posted October 25, 2007 12:50 PM            

Now, what's really striking is that leftists of virtually every stripe pant and drool over leftist thugs and dictators in whose nations there are no liberties or rights of citizenship...except to shut the hell up and do exactly as you're told to do on pain of death...and those nations ARE police states.

Go figure. Of course, it really doesn't take any figuring at all to realize these leftists are talking out of their as$es.

posted October 27, 2007 02:37 PM            

Care to share that information. I'm not talking about supposition, rumor, innuendo or outright lies...like the lie the NSA was engaged in DOMESTIC SPYING by listening in on phone conversations of suspected terrorists. Those calls which were made from a foreign nation from a telephone number found on terrorist notes, a captured terrorist cell phone or on captured terrorist computer hard drives...even if those calls were made to people in the United States.

The 4th Amendment protects against UNREASONABLE searches and seizures.

Let me suggest to you...and everyone else it is totally REASONABLE to listen in on phone conversations where one of those telephone numbers is tied to a known or suspected terrorist.

I see no signs of an emerging police state.

I'll agree with you when the government enacts laws forbidding the private ownership of firearms.

Of course, again, banning the private ownership of firearms IS the wet dream of leftists.

posted October 31, 2007 09:40 PM              

dreadful of him, wasn't it?

posted November 01, 2007 02:01 PM              

quote:

---

If any SS...uggg Blackwater troops ever come knocking on my door, the maximum leader in DC better be in a safe house off this planet.

---

Now that's more like it!

The problem here is this - I see that we're headed in that direction, just about there actually, and you won't admit it.

posted November 02, 2007 12:01 PM            

Your Right to Protest

Q Can my free speech rights be restricted because of what I say – even if it’s controversial?
A No, the First Amendment prohibits restrictions based on the content of a person’s speech.
However, this does not mean that the First Amendment completely protects all types of free speech activity in every circumstance. Police and government officials are allowed to place certain nondiscriminatory and narrowly drawn “time, place and manner” restrictions on the exercise of First Amendment rights.

Q. What speech activities are protected by the First Amendment?
A. Making speeches, handing out leaflets, holding or attending rallies, carrying posters and demonstrating.

******

The guy at the University of Florida wasn't doing any of those. He was purposely disrupting an event. The people there to hear Kerry speak were initially glad to see the police intervene. No way was he "politely insisting" anything and his wasn't a protest on the public grounds of the University. He was arrested on charges of resisiting arrest with violence.

"But when his microphone was cut off, Meyer began to scream in protest. Members of Accent, Student Government's speakers bureau, cut off the microphone because Meyer used profanity, said Steven Blank, Accent chairman. Accent sponsored the forum, which was held at the University Auditorium."

UF Student Tasered at Kerry Forum

******

Nothing polite or peaceful about his actions. Just watch the video.

******

"Not everyone has sided with Mr Meyer. Critics have suggested that the entire incident was a planned attempt to win attention for a student who has already posted dozens of videos of himself on his website www.theandrewmeyer.com.

Indeed the video of the arrest was taken on his own camera, which he had brought to the John Kerry Q&A session.

Police claimed that Mr Meyer’s behaviour was very different when the camera was no longer rolling. One officer told the Associated Press that Mr Meyer asked, “Are you taping this? Do you have this? You ready?” before beginning his questions."

Meyer, the student who begged: 'Don’t Tase me bro!', becomes internet star

posted November 03, 2007 10:09 AM            

******

Hey, AG. You're right, it was the UF campus police.
Student Tasered at University of Florida Town Hall Forum Featuring John Kerry
(That's one of the least biased articles I've come across.)

Tasers can be very dangerous and, if used inappropriately, can even be lethal. Although I don't sympathize with this kid's inappropriate behavior (no matter the apologists who don't understand what "free speech" was intended to mean) I do think tasering him was excessive. Though, as the above article points out, there are many other incidents involving tasers that don't get this kind of attention.

posted November 03, 2007 11:49 AM            

None of this would have been necessary IF the mayor of New Orleans AND the Governor of Louisiana had not totally screwed up.

Are you aware a large contingent of New Orleans police officers, rescue workers and Fire Dept employees left the area, did not show up for work or rescue operations?

Nevertheless, Blackwater personnel are credited with rescuing more than 120 people and transporting/moving more than 10 tons of supplies for those stranded in New Orleans during the aftermath of Katrina.

