If you scare people who have not done anything the way they did it here, you will definitely prevent people from even thinking about doing anything against the establishment.

This is how the fascists have ruled in many places all over the world, but it is now that it is coming home to your backyard after learning how to do it in many countries around the world. You are lucky they are not doing what they thought the south American military, because if they did that, most of you would have been dead by now, but on the other hand, people in other countries actually stand up and put up a fight rather than go back home and write on their blog or buy 2 more "I Hate Bush" bumper stickers and mugs.

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Looks like a full dress rehersal for our future.

I better practice putting my old pink hands on my head.

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...is where are the Democraps on this issue?!

The Democrapic Convention had "free speech zones" too, where NO ONE could be heard. By the way, the lobbyists did not have to attend this area.

Get used to it. This is the future of Amerikkka.

The Deomocraps and the Repukes are opposite ends of the same stick and that is why I am voting third party for the first time in my life.

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That was a blatant breach of both the First and Fourth Amendment under the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Now we know that the republican leadership really does believe what Bush said about the US Constitution: "It's just a G-D piece of paper."

Impeachment NOW!

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Non-violent disobedience is best, but if the Nazi cops get rough, take 'em down. There are a hell of a lot more of us than them, even with Blackwater.

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When individual officers start getting sued into poverty for violating the constitutional rights of American citizens, the thugs in uniform will be a lot less likely to violate civil rights in the future.

Violent uprisings sound nice in theory but unless you got every single person in that park to attack the cops you would be outnumbered and end up in jail for a long time.


Suing these police departments and individual officers into poverty is the only real way putting an end to this bullshit.

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The girl who said "Are you serious?" in response to the arrest order really encapsulates the vast majority of Americans. We have it good, really good in this country, and our freedom to be hedonistic is great. But in exchange for enjoying our materialistic world, we've given up our most basic political rights, among them the right to assemble peaceably and protest government policies and actions.

I frankly think it's time for another revolution, something I thought Mr. Obama might give us in a nonviolent way but now realize he will not.

So maybe we need to really take to the streets again.

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This is INSANE! We are definitely FUCKED! If this is what our lovely Administration is allowing... We had all better just grab hold of both ankles, bend over and kiss all of our asses.. GOOD-BYE!

I am so sad to see our world destroyed by assholes such as "all of the police" that participated in this!

FUCK YOU!

LES SMITH

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And I don't care what flavor of red or blue you are !

A no fear establishment that is immune from scrutiny is something to be very fearful of.

It is very wrong to be right when the government is wrong.

National guard on our streets against the public ?
Our full time army now abroad being trained and desensitized to public pacification ?

Obama's proclamation to provide a new outlook for our disgruntled youth.

Familiar story, read history and the media in the bundesposte of the late 30's, for a little de ja vu.

Strange things are afoot.

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This is sad. What has our country become? This is not the America that I served ans sacrificed for. This has become "Amerika" the pitiful.

Oh pitiful, with graying skies,
and corporate waves of grain.
exploited mountains travesty,
above the fruitless plain.
Amerika Amerika,
God turned his back on thee.
and there's no good
or brotherhood.
From sea to poisoned sea.

Good night and good luck...

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Why is this big news just on the internet?
Well, to be fair, Jon Stewart mentioned the tear gas and the difficulty of crossing the street.

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The original blog post at Firedoglake didn't get that many Diggs, so here is the Digg Link for this reprint on Alternet. Digg it if you use Digg.

And email the link to all your friends. Remember, the Nazis started out as a political party. Americans, be careful what you go along with. There was nothing particular about Germans that ensures the same couldn't happen in your country that is so often referred to as Homeland nowadays. Let those who have eyes see.

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I read that the RNC "donated" over 10 million dollars worth of shiny new "riot gear" and equipment to the "twin cities" police department...just a few days before the convention got under way....

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You know this happened Rome 2500 years ago. A once proud and largely free republic, turned Empire of military might and coercion.

Their are two forms of oppression:

The first is a Quick and Violent Kind of oppression. Usually done through coups or under a nationalists slogan such as we see with Hitler or Mussolini.

The second is a Progressive and Deceptive Kind. Where we see we have rights but the following generation loses its rights and the following generation even more. These slow revolutions are more so communistic or socialistic. These are things you see in Stalin's Russia or here in America. We didnt realize we lost so much and now are going to lose even more.

So better wake up America because, its over, and we need to rise up and start the world over again. Obama is not going to give you that, but Ron Paul will!

