Civil Rights / Liberties

You might want to pay TSA administrator John Pistole a visit on Tuesday morning, November 13th, 9:30, at National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Read the rest at TSA News.

I don’t know what to say anymore. Take a look at this woman’s video. 

Read the rest at TSA News.

Sigh. So much crime, so little time. 

Pete Alexion is a Vietnam vet. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, where he had a top secret security clearance, and today holds a CDL (commercial driver’s license) with a hazmat endorsement. He lives in North Pole, Alaska. He’s an agricultural copywriter and moonlights as a biology adjunct professor. He wears two knee braces.

Read the rest at TSA News.

By Dave Lindorff

Okay, the etch-a-sketch vulture capitalist who would have given us four years of that smarmy missionionary-at-your-door smile, was thankfully sent packing by the voters, and Barack Obama gets four more years in the White House.

FORT MEADE, MD – Accused WikiLeaks whistle-blower PFC Bradley Manning will return to the Fort Meade, Maryland, military courtroom today for a two-day pre-trial motions hearing. PFC Manning’s legal defense team, led by attorney David Coombs of Rhode Island, has moved to have all charges dismissed for lack of a speedy trial. This week, November 7 and 8, the prosecution will call its witnesses to the stand to attempt to explain away the government’s extensive delays that have led to PFC Manning’s nearly 900-day pretrial confinement.

This motion has been bifurcated. The government will litigate its portion of this speedy trial motion this week, and will continue their presentations at the next hearing, November 27-December 2, if needed. The defense is scheduled to present its arguments before military Judge Denise Lind during the following hearing, December 10-14.

In its continuing effort to spend your tax dollars, the TSA has awarded two more multi-million-dollar contracts to a company with which it already has a cozy relationship: L-3 Communications.

Read the rest at TSA News.

While they crisscross the country mouthing each other’s platitudes, with only the smallest differences between them, neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney is paying the slightest heed to civil liberties. In fact, they’re trying to outdo each other in bragging about how they’re trampling on them.

Read the rest at TSA News.

America's Deplorable Human Rights Record

by Stephen Lendman

Far and away, America's human rights record is the world's worst. No other nation approaches its unprincipled history. Earlier crimes against humanity were largely internal and regional. 

For those of you who follow this blog, it should come as no surprise that a TSA agent has been arrested for the rape of a boy he was mentoring as a volunteer Big Brother.

Superstorm Sandy vs. “terrorism.” I know which risk I’d rather take. 

Read the rest at TSA News.

Some friends of mine have gotten arrested more times than I can count now for the offense of protesting drone use outside Hancock Air Field near Syracuse, N.Y.  Sometimes they've blocked the gates to the base.  Often they've been aware of the risk of being arrested.  But they've gone into court and argued that the larger crime is being committed inside the base by drone pilots.  The protesters have gone into court and said things like this:

"I am proud to accept the consequences of my acts and any jail time.  I do not want any suspended sentence. If you give me one, also please let me know how I can violate it before I leave the courtroom." -- Elliott Adams

If you're among the tens of millions who have assiduously avoided becoming aware of major news stories, what my friends are protesting will come as a shock: President Obama has developed a program of murder, with drones as the primary weapon, that is unprecedented in size, extent, claims of legality, and almost-protest-free acceptability.  On Obama's list of people to kill are men, women, and children, Americans, and non-Americans.  He has targeted and killed people in all of those categories.  He has targeted and killed people whose names he did not know but who showed a pattern of behavior that suggested they might be resisting the U.S. occupation of a foreign nation.  And the vast majority, almost all in fact, of the people our president has killed have simply been men, women, and children who were in the wrong place at the wrong time and not on the list at all.  All of this is done in secret, without Congress, without courts, and without the public.  It's done at a scale that can only properly be termed "drone wars."  It's done in nations where the United States was not previously engaged in any ground war but now is sending in troops as a result of the inevitable blowback from the drone wars.  And the news stories are generated by the White House, which wants to brag about this effort.