Beyond that, these guys are mostly former Navy Seals, Special Forces and other highly trained special ops forces.

But, I meant what I said anyway. However, I don't feel in the least threatened.

Now TINK, what did you think when Commander Corruption used military hardware, ordinance and tactics against the religious sect at Waco...and killed 87 people, many if not most of whom were women and children?
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=92177&ran=4586

I'm not in favor of tasering citizens. Piling on and using the force necessary to subdue is what I favor....followed by a prosecution of those who violate the laws. Too many people have suffered heart attacks or had their hearts stopped by the electrical discharge from tasering. It's a use of "deadly force" whether they want to admit it or not.

University police are not city, state of federal police officers. They're more like campus security guards....and this group is the one which tasered and took this idiot down. Campus police were cleared of any wrong doing in this matter as they were deemed to have acted "reasonably" under the circumstances.

Those upon the property of others are there at sufferance. Their presence is considered to be voluntary and they are required to follow the rules. In similar fashion, those attending a sports event are required to follow certain rules which have the effect of limiting some rights they might otherwise have...such as having their bags searched for alcohol, drugs and or weapons. If you don't want to submit to a search which in other circumstances might violate your 4th Amendment rights then don't go to those events and don't fly on commercial flights either.

posted November 03, 2007 01:11 PM            

I think part of what makes discussions here so difficult is that we have only written words with which to convey our thoughts. The lack of visual and audial aids, like facial expressions, body language and tone of voice can lead to so much trouble, particularly regarding emotions and especially so in controversial threads.

I tend to be read as rather dry or serious even though I generally type with a smile on my face. Whatever strong emotions I may have about a topic, I don't transfer them to the individuals posting differing opinions. I don't believe all people refrain from doing so as personal remarks are not uncommon and those of us who do refrain from doing so have, in the past, been accused of PA behavior or of being "unconnected" to our emotions. Nonsense but there it is.

posted November 03, 2007 05:46 PM              

Some who frequent GU have said they feel intimidated by Jwhop, feel he's a bully. Nonsense. He's a pussycat. A pussycat with a loud roar, of course, but a pussycat nonetheless. Simply learn to ignore the cantankerous facade. You'll look far and wide before finding a more gentlemanly sort here in LL. Debate offers us an opportunity to explore and better understand our own opinions, yes? Sometimes, for the intellectually honest among us, it even inspires us to alter those opinions.

Now on to Big Daddy and Blackwater ....

Are you out of your freakin' mind again??!! Please tell me you're not capable of defending Blackwater. Of all the creepy, power-mad, unethical crap going on in the world - and there's quite a lot thank you very much - Blackwater is most certainly on every free thinking Anerican citizen's top ten list.

What did I think of Clinton and WACO? You know damn well. Same thing I thought of Ruby Ridge, Jerry Parks (you know Jerry, right?), and Vince Foster and Barry Seal. We're being tested. Clearly. The Left will say by neo-cons, conveniently forgetting the ghosts of the former sad souls, but I draw no distiction any longer. Neo-cons, leftists, commies, fascists ... whatever. It's all about Power - how to get it and how to keep it. They're all different hands on the same vile, stinky evil body. Exactly how much are we willing to take? How much are willing to ignore. Are we Good Germans? It appears we are.

Blackwater soldiers are mercenaries. Thugs. Hessians. Blackwater is a privately run operation. Privately run by men with deep connections to the fanatical far-right. Did I mention deep pockets too? Blackwater doesn't answer to you or me or the government that should represent us - blatently evident by the *pisss-off* its founder gave Congress this October. Their reputation and record in Iraq is horrific. Do we want these heavily armed paramilitary wack-jobs, with a license to kill and answerable to no one, patroling American streets?

The only good that might come of these thugs is that possiblity that they're pisssing off the legitimate American military forces. Holding US soldiers at gunpoint can do that. They apparently possess the same sort "I'm better than you" attitude that most US Special Forces have for the average grunt - except they're NOT US SPECIAL FORCES.

quote:

---

None of this would have been necessary IF the mayor of New Orleans AND the Governor of Louisiana had not totally screwed up.

---

First - it was local, state and federal. Second - nobody "screwed up". What you saw was the result of a hands-off policy.