Anarchy Preferable to Bush's Police State

Anarchy Preferable to Bush's Police State

The pols are falling all over themselves now trying
to out-macho each other in the "homeland security"
department. New laws, new oppressions, new policing
strategies ("at the first sign of trouble call in
the army and firebomb them...")

The latest trends seem to be reflective of a
curious thing: on cable tv the show "Law and Order"
plays constantly, hour after hour, and not just
on TNN, but USA and maybe others. People are shown
what they want to see, I guess, and the polticians
want to deliver the police state the people demand.
Hell, Kerry voted for the Patriot Act and the Iraq
War so why even bother voting? What's the difference?
Why even hold elections? Why bother passing laws?
Just issue decrees and see who obeys...

Two nice stories today...

First, the GNN is hot today. This story is faves:


http://www.guerrillanews.com/human_rights/doc3877.html

Guerrilla of the Week
Kary Stewart, GNN-UK, February 16, 2004

The British honours system originates in the 14th century
and is basically a series of different awards given for
exceptional achievement or service. Nominations are made
by the public and by government ministers. The Prime
Minister decides on the final list and sends these as
recommendations to the Queen. About 1,500 Honours are
awarded twice a year, in June and New Year, with the
largest number of awards going to community volunteers.

Foreigners can receive honorary awards and "orders" but
only if they are recommended by the Secretary of State
for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

[...]

In plain English, the Queen and Tony Blair had decided
that he was to be given an OBE. His first reaction? "Me?
I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought....No way, Mr.
Blair. No way, Mrs. Queen."

[...]

Born in Jamaica and brought up in the Handsworth district
of Birmingham, Zephaniah is not the first from an ethnic
background to turn down an honor from the Queen. In 2002,
Pandit G part of British band Asian Dub Foundation turned
down an MBE, albeit in a quieter fashion, and like
Zephaniah, cited a problem with the word "empire" as one
of his reasons.

"But it's not just the word," explained Zephaniah in a
recent interview with GNN. "It's about when the British
started using the word empire, as a black man that means
slavery and the rife of my people," says Zephaniah. "It
is because of this concept of empire that my British
education led me to believe that the history of black
people started with slavery and that we were born slaves,
and should therefore be grateful that we were given
freedom by our caring white masters."

[...]

* * *

MY real favorite today is this scary little gemski:

http://www.turnto10.com/news/2855355/detail.html

Governor's Proposed Homeland Security Bill Under Fire
Audits Of Fire Safety Records Required

POSTED: 10:01 am EST February 18, 2004
UPDATED: 10:17 am EST February 18, 2004
PROVIDENCE -- Legislation intended to strengthen the
state's security measures drew criticism from a civil
rights group that said the proposed law threatens free
speech and academic freedom.

Gov. Don Carcieri's new homeland security law would
create new felony charges, require annual safety audits
of every public school and close some public records,
including those that show whether businesses comply
with state Fire Safety Code requirements.

The bill, which Carcieri introduced last week, also
resurrects World War I-era laws that make it illegal
to "speak, utter, or print' statements in support of
anarchy; speak in favor of overthrowing the government;
or to display "any flag or emblem other than the flag
of the United States' as symbolic of the U.S.
government.

[...]

* * *

Hell with that. Call me an Anarchist! I'll become one
just to piss off people like Governor Carcieri...hoho.
(Shuffles off to the annual Anarchist Book Fair in
S.F.)