I apologize to informed readers for passing along all of that old news, but volunteers keep phoning me from the Obama campaign and MoveOn.org who've never heard of this at all.  They always promise to read up on it and get back to me, and then a different ignorant do-gooder phones the next day instead.

What is new, as far as I know, is what the police in the town of Dewitt, near Syracuse, have now done to try to prevent drone protests outside Hancock Air Field.  They've found, out of all the individuals stationed on the base, one particular coward by the name of Earl A. Evans.  The protesters I've spoken with had never heard of him before.  They don't know who he is or what he looks like.  Here's a photo I've found.  He is apparently a Lieutenant Colonel in charge of the 174^th Fighter Wing Mission Support Group.  I suspect he might have access to some troops and some weaponry.  But the Dewitt Town Court has banned some 17 nonviolent peace activists with posters from coming anywhere near him. 

Each oh-so-dangerous demonstrator has been issued an order of protection -- not to protect them but to protect the Lieutenant Colonel from them.  Under this order, they've been told they will be arrested even if they demonstrate in permitted areas near the base.  Presumably that is the order's real purpose, to prevent demonstrations.  But what the order says is that each nonviolent opponent of institutionalized mass murder may be sent to prison for up to 7 years if they go near the home of Earl A. Evans (although they don't know where that is and have not been told), the school of Earl A. Evans (although they don't know what or where that is and have not been told), the business of Earl A. Evans at 6001 East Molloy Road in Dewitt, N.Y. (which is the military base), or the place of employment of Earl A. Evans at the same address.  They are required to refrain from all communication with Evans -- and Evans in particular, as no one else on the base is named.  And they are specifically forbidden from doing the following things to Evans (but not others?):

"assault, stalking, harassment, aggravated harassment, menacing, reckless endangerment, strangulation, criminal obstruction of breathing or circulation, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, forcible touching, intimidation, threats or any criminal offense or interference with the victim or victims of, or designated witnesses to the alleged offense and such members of the family or household of such victim(s) or witness(es) as shall be specifically named Earl A. Evans."

After all that, who couldn't begin to almost feel sorry for the poor victim of these criminal protesters!  I searched in vain to find any among them, however, who had ever contemplated engaging in criminal obstruction of breathing or circulation with this victim they'd never heard of or any other human being.  Instead, they seemed oddly focused on preventing the criminal killing, dismemberment, and traumatizing of large numbers of children, women, and men in places like Pakistan.

Elliott Adams, one of the protesters, said: "This looks to me like an outrageous court action to block us from using first amendment rights to comply with international law.  We have been arrested a number of times blocking one of the entrances to Hancock Air National Guard Base while trying to serve an indictment to the base for violation of international law with the drones operated from the base."

Adams called the order of protection "ludicrous."  "Apparently," he said, "someone forgot to inform the judge that the commander at Hancock is the one with all the Humvees, the chain-link fence with barbed wire on top, the M16s and M4 assault rifles, not to mention the F16 fighter jets and the MQ9 drones, among other armaments. He has trained in and made a profession of aggressive violent behavior. By contrast the citizens petitioning their government for redress are the ones who have taken an oath of nonviolence."

When nonviolent activist Paul Frazier asked if the order to stay away from the base included staying away from the weekly permitted demonstration area across the street from the base, Onondaga County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant Daily said that if the "victim," Evans, finds it irritating then yes it would be a violation.  Sheriff's Dept. Deputy Ferazolli then said, "I will do one better.  If I see you there I will arrest you, and it will be a felony."

I'll give them this, at least: the brave law-enforcement officers in Dewitt and Onondaga have finally figured out a way for the Department of Defense to do something defensive.

Would that the same could be said for all of us.  I write this on a Sunday as tens of millions of Americans take an hour or more to devote to millennia-old superstitious rituals aimed at making the world a better place.  Imagine if they also, or alternatively, spent 10 minutes making two phone calls, one to the Obama campaign and one to the Romney campaign.  Imagine if the message were: "Unless you adopt the following commandment, none of us will cheer for, vote for, or cooperate with your candidate: Thou Shalt Not Kill."

