Homeland Security:
Thought Police in our Community
"We have to be alert to religious orders, gangs, animal rights activists, whatever group is making a statement."[emphasis added]
-Kent Bradshaw, police chief of Fortuna, quoted in the Times-Standard (2/27/05), "On Guard: Homeland Security specialists volunteer to help keep North Coast safe."
The first group listed as "identified" by "government documents," and insinuated to be engaged in "planned violence" is Earth First!, followed by the Earth Liberation Front, and the Animal Liberation Front. Of course, none of these groups EVER hurt anybody and all adhere to the philosophy of non-violence. What they all have in common is that they are making a statement that dissents against the dominant paradigm of violence and destruction.
North Coast Earth First! advocates non-violent direct action, the cornerstone of the foundation that democracy is built on. To criminalize civil disobedience is to attempt to silence the voice of the people.
"Everyone has an idea of what terrorism is, what a terrorist looks like."
-Enoch Ibarra, a counter-terrorism instructor
who volunteers with the Fortuna Police Department
quoted in same article
...of course we do, we’ve all seen images of Timothy McVeigh, clean-cut, military style; we’ve all seen images of American GI’s abusing Iraqis at Abu Gharab or shooting up vehicles full of unarmed families with children at checkpoints; we know what Henry Kissinger looks like, as do the authorities trying to press charges on him for human rights violations and war crimes in other countries; but how can we discern these terrorists from every other honest, well-meaning citizen that we see everyday?
Let us not be set upon each other like dogs in a dogfight, while politicians, militarists, and social engineers moderate the spectacle, all the while enriching themselves off the calamity and tragedy.
3 comments:
You failed to reveal any thought police in Arcata. You seem to be confusing Fortuna with Arcata. The two cities are 20 miles apart from each other. If you would like to borrow my map, let me know.
THE MAP: Arcata, California is indeed part of the "North Coast."
"North Coast" refers to the Pacific coast of the continental united states. This can be inferred from the context of the article.
In case of further confusion, please consult your map.
thank you.
Thank you Capt. Ottinger for your interest, but I don't think that you actually read the article before commenting.
The title of the Times-Standard article was "On Guard: Homeland Security specialists volunteer to help keep North Coast safe."
This does indeed include Arcata and Eureka, where the Times-Standard is published.
If you take the time to read the articles first, you might find that you can make more coherent comments, even if you disagree with the orignal article.
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