Martial law in D.C.

[REDWAVE]

Can there be any doubt the all-out onslaught on Iraq will begin soon, perhaps as early as Feb. 15? And by mid-March, it will be getting too hot in that neck of the woods, and too late to start the attack. Bush doesn't want to have to wait 'til next year. The constant drumbeat of war propaganda, which has been going on for months already, is now going into high gear. Today, Bush rallied the troops (about the only Americans he can appear before in public without being roundly booed), and Rummy, in his usual inimitable style, threatened the Iraqis with "nukular" weapons.

But war abroad always also means repression at home. The ridiculous color-coded "terror alert" system has been ratcheted up to orange, high. This does little or nothing to help protect the American people, but it does a great job of inducing fear and panic in them, and putting them in a frame of mind where they're willing to blindly support whatever the government does, in the name of making us "safe." Duct tape sales are going through the roof. I'm sure the manufacturers are grateful. See, Bush is trying to create jobs, after all!


The nation's capital, Washington, D.C., which is 70% African-American, has been placed under de facto martial law. Troops are everywhere, helicopters buzz overhead. An anti-war march was banned in NYC. The long-feared police state clampdown is already beginning, and will no doubt go into full effect everywhere once the all-out war begins.

For armed self-defense against police state terror!

 

[Lancecastor]

Lawmakers, soldiers seek injunction against Bush


(Boston-AP) -- A group of lawmakers, soldiers and parents has gone to court to stop President Bush from declaring war on Iraq.

They've filed a lawsuit in Boston seeking an injunction against Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Their attorney says the group has a message for President Bush -- "Read the Constitution."

One of the plaintiffs, Congressman John Conyers of Michigan, says the Constitution gives only Congress the power to declare war.

He and the other plaintiffs say a resolution passed by Congress in October did not specifically declare war. They also say it unlawfully gave the power to Bush.

Congress has not formally declared a war since World War Two.

A judge struck down a similar lawsuit against Bush's father before the Gulf War. But this group's lawyer says this case is different because soldiers have joined the lawsuit.

 

[REDWAVE]

Yeah, yeah, Lance-- I just know you sneaky Canadians are just biding your time, waiting for the right moment to attack us and take over . . .

First Freya will meserize us with her tits, then you'll slip the collar on us . . .

 

[Lancecastor]

 

[REDWAVE]

"War on terror" = war on workers

Bush has told entire industries to closely watch "rogue employees" who might be "terrorists," thus giving a green light to increased bullying and repression of workers by employers . . .

 

[Ishmael]

The nation's capital, Washington, D.C., which is 70% African-American, has been placed under de facto martial law. Troops are everywhere, helicopters buzz overhead. An anti-war march was banned in NYC. The long-feared police state clampdown is already beginning, and will no doubt go into full effect everywhere once the all-out war begins.

For armed self-defense against police state terror!

This may come as a shock to you RED, but Washington DC is a Federal District. The civilian government there is a token government created by the sufferance of congress, who has the ultimate authority for the District's budgets and laws.

The racial composition of the District has nothing to do with the matter and is just your usual bullshit trying to make something that is irrelevant, into something that is relevant.

<shrug>

Ishmael

 

[REDWAVE]

Evening, Ish

And a fine good evening to you, Ishmael. I am very aware of the special legal status of the District of Columbia. It's in the Constitution, even. Just a coincidence that an area which is 70% black is disenfranchised, and has no representation in Congress, eh? Just as it's no doubt just a coincidence that small, rural, conservative, predominently white states are overrepresented in the U.S. Senate! Uh huh, uh huh.


Yes, totally irrelevant-- unless you're one of those who are disenfranchised and oppressed. Then it's enormously, overwhelmingly relevant.

And how about that banned peace march in Manhattan? No First Amendment problem there, right?

 

[cg_allstar]

 

[Ishmael]

Re: Evening, Ish

And a fine good evening to you, Ishmael. I am very aware of the special legal status of the District of Columbia. It's in the Constitution, even. Just a coincidence that an area which is 70% black is disenfranchised, and has no representation in Congress, eh? Just as it's no doubt just a coincidence that small, rural, conservative, predominently white states are overrepresented in the U.S. Senate! Uh huh, uh huh.


Yes, totally irrelevant-- unless you're one of those who are disenfranchised and oppressed. Then it's enormously, overwhelmingly relevant.

And how about that banned peace march in Manhattan? No First Amendment problem there, right?

Get a clue RED. It was disenfranchised when it was 99.9% white. Turning it into a racial thing is bullshit. Utter bullshit.

And if you want to change it, start a drive for a constitutional ammendment. Good luck.

Ishmael

 

[HeavyStick]

Now I remember why I stopped coming into your senseless rants.

You speak of the Constitution then disregard how it was established and the checks and balances it has in place. You cut the Constitution up worse than anyone else would.

Here you go Ish.

 

[Lancecastor]

I have a couple of CREEP authentic Nixon Agnew and Nixon Now buttons from the '72 campaign....since we're heading into a Nixon-esque period again, I guess I should dig them out. I'll bet they'll be worth lots soon!