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are coming... It's US against THEM more now than ever, and they are showing us they can and WILL be proactive in staunching protest, or anything else for that matter, which they deem unacceptable. In the past it hasn't been quite as direct, but as the economy worsens and Iran is attacked (and it WILL be, since the elite's answer is ALWAYS WAR for a bad economy, and for this reason McCain will "win" the '08 election) we WILL see MUCH more of this, possibly including martial law.

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On weekends, we drive to Washington, D.C., circle the White House and go up and down Pennsylvania Avenue with horns blaring.

Imagine thousands of cars doing that with signs on their side windows that said, STOP THE WAR!

Can you picture the chaos and media attention that would create -- weekend after weekend after weekend....

NAH, that won't work. We wouldn't want to spend the money on gasoline.

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Yeah, don't worry. When things get worse, people will start bringing guns and grenades to protests and rallies. What's a few hundred cops versus a few thousand real people, when everyone's armed? I think this is why all the NRA types have been so die-hard about their favorite amendment.. Time to take a lesson from the middle-eastern extremists, and stand the fuck up.

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Welcome to the Police-State Folks!

With the largest prison population in the world and a president and government that basicly does whatever it wants, why is anyone surprised.

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Stupid lowlife cops! Too bad the protectors didnt have a couple of Claymore mines setup to "take them out" when they approached. Fight fire with fire!

Jiffers
Online Privacy Center

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...but then again, I and a large group of peaceful protesters were threatened with arrest in largely the same manner in the state of Washignton a few years back. But we were at least blocking a public street. What the fuck is up with them just arresting hundreds of obviously demonstrably peaceful protesters?? And I use the term lightly since it didn't even look like those people were protesting. This seriously fascist and scary. What the fuck have we come to??

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some of y'all act all shocked like this is something new.

its not. it happened in NYC in 2004 at the RNC. 1800 people were swept up in mostly unjustified mass arrests. it happened in smaller doses at the DNC that year. and at the conventions in 2000. Not to mention the anti-globalization protests in Seattle, DC and Miami in 99, 01 and 02 (DC)and 03 (miami). actually, pig repression at protests can be found in virtually decade, over almost every issue, throughout our history. we like to think we are free, but we are not.

i had dinner the other night with a guy who thought the video of the pigs pepper spraying a girl in St. Paul was FUNNY. most of my classmates have no clue this shit happens.

most of our so-called countrymen could not give two shits, cause they don't protest.

for a country founded by protesters and dissenters, there is profound ignorance, hostility and apathy surrounding the culture of dissent in this nation.

its cause the bosses want everyone either shopping or passively watchin' different spectacles on the different boxes we are all offered. and cause its easy, most of us OBEY, WORK, BUY, CONSUME, DIE. after all the treadmill of obedience and consumption is safer and easier than actually standing up to unjust authority.

i'm not sure what the answer is anymore, i'd like to say revolution, but not many people are down for that (and some that are, want it in a direction that is repulsive - i.e. race war).

good luck.

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Police slam CodePink protester to the ground

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Amazing. Only the news that's fit to print, or in this case, broadcast.

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Oh, big man...picking on the poor little plice who had no guns. All that the plice had were sticks and concussion grenades, and oh yeah, tear gas. I will bet that if you didn't have them big guns, you wouldn't be talking so tough. Hell, the plice were even on horses...horses!

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It was obvious that they were also taunting the plice who were there in line minding their own business. They were in line, for crissakes, and those people needlessly harassed them by all of that milling around. Do you know how hard it is for plice to resist arresting people doing that?

The plice have been highly trained to recognize passive aggression and act accordingly, before things can get ugly. The plice had every right to arrest these extremist and the President has every right to charge them with being enemy combatants. Send the mo'fo's to Guantanimo...that will learn them to fuck with the plice and Natural Guard.

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Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, or of the press, OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES!

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Jeeze!

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since they have consistently elected political leaders that have removed their Bill of Rights, under the guise of the drug war.

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The actions taken by the police and enabled by the Mayor are as simple as Fascism 101.

To arbitrarily detain and release citizens and restrict the press are but two fundamental elements of fascism designed to spread a submissive chill of fear over the populace.

Justice William O. Douglass wisely noted that, "As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such a twilight that we all must be aware of change in the air - however slight - lest we become the unwitting victims of the darkness."

