For today: Enlightenment by Carol Wolman

Enlightenment by Carol Wolman

 

Enlightenment is painful.  When we see the truth, we see through the hypocrisy of the pious rulers, we see the horrible crimes that are being committed and the dangers that are mounting up.  We see the blindness of the Christians who support Bush, and marvel at it. 

 

We could sink into despair, easily.  But I am amazed at the spirit of resistance that is bubbling in all the usual places. 

 

Evidently Bush's priority right now is quelling the rebellion in Iraq, and he feels secure enough at home to ignore the boiling rage of so many voters, as the evidence of a rigged election keeps mounting.  The major media are keeping the lid on, the New York Times and the Washington Post having run editorials assuring us that Bush won fair and square. 

 

But Nader is demanding a recount in New Hampshire, and the Green and Libertarian candidates are doing the same in Ohio.  Kerry's lawyers are busily and quietly examining the voting procedures, but whether to gather material for a challenge or to pacify us, no one is sure. 

 

Meanwhile, Bush is in charge.  We all know that the Patriot Act is in effect, and our emails may be read at any time without our knowledge.  How quickly our liberties will be eroded from now on is anyone's guess, but the restraint of another election is gone. 

 

Some Marine tanklike things "got lost" and wandered into a peace protest on Veterans' Day, reminding us that posse comitatus, which forbids the military from getting involved in domestic police actions, can easily be suspended. 

 

I'm thankful that Bush stole the election by rigging machines rather than by a terrorist attack.  So far, so good.  And we still have some freedom, although TIPS, tanks, and other horrors are lurking in the background.  If anyone could be worse than Ashcroft, it's Gonzales.  Are we in for Abu Ghraib at home?

 

Enlightenment is not necessarily fun.  But we must keep our spirits up.  It helps to have faith in a loving and just God, despite all the effort to portray Him as vengeful and sadistic.  I believe that sanity and goodness will prevail, somehow, before it is too late.

 

If we are blind, if we shut our eyes to the gravity of our situation, we will not survive.  If we shut out God, if we lose faith in His love for us and His desire that we choose life, we will despair and give up, and we will not survive.

 

Jesus told the blind man, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed Him, giving glory to God.

Luke 18: 42-43

http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/111504.htm

 

In the name of the Prince of Peace,   Carol Wolman

Fw: US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Jim Kirwan

To: GRAHAM JUKES

Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 1:42 PM

Subject: Fw: US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Lajocanda@aol.com

 

Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2004 1:05 AM

Subject: US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies

This is repulsive and positively demented, people.  They're trying to recreate Nazi Germany all over again, with all its attendant horrors.  RESIST the beast! 

US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies - Forums powered by Reason and Principle
http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news_government&Number=293099806#Post293099806

US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies [ Post 293099806 ]

   Category: News & Opinion (General)  Topic: Government
   Synopsis:
   Source: www.smh.com.au
   Published: July 15, 2002  Author: By Ritt Goldstein
   For Education and Discussion Only.  Not for Commercial Use.


US planning To Recruit One In 24 Americans As Citizen Spies

By Ritt Goldstein
July 15 2002

The Bush Administration aims to recruit millions of United States citizens as domestic informants in a program likely to alarm civil liberties groups.

The Terrorism Information and Prevention System, or TIPS, means the US will have a higher percentage of citizen informants than the former East Germany through the infamous Stasi secret police. The program would use a minimum of 4 per cent of Americans to report "suspicious activity".

Civil liberties groups have already warned that, with the passage earlier this year of the Patriot Act, there is potential for abusive, large-scale investigations of US citizens.

As with the Patriot Act, TIPS is being pursued as part of the so-called war against terrorism. It is a Department of Justice project.

Highlighting the scope of the surveillance network, TIPS volunteers are being recruited primarily from among those whose work provides access to homes, businesses or transport systems. Letter carriers, utility employees, truck drivers and train conductors are among those named as targeted recruits.

A pilot program, described on the government Web site www.citizencorps.gov, is scheduled to start next month in 10 cities, with 1 million informants participating in the first stage. Assuming the program is initiated in the 10 largest US cities, that will be 1 million informants for a total population of almost 24 million, or one in 24 people.

Historically, informant systems have been the tools of non-democratic states. According to a 1992 report by Harvard University's Project on Justice, the accuracy of informant reports is problematic, with some informants having embellished the truth, and others suspected of having fabricated their reports.

Present Justice Department procedures mean that informant reports will enter databases for future reference and/or action. The information will then be broadly available within the department, related agencies and local police forces. The targeted individual will remain unaware of the existence of the report and of its contents.

The Patriot Act already provides for a person's home to be searched without that person being informed that a search was ever performed, or of any surveillance devices that were implanted.

At state and local levels the TIPS program will be co-ordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which

was given sweeping new powers, including internment, as part of the Reagan Administration's national security initiatives. Many key figures of the Reagan era are part of the Bush Administration.

The creation of a US "shadow government", operating in secret, was another Reagan national security initiative.

