The RAnts of RA

by: Pat McLaughlin

I was recently asked why I felt that Bush should be impeached.

My objections cover a wide range of things, starting with major Constitutional violations and working on downward. American citizens are being held in violation of basic rights that are enshrined in the Constitution, without benefit of having had access to the courts, without even being given access to a lawyer and any sort of review of their cases. It doesn’t matter how bad, how malevolent, how truly criminal those individuals may be. Because unless we protect their rights, then none of us can be confident that any of our rights will be protected.

Yeah, yeah, you think–but these are bad guys….

That’s not the point. The point is that we can always find individuals who are so vile, reprehensible and demonic (or at least demonized…) that most of us are willing to accept the idea that they are where they belong. But ONLY by affirming and insisting on them being tried in the exacting and proper manner–with review, oversight and public accountability–can we be sure that they are actually guilty… and that we too are treated in that manner.

But… no. NO buts.

First they came for the Communists,
   and I didn’t speak up,
       because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
   and I didn’t speak up,
       because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
   and I didn’t speak up,
       because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
   and by that time there was no one
       left to speak up for me.

by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

The founders of the American Republic affirmed that we should never, ever trust in men. Trust in laws, and seek good men and women to apply them–but don’t trust in them. Corrupt people do get into power–or power corrupts them.

Allowing our leaders to adjust… modify, bend, fold, spindle and mutilate the law–and the Constitution–because they tell us that it will protect us if we allow it is a pact with the devil, a truly Faustian bargain.

Do not go there.

So, I’ll stake my ground out here–there are plenty of other fine reasons for impeachment. But I’ll set them aside. The illegal, extrajudicial incarceration of Jose Padilla alone is grounds for the impeachment of at
least John Ashcroft *and* George W. Bush. Padilla may well deserve to be in prison–but only after he has full and normal access to lawyers for his defense, and only after he is given the normal access to the courts that
any accused person is due and entitled to in the USA.

This administration has knowingly and willfully denied that–even in the face of media coverage and legal challenges. On that basis, I believe that allowing these people to remain in office represents a serious threat to
the freedom of every American and American family.

Yeah, yeah, I’m just one of “them.”

Are you aware that months after this administration became aware of the abuses going on at multiple prisons in Iraq, and Afghanistan (at least), they had the gall and the audacity to stand up in front of the Supreme
Court and claim that they would absolutely support and protect — and apply — the rights and quality of treatment guaranteed under the Geneva Convention… and that since secrecy is needed at war, the Court would just have to trust the administration in this matter? A blunt, bald-faced lie, offered to the Supreme Court.

Trust us. We’re on your side.

Shhhh.

And when they come for you?

Today I read an article on InsightMag.com that, quite frankly, gave me the chills.

Things have gone rapidly down-hill since the horrific events of September 11th, 2001. The horror is that the ‘terrorists’ could have the audacity to kill thousands of people, and jubilantly cheer at their demise. This has not been questioned.

However, the real tragedy in the WTC and Pentagon attacks is that the US Federal Government and individual States have immediately and collectively undermined the will of our great nation, in the name of ‘security‘.

States have started issuing mandates requiring vaccinations against any ‘contagious diseases‘. Since all diseases that can be vaccinated against are contagious by definition – why bother vaccinating against something that isn’t contagious? The wholesale effect of this is that it would immediately force foreign substances into the veins of every American and/or effectively create state-run concentration camps for the purpose of isolating them in the name of ‘quarantining‘ the uninfected from the general populace, under the assertion that *they* are the source of risk. These immunizations & quarantines will be government controlled, and unpetitionable; those people that are not infected and refuse immunizations will be taken from their homes and placed in government-controlled concentration camps without due process and would not even be allowed to petition their government for redress of grievances.

The above situation disappoints me greatly. But it is dwarfed by what the federal government has done. Would you approve a ‘pay rate change’ from your employer without seeing what the change would include? You expect it to be an increase, of course – any employer that had the audacity to do otherwise is insane, right? So you have every reason to trust them, don’t you? I didn’t think so. Would you still be reluctant if your employer said that it was a very reasonable change, and that it was for your own safety that you did not see the actual new value until after you signed a contract setting this sealed ‘rate’ in motion? Of course you’d be reluctant. Would you trust your federal representatives to vote for legislation that they were not allowed to read? After all – any legislation that the author says is ‘good for you’ must be, right?

If you’re not outraged at the very thought of this, perhaps you’ll be more outraged after hearing what the actual bill contained… including provisions to enable ‘representatives’ of any unnamed level of government to break into your home, property or business without a warrant – nor even reasonable assertion of what they hope to find, and without telling you – before or after. And they can tap your telephone, email, internet connection, any other digital or analog device on suspicion of ‘terrorist’ related activities, while maintaining the broadest possible definition of terrorism, even broader than the dictionary.

With the sweep of his pen, Bush has completely obliterated the 4th Amendment and Due Process. The entire intent of the Founders has been rendered asunder before Bush has fulfilled his first year in office. I’m ashamed that I supported him.

It’s time to make amends. There is no easy means of undoing what I’ve done, but there are steps I can take; as can you. It won’t be long before the government exploits these new ‘powers’ to their ultimate end – a complete and total compromise of your every Right.

• Prepare for the worst. I truly believe it is time for a new revolution. I don’t see any other way to reverse these dire actions which are already in motion.
• Get a gun. No… get several. Don’t forget ammunition.
• Keep your eyes peeled for injustice – speak out when you see it. If they know someone is watching it will make it more difficult to blatantly invade your rights.
• Get a partner. Don’t go anywhere alone anymore. A single victim is much easier to overwhelm than a pair. The presence of a second person also increases the chances that if something does occur others will find out about it.
• Don’t rely solely on digital communication. Since the WTC and Pentagon attacks, Carnivore has been beefed up enormously. Assume that every byte from every email and webpage you ever visit has been, and will continue to be, tracked by the government. If you need anonymity for your actions on the Internet consider using a public terminal that does not log your presence – like a college computer room, library, large computer vendor or internet cafe. If anonymity is very important create a new contact profile on a public forum like Yahoo, Hotmail or Mail.com – and use a public forum so _direct_ contact with your partner is not necessary. Consider posting to completely different forums and providers when further communication is necessary.
• Don’t trust the postal service. The USPS has recently implemented ‘anti-terrorism’ policies in the interest of ‘public safety’. To that end they have failed to actually tell the public their new policy. I imagine this is to prevent potential terrorists from circumventing the new procedures in the distribution of bio-chemical agents via postal mail. Though I respect their proposed intent, the means by which they are [arguably] accomplishing it are no better than the alternative: neither of which work, and there is now no reason to trust that the USPS is not abusing their position to exploit completely unrelated material as a pawn of the government. Privatization of USPS? Yeah, right.

I haven’t really been in a mood lately to provide much more than partial aid to anyone in distress. For that I apologize. It is my hope that the future will once again be as optimistic as it usually is… I just don’t see it anytime soon.

Regards,

Shawn K. Hall

It’s truly amazing how quickly he forgot what he was there to defend.