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I'm not saying that I'm agreeing with the actions of the police, but I will say that this video doesn't exactly show enough to come to a completely perfect conclusion. It shows bits nd pieces, has some random guy narrating and thats about it. There could be so much more to this story and these arrests that we have not heard about. Be angry if it was exactly as the kid said, but I don't know if I'd start talking about rioting to beat the police next time unless i was absolutely sure.

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Just wait.


FREE AMERICA

REVOLUTIONARY (DIRECT) DEMOCRACY

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If you know any of these cops, expose them. Post their names, faces and addresses on the WWW, in local papers, anywhere. Tell people what they did. Eventually, even the slow ones may get the message that Only Obeying Orders ceased to be acceptable in 1946, and that Protecting and Serving The Community may sometimes involve telling the order-givers where to get off.

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Does anyone remember Chicago in 1968? It was labeled a "police riot" as the cops made the mistake of attacking media people too. It seems the only thing PDs have learned since then is to keep their hands off the media. I'm in favor of prison sentences for ALL the police who participated in this fiasco. Give 'em a taste of their own medicine!

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I wish people could see the immigration issue is being used buy the corporate elite to destroy the poor and middle class work force of the US.

I'm married to someone from Latin America. Many people from Latin America can see this. People should check out the Minute Men and see how many members actually are from Latin America, or African America for that matter.

As far as doing something about this issue, people need to mobilize to get the police chief fired.

The governor election is between Al Franken and Norm Colman. I'm not Republican or Democrat, but in this case I would say the best bet is Al Franken. People should put this video on a page, go hand out flyers for it, and campaign for Al Franken.

If people will actually get their asses off the couch and mobilize, we can beat this. Going door to door is the only way to beat the corporate media. Elderly people vote more than anyone else and they aren't online enough. They get their news through the MSM, so we need to break through that.

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For 10 million dollars (or some other unaffordable amount) per individual unlawfully arrested. That should stop future episodes of fascism. Somewhere there must be a lawyer willing to take this case.

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Quit complaining! Sometime you got to lock up people to keep America free!

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The really sad part about all of this is this event is just what you see. It's really nothing compared to the everyday crimes that are committed by despotic zealots upon the masses from their protected perches everyday around this country. Phony corporate rules and regulations illegally supported by renegade police. Just try being poor to see what happens to your freedoms. Oh, and by the way you won't have much choice about that either as you'll soon discover your true worth. The phony notion of your success they sold you on paper isn't worth spit.

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What was that name we had for the Police back in the 70's?
Oh' Yeah-Now I remember...
Fucking PIGS!!!

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for those of you who don't follow threads...

wrote:

From: FAITH C CARR
Subject: One more little sign
To: "mike carr" , "01AAAJOTUFFS JODINI" , "Beverley Wiskow"
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008, 7:43 AM


One more little sign to put in your tin foil hat.

They will come with guns, tasers, whatever to "help" american citizens at home.

Paranoia? I don't think so...

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/

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Let's cut to the chase call what happened during the RNC convention what it truly was.

A police state action.

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Focus here.

Zero tolerance for any 'free speech zone'.

Non-violent, non-cooperation, no compromise.

Jail floods

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Is it time for lawsuites anyone?? Sue them sue them sue them, false arrest to start with. You need to sue them if you were there, class action lawsuit. We need to show them they can't just bully us around. Sue them not to capitalize, but set precedence. We will not let them break the law just because they are the ones that supposedly enforce the laws.

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The repuglicans paid for the insurance the pigs have to cover their asses for any suing that might occur for piglike activity. I'm not a lawyer so I wonder if you can take it to the courts and get any satisfaction out of "making them pay". With this kind of forethought they encourage gestapo piggies to use all that gear that gets them all jacked up. Little reptile brains have to play with their toys to make their egos feel alright. "Just doin my job." I also wonder if the uniforms are real on some. I'm hearing about private security forces being hired to do the "dirty" work. The entire Hierarchy of fascist enablers is on display here. I hope more evidence comes to light and more consortium of filmmakers put together longer documentary and that those arrested or witnesses get together with lawyers and political strategists to put this evidence in front of those people too lazy to find out what's happening. Class action=Class Act Good job film man. Onward!
ORGANIZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Friends, I view this footage with great sadness. In the 40 years since the great anti-Vietnam and Civil Rights protests, the Republicans' blindness to Constitutional Rights seems only to have worsened. I do remember the Chicago Convention of 1968, and Kent State, and other times when we were teargassed and beaten, as you were, as I see here. At Kent State, some of us lost our lives, the cost of freedom which I hope none of you shall have to pay. But I do hope you will keep on. Our generation had the advantage of numbers in the 60s. But you can make up for that by spirit. That's why those students at Kent State will never really die. They are alive in me, and you, and in every person who values their right to stand up for what they believe. The Good will always truimph. I really believe that. These do not have to be America's last days. There is always hope. But my generation is growing old. You must carry on the work we started. Meet when and where you can. Start with a few and more will join. A million of us marched in NYC against Vietnam. It didn't happen overnight. It grew and swelled. And be smart. Go prepared. Take wet handkerchiefs in baggies. Protect yourself. Don't attack them. Non-violence is critical. Sing, dance, get the word out however you can. This nation was founded by revolutionaries. Never let them tell you that what you are doing is wrong. Keep to the Constitution & your rights to assemble and speak out. We're all with you, John Lennon, Jimi, Janis, Dr. King, all part of the spirit of freedom. Now get out there, and let it rock.

