Old Timer Chronicle
What's Going On
Above The Mogollon Rim?
by Davy Crockett Reincarnated ~ editor
(September 2008)
The extraterrestrial midget patrol escorted me into Merlo 7's flying saucer, which was humming a spacey tune about half a mile above the Mogollon Rim, which we all know is in Arizona.
Having just hurled a speech & unfurled a banner as my patriotic contribution to the Obama campaign, I now jauntily strode into the spacecraft's cockpit, filled-up with myself and feeling like a million-dollar souvineer in the pocket of God.
"Dog gone it, Davy," boomed Merlo 7, his long silver extraterrestrial hair crackling thru the air above his swirling swivel chair. "You're not reaching enough people with our message."
"I I I'm not?" stuttered me, Davy Crockett Reincarnated, the eternal frontiersman and editor of the mysterious Old Timer Chronicle.
"No, you're not." said Merlo. "I'm afraid that getting thru to one troupe of belly dancers and a few homeless folks aren't going to make a big enough difference to win this campaign ~ especially in Arizona. Obama is the peace candidate. That means peace on earth is more likely with him than with the Republican contender. McCain is most likely to start World War III and then lose it. Also, Obama is the people's candidate. His opponent, although not altogether a bad man, is a Republican, and that means he only represents the rich. And the rich have stolen the store & emptied the parking meters, so to speak, in the United States of America for the past 8 years."
"That's blankety blank blank right!" agreed I. I'm sure my eyes were blazing. "We gotta tax them rich buggers to the eyeballs 'til they all move to Burma. Then we can become an agrarian society again, plant black-eyed peas & ride donkeys!"
"I wouldn't go quite that far, Davy," chastined Merlo, his extraterrastrial eyes penetrating my mind like it was a meat loaf. "For the sake of grace & good intentions, though, the rich in your country could stand a little humbling. And uplifting the poor is nothing to fear. This message has to be introduced to the American populace. Obama is our man, Davy. Obama!"
"Yes, yes," replied I. "I know that. For goodness sakes, I've been campaigning for him!"
"Well, Colonel Crockett, you're going to have to campaign harder. Everybody is going to have to campaign harder. This hydro-carbon society of yours is a hard nut to crack, indeedy!"
###
CONVENTION COMPARISON
by Pat Canady ~ Arizonans for Obama
Sep 4th, 2008
As a Delegate to the 2008 Democratic Convention, I could not help but compare the Republican National Convention and their speeches to my experiences in Denver last week. I came home from the Democrat Convention with hopes of uniting our country.
As attendees, people felt encouraged to work with each other at home, in our county and with other nations to rid the world of terrorist. The goal is to establish operational relationships. There is urgency to establish a strong economy, education and health care for all. Everywhere I met people who were anxious to bring our country back together and to rebuild in a responsible manner. People were friendly, caring, and interconnected towards our goals.
Both Senator Biden and Senator Obama's speeches were extremely motivating and informative. Senator Obama laid before us his course of action in his exceptional speech. Both Senators Joe Biden and Barack Obama expect us (the people) to be and do more then ever before to accomplish these objectives. We truly felt the calling.
Last night, as I listened to Governor Palin, I couldn't help feel the continued focus of divisiveness. The nick-name Sarah Barracuda seemingly fit throughout her speech. Governor Palin was either praising John McCain or attacking Senators Biden, Obama and Michelle Obama. She truly stirred up the Republican base with her eagerness to continue the war and treat the rest of us, not in agreement, as the enemy. She appeared as the huntress going after the kill and with glee. She did her job for the Republicans and they seemed to enjoy every moment.
However, I came away feeling extremely apprehensive that so many people in our country don't get it. The fact that someone with such venom and lack of national experience could be considered for Vice President (and shudder possibly President) of our great nation scares me. And yet, George Bush was elected twice after having so many failed policies. I pray folks wake up to what has happened to us and what extremist policies will do to our freedom and rights. Women should especially be concerned.
I encourage those of us who want authentic and intelligent changes in policies to get out and work hard immediately. Canvass, talk to neighbors, or make phone calls. Remind people which candidates want to unite us to redeem our county on a global scale. Remind them who believes in human rights and cares deeply about us and the condition of our country. The United States of America is at a crossroads and this election is extremely critical. Please do all you can to help elect Obama/Biden in the November 4th elections. Your vote is critical for us all.