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

Re: "War on terror" = war on workers

Bush has told entire industries to closely watch "rogue employees" who might be "terrorists," thus giving a green light to increased bullying and repression of workers by employers . . .

Good thing you're not a worker, eh?

 

[badasschick]

Now I remember why I stopped coming into your senseless rants.

You speak of the Constitution then disregard how it was established and the checks and balances it has in place. You cut the Constitution up worse than anyone else would.

Here you go Ish.

Remember, this is the same constitution which counted me and others like me as 3/5 of a person at one time.

 

[REDWAVE]

RCA

Oh, yeah, I'm really lucky. I'm one of the involuntarily unemployed, fired from my last job because of my political activism, and now unable to find work because of the dismal state of the economy and being blacklisted by employers.

 

[HeavyStick]

Remember, this is the same constitution which counted me and others like me as 3/5 of a person at one time.

True, and that is a very ugly time of our history. Some people forget or don't know it was Europeans and Africans who were responsible for a great of the Slave Trade. But it was the Constitution that righted the wrong of Colonial times. I'm 1/2 American Indian. We started with 5 million of us when Columbus landed (est.), it was until the 20th century we broke 1 million.

 

[HeavyStick]

Re: RCA

Oh, yeah, I'm really lucky. I'm one of the involuntarily unemployed, fired from my last job because of my political activism, and now unable to find work because of the dismal state of the economy and being blacklisted by employers.

You're a lawyer, or were. Did you break you bar card? It's always someone else's fault huh Red?

 

[badasschick]

True, and that is a very ugly time of our history. Some people forget or don't know it was Europeans and Africans who were responsible for a great of the Slave Trade. But it was the Constitution that righted the wrong of Colonial times. I'm 1/2 American Indian. We started with 5 million of us when Columbus landed (est.), it was until the 20th century we broke 1 million.

But alas, the constitution's inception didn't right anything at the time....3/5 mind you was to bolster the South's population in order to have more representatives in congress. Even though the voters they represented were proportionately less. If we really want to get all the way down to it. It wasn't until the last century that the situation was rectified.

so I have every right to be pissed at the faults of the constitution, because when it was drawn up....I was a non factor.

 

[sheath]

Re: RCA

Oh, yeah, I'm really lucky. I'm one of the involuntarily unemployed, fired from my last job because of my political activism, and now unable to find work because of the dismal state of the economy and being blacklisted by employers.

Damn. Textbook paranoia at its finest.

Do you simply sit around and make noise on bulletin boards, or do you actually get out and DO something about the issues on which you preach?

Just curious...

S.

 

[HeavyStick]

so I have every right to be pissed at the faults of the constitution, because when it was drawn up....I was a non factor.

I'm not saying you don't. I was pointing out how Red uses the Constitution in a very lopsided manner. One moment he's wrapping himself in it, other times he's using it as kindling.

I'm not going to pretend I know how African American's feel for having been victimized, they sure as hell weren't the only ones.

 

[REDWAVE]

As a matter of fact . . .

Yes, sheath, I'm very active. In fact, this coming Saturday, Feb. 15, I'll be at the Bellagio at noon for an anti-war rally.

And I'm bringing my bullhorn with me.

 

[badasschick]

Re: As a matter of fact . . .

Yes, sheath, I'm very active. In fact, this coming Saturday, Feb. 15, I'll be at the Bellagio at noon for an anti-war rally.

And I'm bringing my bullhorn with me.

So that was You?????

 

[modest mouse]

so I have every right to be pissed at the faults of the constitution, because when it was drawn up....I was a non factor.

Actually, no. The right you have to be critical of the Constitution comes from beign a voting citizen. It doesnt matter if you are black or not. Thats a lame cop out.

 

[Oliver Clozoff]

Nice Ookla, MM.

 

[Oliver Clozoff]

Actually, no. The right you have to be critical of the Constitution comes from beign a voting citizen. It doesnt matter if you are black or not. Thats a lame cop out.

So blacks had no right to criticize the Constitution before they were given the right to vote?

Same go for women too?

 

[Ishmael]

But alas, the constitution's inception didn't right anything at the time....3/5 mind you was to bolster the South's population in order to have more representatives in congress. Even though the voters they represented were proportionately less. If we really want to get all the way down to it. It wasn't until the last century that the situation was rectified.

so I have every right to be pissed at the faults of the constitution, because when it was drawn up....I was a non factor.

You are absolutely wrong. The rationale behind the 3/5's apportionment is thoroughly discussed in "The Federalist Paper's". Number 54 to be precise. It was done in that manner because of the northern states fears, well founded, that the slaves would be counted by the southern states for the purposes of apportionment of Congress, but be denied the right to vote or excersize other citizenship rights. The 3/5's rule was a compromise.

The paper referenced also does a fair job of characterizing the northern states view of slavery as well.

It may do well to remind yourself that without that compromise the Union may have never been formed. The various parties understood that the issue of slavery would not go away. But agreed to the 3/5's compromise inorder to move forward with the constitution.

Ishmael