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the power of the pen, forward.

the police here simply reflect a populace rife w/a lack of critical thinking skills.

the gap we have to bridge is one of education, top to bottom.

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In a prior career I used to do intelligence work..a glorified way of saying "reading alot" and then writing about stuff. Here's an example of what Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) can do. Start reading publications like Army Times to get an understanding of the mentality and language, and begin to guess at their intentions. Here's a current example from Army Times:

----------------
Army To Deploy October 1st For Civil Security Emergency Management Response

Gina Cavallaro of ArmyTimes reports that Brigade Homeland Tours Start Oct. 1, 2008 as the 3rd Infantry's 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission.

Helping 'people at home' may become a permanent part of the active Army

The 3rd Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys.

Now they're training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, NORTHCOM, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.
----------------


Let's try decoding this...

"Civil Security Emergency Management Response" --should be obvious, and this is NOT about hurricanes since the deployment date is in October.

"infantry BCT" -infantry brigade combat team

"dwell-time" --has two meanings but in this case it means "taking a vacation from invading foreign countries who are foolish enough to be defenseless and have oil we can steal".

"Helping 'people at home'" - could mean anything

"may become a permanent part of the active Army" -- hey guys, we finally got rid of Posse Comitatus.

"NORTHCOM" -- Northern Command; that means you and me are the target of interest

"terrorist attacks" - remember that although people do end up dying in terrorist attacks, the target is government/political/infrastructure. In other words, "terrorist attacks" are counter-attacks..a RESPONSE. Terrorists are people who defend themselves.


Now, what this article DOESN'T mention is that the "October" timeframe is very interesting due to "Operation Vigilant Shield" which is a martial law exercise that DoD is running in October. It's good to be aware this stuff is going on.

dboy

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The most astonishing thing to me is that millions of Americans watched a week of police riots and...said...nothing.

Nothing at all.

What in the world ever happened to Freedom of Assembly, that hallowed First Amendment right which enables us physically to congregate in a place of our - not the Department of Homeland Security's - choice?

The Framers of our Constitution deemed this right to be as important as Freedom of Expression or Religion, and yet it's completely evaporated during the Bush regime.

What happened in Denver and Saint Paul, after the stolen elections of 2000 and 2004 and the emergence of a corporate communications media run directly from the White House, is simply more evidence that we've become a Post-Democratic state.

Obama will be elected only if the Republicans don't have a swing state Secretary of State in the vein of Kathryn Harris or Ken Blackwell who (with the help of Diebold, of course) can throw the election for McCain.

And, quite frankly, I'm frightened that if they can't find a convenient Secretary of State, they'll concoct a "national emergency" October surprise and postpone the election until they can steal it for McCain and Cheney, er, Palin.

I think we've perhaps got a decade before the Republicans weary of the charade of constitutional government and start "disappearing" us. They're already reading our e-mail, tapping our phones and monitoring our finances (You don't think that the Elliot Spitzer and John Edwards scandals were coincidences, do you?).

My guess is they'll start with the subscription lists for The Nation, Mother Jones, perhaps even the New Republic. Oh, and if you've contributed to Consortium News or AlterNet, rest assured you're already on the list.

Paranoid ravings, you say?

Well, folks, I'm a veteran of both military and civilian intelligence agencies, and a lawyer who's been monitoring federal law enforcement for many years.

After a few decades, the "coincidences" become overwhelming.

Who knows? Maybe I'll be among the first of the "Desaparecidos." Probably not. But I'm afraid that a great many of the contributors to AlterNet that I read each day most certainly will be...

