AD NAUSEUM

Someone posted a picture of a policeman macing a young child at a protest which completely stunned my Middle Eastern friend and pen pal from Egypt. Egypt has seen it's fair share of protest so I tried to explain to him what has been going on. In so doing I had to back peddle for his benefit and wrote back:

This has become common here at protests of late. In the sixties cops used to beat people with their nightsticks and clubs, use fire hoses on Black protesters (and their supporters) on Freedom (to vote) Marches. There were many Black deaths, most of which were ignored by the cops in the south. What gets those of us who are championing for the poor here and those whose benefits are threatened is that these protests are for the police too who would stand to lose everything if the wrong person gets elected president. Now there is a law making it illegal to protest which is guaranteed in our Constitution. Ironically two opposing factions the 'left" comprised of unions and the "right" meaning Tea Party people are joining forces to fight this law! I can only pray this is the beginning of getting the USA back on track. Under the Patriot Act ANYONE could accuse anyone of subversive activities which would get that person arrested and held without charge with no information as to the whereabouts of this person to even family. A person could be held indefinitely just as it has been happening in the Middle East and elsewhere. Us diehards however continue to protest and petition for human rights EVERYWHERE. But the US is no longer the beacon of freedom dear friend. The fascist elements in this country have taken over! My family and friends have expressed concerns about my writings and that I would be gathered up never to be seen or heard from again. The government monitors everyday on the internet. I know I have a huge file on me and I don't care! I KNOW the keywords I use put up more red flags but I DON'T CARE! I am inspired by the Bahraini poet who has suffered so much for expressing herself in the name of love of country and freedom. Many people here are hateful, ignorant or just plain stupid to be blunt and do not see or cannot believe or do not want to see what has been going here. The boy murdered in Florida (Trayvon Martin) is a symbol of all that is wrong. The whole so called investigation was a farce slanted to protect the killer. We have stupid laws in many states that have extended STAND YOUR GROUND laws from shooting to kill in your home to the streets at large. One state passed a law that even the cops could be shot if someone felt "threatened". Now why would a cop respond to a neighbor calling for help for say someone being beaten or raped in the home? Now this killer, Zimmerman (my jury is in--I believe him guilty of a hate murder) is claiming Trayvon attacked him and gave him a bloody nose and bashed his head on concrete. There are videos taken within a half hour of this shooting in which Zimmerman does not even have blood on his shirt! Reports say he was treated in the back of the squad car. This is the first time I have ever heard of someone injured not being escorted to the hospital and treated under police watch! Now there is a witness that says he and Trayvon were on the lawn. Frankly, if a big guy stalks me and knocks me down I would put up one hell of a fight. If there was such an altercation why wouldn't Trayvon have the right to do so? He stalked Trayvon despite instructions from police not to do so.

There are many that say people are race baiting this tragedy but from the beginning the parents have only called for due process...an investigation (a proper one) in which an alleged perpetrator is arrested while the investigation takes place. How this was handled flies in the face of how true investigation and forensics are to be applied...or used to be.

I agree with the many opinions that express the belief that even under this insane law Trayvon had the right to stand his ground. Apparently he got killed because he did.

Talk About Disenfranchisement!

Political movie pitch: a governor decides to fire the mayor of the town of city that was lawfully elected and hires his cronies instead to take over.

I wish I had thought this for a story but I did not! It's true and do not think for one minute that this could not happen in your state! This is why I oppose "States Rights" as laws enacted can be arbitrary and contrary to the popular vote. In many cases we are talking about newly elected mayors who haven't even had a chance to work on problems. Each new "manager" makes over 100k. How is this fiscal responsibility as Republicans scream? Sounds like handing out jobs to friends to me. In effect, who ever is voted in is ousted if the governor wants. Watch out for this movie near you!

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/snyder/EMF_Fact_Sheet2_347889_7.pdf

And My Beef Goes On...

by Cate Cavanagh

...let me count the ways!
Firstly, the Gop would love to eliminate early voter registration and Souls To The Polls in every state. Now Florida is making voteliar registration virtually impossible for organizations such as The League of Women Voters to register people by making it mandatory that filings be done within 48 hours of application! How can anyone keep up with that. In addition, there are scary clauses in the application forms implying hefty fines and imprisonment if something is written incorrectly! Both volunteers and registrants are afraid of this clause. The GOP would happily see this be in all states as well. Of course in Texas photo ID accepted in the past is not acceptable BUT if you have a gun permit that is just fine. I happen to support the Second Amendment albeit not as rabidly as some but this is just plain absurd!
As if disenfranchising the elderly, poor and minority voters wasn't enough. Newt now says he believes "activist" judges should be arrested and hauled away. In essence he wants to totally strip the power away from the judiciary Branch of our government. I find this appalling but consider this: what is activist judge? Sotomeir? Scalia? I want to know can we haul off off Scalia for handing over the Presidency to Bush? Hmmm. How about all those justices that decided corporations are people too?
This is an interesting philosophy which will simply not hold water because your right winger will not want democrats to be able to remove THEIR appointees. There is a reason, like it or not, that Supreme Court appointments are “lifelong”. It presumes (which in recent years especially with Republican appointees) that lifelong appointments will be a detriment to partiality. (Yeah, right!)
However, this IS CLEAR in the constitution that seem invalid at the whim of Republican extremists.

Cate Cavanagh has been a career family advocate and service coordinator for developmentally and physical disabled children and adults. She is a published syndicated columnist and author.

CATE CAVANAGH Author, HER GODMOTHER
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR, CHICKEN SOUP   FOR THE SOUL