Imagine the lives that could be saved.

Go forth and do likewise.

A TSA agent stole a woman’s jewelry? Nah, impossible. Never happens! 

Read the rest at TSA News.

By Linn Washington, Jr.

Two police lieutenants face a similar criminal charge but one gets a slap on the wrist while the other is fired.

One of these two police supervisors is an officer with a distinguished record of exposing corruption and misconduct.

Guess which of those two veteran police officers received the harsher punishment?

By Dave Lindorff

A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois in Urbana, showing that young children who are fearful in childhood are likely to be conservative when they grow up got me to thinking.

By Nathan Fuller, Bradley Manning Support Network

As Army Private First Class Bradley Manning nears 900 days in jail without trial, his lawyer moves to dismiss all charges for lack of a speedy trial. Beginning Tuesday, October 30, the government’s witnesses will try to explain away the prosecution’s extensive delays. Meanwhile, over 14,000 supporters of Bradley Manning have now donated to his defense fund—over the last three weeks alone raising $50,000 during a matching grant challenge by the Brightwater Fund. On Thursday, November 1, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War will lead a rally and speak-out for Bradley at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Bradley’s constitutional rights deprived 

When Bradley Manning returns to Ft. Meade on Tuesday, October 30, he’ll have spent nearly 900 days in jail awaiting court-martial trial. That’s almost two and a half years wondering whether he’ll be spending the rest of his life in jail, and whether he’ll get to see the “debates, discussions, and reforms” that chat logs suggest he sought. That’s two and a half years too long. 

Bradley’s lawyer, David Coombs, will argue his most recent motion to dismiss charges with prejudice for lack of a speedy trial, which denounces and seeks accountability for the government’s inaction, unjustifiable delays, and sheer disregard for PFC Manning’s constitutional rights (1). RCM 707 affords 120 days from arrest to arraignment, but Bradley was arraigned nearly two years after his arrest in May 2010. UCMJ Article 10 compels the prosecution to act diligently and expediently, yet the government was inactive or needlessly slow for months prior to Bradley’s first pretrial hearing.

Judge Denise Lind and the parties have agreed to bifurcate this speedy trial motion: from October 30 to November 2, the government will bring its witnesses to testify. But the defense won’t be able to argue its portion of the motion until the December 10-14 hearing, which comes after the Article 13 motion to dismiss based on Bradley’s conditions at Quantico, which Coombs will litigate November 27-December 2. By that time, Bradley will have surpassed 900 days in jail without trial.

by Bill Fisher

Ted Reed of Forbes has written a column titled "Remember 9/11?” In it, he defends the TSA’s actions and uses as evidence another column written by the TSA’s Lisa Farbstein.

Andrea Abbott, the mother who tried to protect her daughter from being molested by the TSA, has been found guilty of “disorderly conduct.” Even though, as you can see in this video, Abbott wasn’t being disorderly — on the contrary, multiple TSA agents and an airport cop bullied her — st

The Washington Post seems to have taken up the TSA’s cause.

In a report headlined "TSA fights major image problem,” WaPo lists some of the TSA’s recent troubles, including incompetence and criminal behavior. It then quotes “a federal employee expert” who tells us that everything’s hunky-dory. The TSA is so rigorous and adept, you see, that it weeds out its problematic employees. It’s more “vigilant” than other federal agencies.

by Bill Fisher

Last week we had headlines about the TSA firing 25 workers and suspending 19 others at Newark airport for not confiscating 4-ounce containers of liquid or sufficiently delaying travelers. In addition, NBC 7 San Diego reported that Federal Security Director Michael Aguilar was retiring amidst reports of misconduct.

By Dave Lindorff

We know that there isn't much "Hope" for "Change" -- at least for progressive change -- should President Obama win a second term as president.

