to the 'religious' right our population moves. What we need is to actively help these insecure people feel strong, give them a crutch in the here and now so they can join us in defending this country of ours! My suggestion is to get the National Guard home, prepare local communities for disaster and get on with life! If we need the services fine, if not we can worry about getting our government back to the basic constitutional grounds that it was founded on. Until we give the sheeple something to grab on to the masses are going to run away from reality and into the churches! I have seen this in my own family and they are educated people who for some reason can not see these things that we are talking about. The Fear has control of them. Peace on earth. Kim

folks out here in "la-la land" are wasting our time with elections,why post on a board dedicated to electing Democratic representatives? Has Bush canceled the elections?I don't like latte.