So much for freedom of speech: Activist Cindy Sheehan arrested at Capitol (Yahoo)
Schneider said Sheehan had worn a T-shirt with an anti-war slogan to the speech and covered it up until she took her seat. Police warned her that such displays were not allowed, but she did not respond, the spokeswoman said.Reading between the lines of Bush's State of the Union address:
"To change how we power our homes and offices, we will invest more in zero-emission, coal-fired plants;revolutionary1970s solar and wind technologies; andclean, safescary, dangerous nuclear energy."
"We will choose to actconfidentlyaggressively in pursuing the enemies offreedomAmerican global domination -- or retreat from our duties in the hope of an easier life," Bush said. "We will choose to build our prosperity byleadingcontrolling the world economy -- or shut ourselves off from trade and opportunity."
"The road to victory is the road that will take our troopshometo an early grave," Bush said. "As wemake progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the leadapproach the November elections, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but those decisions will be made by ourmilitary commanderspublic relations campaign managers, not bypoliticians in Washington, D.C.American citizens."
8 Comments:
I think that it's wonderful to "read between the lines" as you say, but a lot of men and women gave their lives over the years to allow you the freedom to write that. Should we allow extremists or hostile nations to take those freedoms away? No... I think it's fine to disagree but even better if you have a different solution to share and I didn't see a different solution suggested. It's ok to call someone a moron if you have a better idea.
OK, here's an idea: We treat other people, and other countries, with respect and humanity. We stop trying to shove our ideals, religion and economics down their collective throats. We stop dropping bombs on their children. We stop acting like it's OK for us to have enough nuclear bombs to destroy the whole world a few times over, but not for anyone else. We lead the world by setting an example of democracy, freedom, human rights, tolerance and decency. We help those in need. We act defensively instead of aggressively. We protect human life instead of take it. We tell the truth, and try to understand others' truths. When we're wrong, we say we're sorry. When we're right, we fight with hearts and minds, not guns and chemical weapons. We seek to make friends, not cultivate enemies. We ask, "Why?" We listen to the answers.
Shall I go on?
Why do you hate America?
oh wait, wrong hat...
Why do you love America enough to speak out?
Careful Patia, we are all "terrorists" now....
Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.
Truth and Mike: Well, I think I'm in good company.
Hmmm... looking back, maybe we should have just let Hitler continue on also? Same ideology. And my but don't those concentration camps look lovely? You see, we DO set an example of human rights and democracy. That's why so many unfortunate people die trying to come here whether by trying to swim the Rio Grande or by crossing the Caribbean in paltry hommade boats. Sadly, other parts of the world are not so lucky and it's up to us and some of our allies to protect those people from ridiculous terrorist governments with murderous leaders. Think Iraq BEFORE Saddam was ousted. Perhaps Cuba is your choice. Maybe North Korea or China. How about Mozambique? Would you like to board a bus in Israel and wonder if a Hamas suicide bomber might be with you?
It's interesting you mention Hitler's ideology, because the United States is increasingly looking like the early days of the Third Reich.
I have a really busy day and weekend ahead of me, so I'm going to let someone smarter than I am provide examples:
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Fourteen Defining Characteristics Of Fascism
Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes.
Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.
6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free _expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.
The above is a summary of the more detailed orignal article "Fascism Anyone?" first published in Spring 2003 edition of Free Inquiry
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With thanks to the Randi Rhoades Newsletter.
I read your comments on the State of the Union address and the comments that were posted regarding it. As a Canadian watching the insanity unfold, I have to agree that the US is not acting as a protector of human rights, but as destroyer of those rights it claims to protect. We don't have to look back to the concentration camps of WW2....we only have to look to Guantanamo Bay.
The US is a member of the United Nations. The United Nations is the center of International Law.
Mr. Bush took his nation into war without the sanction of the United Nations. That makes the war in Iraq illegal. That makes Mr. Bush a war criminal. You can say all you want to about terrorists and protecting freedom and the spread of democracy in the world, but it sounds like propaganda to me. Patia is right: The US is looking increasingly like the Third Reich. We just wonder when it will be our turn to have US troops invade our country under the guise of protecting us?
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