As attendees, people felt encouraged to work with each other at home, in our county and with other nations to rid the world of terrorist. The goal is to establish operational relationships. There is urgency to establish a strong economy, education and health care for all. Everywhere I met people who were anxious to bring our country back together and to rebuild in a responsible manner. People were friendly, caring, and interconnected towards our goals.
Both Senator Biden and Senator Obama's speeches were extremely motivating and informative. Senator Obama laid before us his course of action in his exceptional speech. Both Senators Joe Biden and Barack Obama expect us (the people) to be and do more then ever before to accomplish these objectives. We truly felt the calling.
Last night, as I listened to Governor Palin, I couldn't help feel the continued focus of divisiveness. The nick-name Sarah Barracuda seemingly fit throughout her speech. Governor Palin was either praising John McCain or attacking Senators Biden, Obama and Michelle Obama. She truly stirred up the Republican base with her eagerness to continue the war and treat the rest of us, not in agreement, as the enemy. She appeared as the huntress going after the kill and with glee. She did her job for the Republicans and they seemed to enjoy every moment.
However, I came away feeling extremely apprehensive that so many people in our country don't get it. The fact that someone with such venom and lack of national experience could be considered for Vice President (and shudder possibly President) of our great nation scares me. And yet, George Bush was elected twice after having so many failed policies. I pray folks wake up to what has happened to us and what extremist policies will do to our freedom and rights. Women should especially be concerned.
I encourage those of us who want authentic and intelligent changes in policies to get out and work hard immediately. Canvass, talk to neighbors, or make phone calls. Remind people which candidates want to unite us to redeem our county on a global scale. Remind them who believes in human rights and cares deeply about us and the condition of our country. The United States of America is at a crossroads and this election is extremely critical. Please do all you can to help elect Obama/Biden in the November 4th elections. Your vote is critical for us all.
~~~
The 1776 American Revolution
Will Never Die
(originally entitled: "Preemptive Strikes Against Protest at RNC")
by Marjorie Cohn
Common Dreams.org
Sept. 2, 2008
In the months leading up to the Republican National Convention, the FBI-led Minneapolis Joint Terrorist Task Force actively recruited people to infiltrate vegan groups and other leftist organizations and report back about their activities. On May 21, the Minneapolis City Pages ran a recruiting story called "Moles Wanted." Law enforcement sought to preempt lawful protest against the policies of the Bush administration during the convention.
Since Friday, local police and sheriffs, working with the FBI, conducted preemptive searches, seizures and arrests. Glenn Greenwald described the targeting of protestors by "teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets." Journalists were detained at gunpoint and lawyers representing detainees were handcuffed at the scene.
"I was personally present and saw officers with riot gear and assault rifles, pump action shotguns," said Bruce Nestor, the President of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, who is representing several of the protestors. "The neighbor of one of the houses had a gun pointed in her face when she walked out on her back porch to see what was going on. There were children in all of these houses, and children were held at gunpoint."
The raids targeted members of "Food Not Bombs," an anti-war, anti-authoritarian protest group that provides free vegetarian meals every week in hundreds of cities all over the world. They served meals to rescue workers at the World Trade Center after 9/11 and to nearly 20 communities in the Gulf region following Hurricane Katrina.
Also targeted were members of I-Witness Video, a media watchdog group that monitors the police to protect civil liberties. The group worked with the National Lawyers Guild to gain the dismissal of charges or acquittals of about 400 of the 1,800 who were arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. Preemptive policing was used at that time as well. Police infiltrated protest groups in advance of the convention.
Nestor said that no violence or illegality has taken place to justify the arrests. "Seizing boxes of political literature shows the motive of these raids was political," he said.
Further evidence of the political nature of the police action was the boarding up of the Convergence Center, where protestors had gathered, for unspecified code violations. St. Paul City Council member David Thune said, "Normally we only board up buildings that are vacant and ramshackle." Thune and fellow City Council member Elizabeth Glidden decried "actions that appear excessive and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for those who wish to exercise their first amendment rights."
"So here we have a massive assault led by Federal Government law enforcement agencies on left-wing dissidents and protestors who have committed no acts of violence or illegality whatsoever, preceded by months-long espionage efforts to track what they do," Greenwald wrote on Salon.
Preventive detention violates the Fourth Amendment, which requires that warrants be supported by probable cause. Protestors were charged with "conspiracy to commit riot," a rarely-used statute that is so vague, it is probably unconstitutional. Nestor said it "basically criminalizes political advocacy."