Even when he had the chance, with Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress during the first two years of his presidency, and with a solid mandate from the voters to act on restoring civil liberties, taking significant action against climate change, ending the wars and defending Social Security and Medicare, he did nothing.

http://www.stopmassincarceration.org

WHAT:  Rally, Photo-op, Trial

WHEN: Tuesday October 23   8:45 am Rally; 9:30 am Trial

WHERE: Room K11 Queens Criminal Court 125-01 Queens Blvd Kew Gardens NY

Queens, NY – On October 23, four of thirteen protesters who were arrested last year while conducting non-violent protest against stop-and-frisk will begin trial.  They face two years in prison.  The protests they were part of were initiated by Carl Dix, of the Revolutionary Communist Party, and Dr. Cornel West.

The controversial NYPD policy of stop-and-frisk is being hotly debated throughout the city.  The Bronx DA has recently ceased prosecuting many trespass charges associated with the policy; hearings are being conducted throughout the city; and protests against it have escalated over the last year.  But Richard Brown, the Queens District Attorney has intensified efforts to convict and punish these protesters.

By Christopher Elliott

It started like it always does, just a few moments before I checked in for my flight.

The sweating. The heart thumping uncontrollably inside my chest. The weak knees.

We are still working tirelessly to get media coverage. You can help by writing and calling CBS 60 Minutes and telling them to re-visit the case in greater detail.

60m@cbsnews.com
+1 (212) 975-2006

Why?

• Because the statute of limitations had expired and prosecutors brought the case anyway - using RICO - which Professor G. Robert Blakey (the leading authority on RICO) said was a total misuse of RICO.

• Because the federal judge who resided over the case accepted millions in defense contracts from the Bush Administration for his personal business, Doss Aviation.

• Because U.S. Prosecutors, such as David Iglesias, admitted to being fired for ceasing to pursue political prosecutions.

• Because Siegelman's prosecutors were intimately connected to Siegelman's political opponents.

• Because Karl Rove has tried to defend himself against the accusations involving Siegelman (including Chapter 34 of his book) but refused to testify under oath when subpenaed by the House Judiciary Committee!

• Because sworn testimony implicates Rove and a handful of others in the Siegelman prosecution.

• Because Jack Abramoff admitted that Don Siegelman was his greatest political target; $20 million was spent in Alabama (illegally) to defeat the education lottery!

• Because Siegelman was charged with something that has never been a crime in America. The precedent set in his case seriously threatens the democratic process and easily implicates every elected official nation-wide.

Let CBS 60 Minutes know there are many who are ready to go forward and speak about this case. Let them know that Siegelman is an American hero and his story cannot be forgotten. We need your help. Media support is crucial.

Thank you,

Dana Siegelman

Feel-good articles about the TSA’s Pre-Check program continue to proliferate. Even as passengers report experiencing what we’ve been warning about for a year.

By Dan DeWalt

Tuesday's Presidential debate spoke volumes about the sorry state of politics today. Granted, both contenders gave a good show: Obama was back on his game and Romney did his best to sound like Ronald Reagan. The pundits have been given a lovely hopper of fodder to hold them for a week or so. It has been agreed that Americans only care for a spectacle, so this debate will be analyzed and judged the same way any theatrical event gets reviewed by the critics.

After being invaded by Germany in World War I, France embarked on an ambitious and expensive project intended to prevent a future attack on its northern border. The series of fortifications was termed the Maginot Line in honor of French Minister of War André Maginot.

Michelle Dunaj, the terminally ill passenger who claims TSA agents in Seattle-Tacoma International Airport botched her pat-down, drew a visceral reaction from travelers with the humiliating details of her screening.

Read the rest at TSA News.

By Linn Washington, Jr.

After spending much of her 94-years as a civil rights activist this Washington, DC resident is understandably supportive of the Barack Obama presidency because she like many African-Americans never thought she’d ever see a black man sitting in that Oval Office seat designated for the most powerful person on earth.