To be silenced, or not to be silenced
There's a scary editorial piece at Truthout.org. What the fuck is going on over the pond?
It didn't get me the tickets. "Are you a Bush supporter?" I was asked. I explained that I was a registered Independent and not necessarily a Bush supporter. "Are you going to vote for Bush?" I was asked. "No," I honestly, and out of curiosity to see what would happen, replied. I was summarily told that if I wasn't planning on voting for Bush, I wasn't welcome. "John" came over to make sure I got the message. I told him I'd taken my kids to similar events (we saw Clinton and Gore in 1996) and didn't he think it was good to get my kids involved in the democratic process early? To take them to events such as these and let them make up their own minds? I guess not. He just kept repeating, in a rather intimidating way, that if I wasn't a supporter, I wasn't welcome.
And another one
After about 10 minutes of Internet research, I observed a picture beginning to develop. And, my friends, the picture isn't pretty. Yes, the silencing is happening all across America. At Presidential visits, during peace rallies, non-violent demonstrations, in high schools where kids draw anti-war pictures in art class, in small towns where people put dissenting comics on their car. All these events have resulted in visits, interrogation, and intimidation by the Secret Service. When you begin to notice the larger pattern of thought control, intimidation, and downright attack upon the very bedrock of our nation's guiding principles by the people who are sworn to uphold it, a sick feeling begins building in your gut.
And regardless of whether this particular story is an exaggeration or not, there has been a bit too much smoke lately coming from the good ol' US of A. My friends over there - do something! You're frightening the rest of the world out of their wits right now... We've seen these signs before. We know where they lead to.
(And please do read the article before you comment. Thanks to Carmen for the pointer.)
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Comments
It's not like some Americans aren't worried Janne, in fact some of us are terrified, but democracy in the US doesn't really exist in that Mayberry sort of way that it's portrayed. I've heard so many different things, read so many different things and wondered wtf is going on over there these days that it's anyones guess as to what will happen next Tuesday. Just keep hoping that there isn't a recount as if there is it's going to be dark times ahead. I'm not very optimistic but, then again, this is a major reason why we moved back to Finland.--80.186.148.112, 27-Oct-2004
Janne, thanks for pointing this article out - I surely would have missed it and it's clearly important. Myself and many of my friends are extremely concerned about the results of our recent election. However, it's opinion/reporting, type articles like this that keep the struggle alive. Since the media is no longer reporting, these posts have become the only source of "hard news." The fact that you chose to share on your blog (and that I chose to forward a copy to my friends) makes us part of the real media that's emerging on the net. Thanks.
--Scott, 06-Nov-2004
Yeah. That's *exactly* where the blogs are so important.
For all sides.
--JanneJalkanen, 06-Nov-2004