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It makes the users of violence look bad to the entire world.

Sometimes it makes them feel evil, even to themselves. It always works! That's why all the masters have taught this.

If they want a riot to activate martial law, then don't do it! You'll only be getting yourself and your neighbors rounded up - or way worse.

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I've never been more worried or frightened than after seeing that video and that we've come to this point. OWRWELL INDEED IS TURNING IN HIS GRAVE.
WHERE IS THE MORE FORGIVING GENTLER NATION? A college professor 30 years ago said that the United States had a more "forgiving" system compared to the Soviet Union or a Communist System such as China. ARE YOU SURE THAT THAT IS THE CASE AFTER SEEING THIS VIDEO AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE SUPPRESSION of first amendment rights IN THE FUTURE??

I SO LOVED THE IDEAL THAT WAS THE U. S. A. Bring us back, BRING US BACK.

FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT. work, Work, WORK to ELECT OBAMA/BIDEN!!

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This wasn't peaceful assembly. It was more like "mass vagrancy". There is a fine line between peaceful assembly and "disturbing the peace".

We the People can't just gather in the streets and start shouting, that's not how "peaceful assembly" works. The constitution requires the assembly follow the common law (listed below). Quietly picketing, distributing handbills to passers by, talking with interested parties (calmly and quietly), promoting your cause peacefully, are all legit demonstrations of the First Ammendment. Furthermore, law enforcement has every right to monitor the assembly to maintain order and cite violators of common law. These kids are lucky this "demonstration" didn't end up like Kent State. The police were pretty tolerant considering the gross ignorance (and indignation) of the crowd.

In truth many of these people (certainly not all) were in violation of several civic codes:
385.90. Disorderly conduct.
385.65. Interference with pedestrian or vehicular traffic

But I'm sure this hippie kid in the video will tell his kids later in life "the mean old racist man, uh, had the cops beat us down and uh, wouldn't let us vote for Obama".

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Honestly, I have been feeling that something really bad is going to happen for awhile...I was hoping this was paranoia on my part, but it's not...October is the time line for new legislation or a bill by the president to give the authority or power to local police departments to arrest, detain, watch potential terrorists, meaning anyone who doesn't go along with the program...I have been told by a career military officer that it's a fact, already decided, done deal that the US will in fact go to war with Iran...I have seen police officers arrest peaceful protesters, pepper spray, point blank young teen girls who were on the side lines of a protest just standing, directly in the eyes...The police also had black uniforms, storm troopers, black tape over their police badges to hide their identity...Most of them military veterans...After reading the link on one of the posts to http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/ the writing is more than on the wall...My son thinks that a nuclear war will be staged, and that since we live too close to cities, a Army, Navy and Airforce base in the pacific nw, we are going to be toast...A huge part of me, still doesn't want to believe this, I hope it's not true, I don't want to die, but most of all I don't want to see my family friends and the animals and beautiful earth wiped out...This type of scenario, fascist, apocalyptic world is so ugly, that death seems to be preferred to this scenario...Regardless, something big is about to happen and we all know it, the FEMA camps are real, and ready to transport and contain mass prisoners at a moments notice... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4499663110846940892 a link to Fema camps and other U Tube videos...I have heard a lot of liberals berate belittle and mock the crazy conspiracy theorists, the editor of Mother Jones called people who believe that 911 was an inside job, nut cases...It's all crazy and gee if this is all in my head, and it's all delusion, that would be wonderful! It's interesting how the Soviet Union, disbanded and organized reorganized into a Capitalistic minded country, screwing over it's citizens hugely for fun and profit...China has two classes now, the poor who have to live under communist fascist rule and the wealthy who seem to get to live by capitalist rules, they have also screwed over their citizens...They were systematically taken over from within, well now it's out turn, part of the deal, the New World order and all is going as planned...

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Democrats, Republicans, it makes no difference.

This is an example of the "Voice of the Voiceless". No media attention means no difference.

This footage is disturbing, because there was clearly no reason for anyone to be placed under arrest. The real focus should be placed on the insensitive ridiculous human beings who hide behind those gas masks.

How can they go to sleep at night? Well I guess if they are so deluded by their government and media outlets, then I understand. But as I see it, the dumbest people in North America are always those that wear the uniform.

I respect men that fight for the countries even if they are fighting for a false cause...but this is a testament to how pathetically unintelligent and submissive the National Guard and officers in St. Paul are. If I had that job on that day, I would have drop by baton, taken off my badge and quit right there.

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