"Principiis obsta; Finem respice." Olaf Rotkohl thinks that the pursuit of power over others is in itself a corruption, and those who seek such power are fundamentally corrupt. This space is dedicated as part of the constant challenge to those who seek to wield authority over the rest of us, keeping them on notice that they exert power only as it is granted to them by the people.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Repubs Adjourn...Now Go Away
Monday, September 01, 2008
Everyone Loves a Police State
On the weekend before the Republican National Convention, law enforcement agencies detained dozens of people and issued a series of search warrants aimed at groups believed to be organizing demonstrations while delegates and Republican officials are in town.Brake fluid, camera equipment, documents? Yep, classic terrorist materials, and certainly grounds for a search warrant.
...The sheriff's department continued the sweeps on Saturday morning, executing warrants for three houses in Minneapolis and two in St. Paul, detaining more than 50 people and arresting 4.
A copy of a warrant at one house said the police were authorized to look for a laundry list of items, including fire bombs, Molotov cocktails, brake fluid, photographs and maps of St. Paul, paint, computers and camera equipment, and documents and other communications.
Now one group you might be able to dismiss as "fringe" since they were self-proclaimed anarchists and anti-authoritarians, although neither of those proclamations is illegal, but by attacking a fringe group and also some more mainstream protest movements, the message is sent: "Fear the state and fear the police. We are listening, we are watching, and we have the power." Read this Glenn Greenwald piece for a better commentary than any I could make.
Watch your ass. The Bush-Cheney-Republican wet dream is here now.