Subject: Re: Media Lockdown-Actions you can take

      Subject: Re: Media Lockdown-Actions you can take

      HT forwarded:

      From: WheresthePaper.org
      Posting of Nov 11,'04
      Link: http://www.wheresthepaper.org/mediaLockdown.htm


      Letter from a friend:

      On Friday I received a phone call from a good friend who works at CBS - I've known her for years and she is a Producer for some of the news programs, one well known one in particular. She tipped me off that the news media is in a "lock-down" and that there is to be no TV coverage of the real problems with voting on Nov. 2nd. She said similar "lock-down orders" had come down last year after the invasion of Iraq, but this is far worse - far scarier.

      She said the majority of their journalists at CBS and elsewhere in NYC are pretty horrified - every one is worried about their jobs and retribution Dan Rather style or worse. My source said they've also been forbidden to talk about it even on their own time but she was pissed and her journalistic and moral integrity as what she considers to be a government watchdog requires her to speak out, even if covertly, and she therefore asked me to "spread" the word...She said that journalism and the truth are at stake. She said another friend of hers, a producer at MSNBC, said that an anchor by the name of Keith Olbermann had brought it up on his show on Friday eve and the axe came down. He's at least fighting back and talking about it on his "Blog", but she said that people there are worried that he's going to be fired by higher ups.

      She said at this point the only way that the "real news" was going to be known is if the people started talking about it and made a big enough stink about it to our elected officials, the FEC, and "noise" to the international media, that our own media won't have any choice but to cover it. The only place you'll see this talked about right now is on the internet and on AirAmericaRadio.

      People and Agencies to Contact regarding this matter:


      1) Your two US Senators & Congressional Representative - here is the main switchboard number for the House and Senate: 1-800-839-5276 Although individual numbers are listed below, you can reach all Senators and Representatives via this 800 number

      2) Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader: 202-225-4965

      3) These members are allegedl/reportedly looking into the issue - urge them to introduce a bill to investigate voter fraud:
      Rep. Henry Waxman of CA - 202-225-3976
      Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of OH - 202-225-7032
      Rep. Dennis Kucinich of OH - 202-225-5871
      Rep. Tim Ryan of OH - 202-225-5261

      4) Democratic & Republican Members of the House Judiciary Committee:
      Rep. Robert Wexler of FL - 202-225-3001
      Rep. Maxine Waters of CA - 202-225-2201
      Rep. Chabot of OH (R)- 202-225-2216
      Rep. King of IA (R)- 202-225-4426

      5) Democrat & Republican Members (call both) of the Senate Judiciary Committee:
      Sen. Patrick Leahy of VT - 202-224-4242
      Sen. Ted Kennedy of MA - 202-224-4543
      Sen. Joe Biden of DE - 202-224-5042
      Sen. Russ Feingold of WI - 202-224-5323
      Sen. Charles Schumer of NY - 202-224-6542
      Sen. Arlen Specter of PA (R) - 202-224-4254 (thank him also for having urged the Pres. to not choose anti-abortion judges and taking the body blows)
      Sen. Mike DeWine of OH (R) - 202-224-2315
      Sen. Chuck Grassley of IA (R)- 202-224-3744

      6) Federal Elections Commission:
      Audit Division
      Joseph Stoltz, Assistant Staff Director, Telephone: 800-424-9530 (press 0, then ext. 1200)

      Inspector General
      Lynne McFarland, Inspector General, Telephone: 800-424-9530 (press 0, then ext. 1015)

      7) The news media - we have to put pressure on them:

      NBC/MSNBC- Nightly@NBC.com & viewerservices@msnbc.com

      CNN- http://www.cnn.com/feedback/

      CBS- 212-258-6000 - 60II@cbsnews.com, evening@cbsnews.com, 48hours@cbsnews.com,
      earlyshow@cbs.com

      8) Call the Secretary of State's office in the state of OH and FL -
      Tell them that you demand under the HAVA law to have all votes counted - especially the absentee, military and all provisional ballots counted and verified - tell them you suspect foul-play.

      Phone to Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell's Office: toll free - 1-877-767-6446 or email: election@sos.state.oh.us or phone 614-466-2585

      Phone to FL Sec. of State Glenda Hood's Office: 850-245-6500

      9) Donate $5 to Bev Harris at http://www.blackboxvoting.org/ - she has been filing 1000's of information requests under the "FOIA-Freedom of Information Act" to account for the various voting machines across the country.

      10) Email or Fax Ralph Nader - Yep, here's his opportunity to make up for any feelings of bad will after the 2000 election and the current one. Ralph has been a lifelong advocate for us, the consumer and little guy and he is actually in the unique position right now to do something since he was a Presidential candidate and has the ability to be listened to. He has actually already filed a challenge in NH (not that he is looking to overturn the results, but because he can prove there may have been bigger problems and he qualifies there as having been on the ballot).

      http://www.votenader.org/media_press/index.php?cid=400

      Urge him to do this across the board on a national level. The media seemed to love him before the election, could they possibly ignore him now? Contact Ralph at - 202-265-4000

      11) Call/email Jimmy Carter at the Carter Center: carterweb@emory.edu or call at (800) 550-3560
      Former President Jimmy Carter and the Carter Center are considered to be the most experienced in the election process and conducting fair democratic elections - urge him to get involved and investigate possible fraud and the unexplainable discrepancies throughout the election involving the computer voting machines, especially in swing states.


    



"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
- -Mahatma Ghandi

"If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They'll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government."
- - Dwight D. Eisenhower

"I'd rather be Don Quixote than another statistic." - -Douglas L. Wilson

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
  --  Theodore Roosevelt



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