| RavenBlog |
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| Comments on Tuesday 17 September 2002: |
| Spooky. An article I linked to on the eighth, about legal rights in America disappearing, has disappeared. No trace. An internal search of the site brings up no reference to it (though searching for 'legal rights' does, amusingly, bring up "Obituaries: 1 results found on 'legal rights'"). There is, however, a cache of the article, for now.
[08:07] |
| mvo |
| Joseph McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover would have felt at home these days |
| Omni |
| Most of the "rights" listed there were rights that were assumed not granted. While it is regretful that these privilages are no longer quite so availble as they once were compared with some past times within this country what has been given up is not really unexpected or extreme and as in the past as the crisis passes you can expect things to return to normal. Also as a note most of the countries which the government is curently targeting are not really rights granting open societies why should we not use force to set up puppet goverments to establish liberties there? |
| Tom |
| Omni: "Most of the "rights" listed there were rights that were assumed not granted." Which ones? Omni: "as the crisis passes you can expect things to return to normal." Except that this is not a crisis that can ever pass while you maintain a war against terrorism. There is always another target. In the end I believe Mr Bush intends to invade Belfast. Omni: "why should we not use force to set up puppet goverments to establish liberties there?" Because then the people displaced from power by you get upset at you mucking about with their sovereignty and fly planes into your buildings. I know it's difficult to understand. |
| neowulf |
| 'what has been given up is not really unexpected or extreme'? I hardly think you realize what exactly is going on then. This isnt an issue of (as claimed) our right granting socially open government protecting us. Consistently in the past the ruling minority has used patriotism and nationalism to strengthen their holdings within the country and to mute the voices of those who demand change. Now, not only are the polits using war as a way to deflect class derived rebellion, but they are suggesting we should disregard our freedoms and obey unquestioningly. at this point the informed would think of numerous other historical examples of what happens to a society once the masses subject themselves to the absolute wishes of the overlord. Think communist china, think southern africa after the british invaded, think tibet, think of the genocide in east timor, think even of the native americans who consented to the rule of this government and were consequently herded together and destroyed. Heck, nazi germany comes to mind. I dont have the exact quote but Benjamin Franklin said roughly, "those who are willing to sacrifice a little freedom for a little security, deserve nothing and get neither". We are catapulting towards a Orwellian Negative Utopia and sadly we do nothing to stop it. The government now has every necessary tool to overide petition and rebellion. Not only can they now arrest someone for exibiting dissent, they can effectively make them dissapear. And we've made it perfectly legal. Powell said anyone who would question these new measures is a terrorist. What he means is anyone who is not satisfied with the shite hole standards of living 60% of the people bear has to just shut up and deal with it. At some point within the next 30 years we will face a decision: shall we sell our souls completely or open up our eyes and demand a new system of government. 'workers of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains, and everything in the world to gain'. -marx Here's an additional little conspiricist thought: There is a major untapped oil on the other side of Afganistan. For years America, through the UN, has been trying to encourage Afganistan to lay oil lines throughout their country, so the oil could be tapped into. After we bombed the hell out of the country we established one of those lovely puppet goverments (we want new leaders, and freedoms for the people of this underdeveloped country. Of course we will decide who runs what, for now, because we obviously know best). One of the first official commands issued by the new ruling class in afganistan regarded the oil project. Suddenly laying the pipes was important. Even though villages lay in ruin and thousands were terrified, 'they' (we, essentially) opted to make running oil pipes the number one priority. Interesting? and, incidentally, the Bush family AND vp Cheney (sp?) are large (huge percentiles) share holders in the three major oil distributors in the country/world. And yes, Iraq is the largest untapped oil reserve in the known world. Interesting that we are targeting it for a strike next. A regime change? Profit? Im probably just foolish and paranoid, though. Of course everything is fine. And our rights will return. Just as soon as this crisis passes. |
| Tom |
| I've just remembered that there was a Desert Storm based board game available in early January 1991 - I'm sure I remember it being on sale a day or so before war was officially declared. Now we have Conflict: Desert Storm the computer game just released. It's all a conspiracy involving game manufacturers of all kinds. Every time you bastards want to sell a really bad new game you invade Iraq. And why weren't the last three lines of neowulf's comment a haiku? So very close that I broke my tongue in an attempt to get them to fit the rhyming scheme. |
| neowulf |
| a revision then: everything's fine soon after crisis flees again our rights return |
| neowulf |
| er.. well sort of a revision. although a deviation from traditional haiku format. Here's the final draft: everything's fine (5) after crisis runs away (7) soon our rights return (5) |
| RavenBlack |
| Bit unusual for 'everything' to be pronounced with four syllables - it's more often "ev'ree'thing" isn't it? Though of course, if you feel like pronouncing it that way you can just separate the "is" out. Everything is fine; Soon after crisis flees, Then our rights return. |
| neowulf |
| hrrm. i do see your point. perhaps a modification of my haiku attempt is in order. Thank you, wise RavenBlack. Thou art most sagelike in all thine ways. |
| neowulf |
| no reservation; a river runs forever, night yields to new dawn. |