On Sunday, the National Lawyers Guild and Communities United Against Police Brutality filed an emergency motion requesting an injunction to prevent police from seizing video equipment and cellular phones used to document their conduct.
During Monday's demonstration, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. At least 284 people were arrested, including Amy Goodman, the prominent host of Democracy Now!, as well as the show's producers, Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. "St. Paul was the most militarized I have ever seen an American city to be," Greenwald wrote, "with troops of federal, state and local law enforcement agents marching around with riot gear, machine guns, and tear gas cannisters, shouting military chants and marching in military formations."
Bruce Nestor said the timing of the arrests was intended to stop protest activity, "to make people fearful of the protests, but also to discourage people from protesting," he told Amy Goodman. Nevertheless, 10,000 people, many opposed to the Iraq war, turned out to demonstrate on Monday. A legal team from the National Lawyers Guild has been working diligently to protect the constitutional rights of protestors.
Since Friday, local police and sheriffs, working with the FBI, conducted preemptive searches, seizures and arrests. Glenn Greenwald described the targeting of protestors by "teams of 25-30 officers in riot gear, with semi-automatic weapons drawn, entering homes of those suspected of planning protests, handcuffing and forcing them to lay on the floor, while law enforcement officers searched the homes, seizing computers, journals, and political pamphlets." Journalists were detained at gunpoint and lawyers representing detainees were handcuffed at the scene.
"I was personally present and saw officers with riot gear and assault rifles, pump action shotguns," said Bruce Nestor, the President of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, who is representing several of the protestors. "The neighbor of one of the houses had a gun pointed in her face when she walked out on her back porch to see what was going on. There were children in all of these houses, and children were held at gunpoint."
The raids targeted members of "Food Not Bombs," an anti-war, anti-authoritarian protest group that provides free vegetarian meals every week in hundreds of cities all over the world. They served meals to rescue workers at the World Trade Center after 9/11 and to nearly 20 communities in the Gulf region following Hurricane Katrina.
Also targeted were members of I-Witness Video, a media watchdog group that monitors the police to protect civil liberties. The group worked with the National Lawyers Guild to gain the dismissal of charges or acquittals of about 400 of the 1,800 who were arrested during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York. Preemptive policing was used at that time as well. Police infiltrated protest groups in advance of the convention.
Nestor said that no violence or illegality has taken place to justify the arrests. "Seizing boxes of political literature shows the motive of these raids was political," he said.
Further evidence of the political nature of the police action was the boarding up of the Convergence Center, where protestors had gathered, for unspecified code violations. St. Paul City Council member David Thune said, "Normally we only board up buildings that are vacant and ramshackle." Thune and fellow City Council member Elizabeth Glidden decried "actions that appear excessive and create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation for those who wish to exercise their first amendment rights."
"So here we have a massive assault led by Federal Government law enforcement agencies on left-wing dissidents and protestors who have committed no acts of violence or illegality whatsoever, preceded by months-long espionage efforts to track what they do," Greenwald wrote on Salon.
Preventive detention violates the Fourth Amendment, which requires that warrants be supported by probable cause. Protestors were charged with "conspiracy to commit riot," a rarely-used statute that is so vague, it is probably unconstitutional. Nestor said it "basically criminalizes political advocacy."
On Sunday, the National Lawyers Guild and Communities United Against Police Brutality filed an emergency motion requesting an injunction to prevent police from seizing video equipment and cellular phones used to document their conduct.
During Monday's demonstration, law enforcement officers used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and excessive force. At least 284 people were arrested, including Amy Goodman, the prominent host of Democracy Now!, as well as the show's producers, Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. "St. Paul was the most militarized I have ever seen an American city to be," Greenwald wrote, "with troops of federal, state and local law enforcement agents marching around with riot gear, machine guns, and tear gas cannisters, shouting military chants and marching in military formations."
Bruce Nestor said the timing of the arrests was intended to stop protest activity, "to make people fearful of the protests, but also to discourage people from protesting," he told Amy Goodman. Nevertheless, 10,000 people, many opposed to the Iraq war, turned out to demonstrate on Monday. A legal team from the National Lawyers Guild has been working diligently to protect the constitutional rights of protestors.
###
Now, baby, now!
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
http://www.universe-people.com/english/default.htm