oh crap..i was in a band called the disruptors

[Guest guest]

The New Fascism

By William Rivers Pitt

t r u t h o u t | Perspective

17 January 2006

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/011706I.shtml

 

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Bush to criminalize protesters under Patriot Act as " disruptors "

by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse

Wed Jan 11, 2006 at 07:27:26 PM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/11/212726/954

 

Bush wants to create the new criminal of " disruptor " who can be jailed

for the crime of " disruptive behavior. " A " little-noticed provision "

in

the latest version of the Patriot Act will empower Secret Service to

charge protesters with a new crime of " disrupting major events including

political conventions and the Olympics. " Secret Service would also be

empowered to charge persons with " breaching security " and to charge for

" entering a restricted area " which is " where the President or other

person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily

visiting. " In short, be sure to stay in those wired, fenced containments

or free speech zones.

 

Who is the " disruptor " ? Bush Team history tells us the disruptor is an

American citizen with the audacity to attend Bush events wearing a

T-shirt that criticizes Bush; or a member of civil rights,

environmental, anti-war or counter-recruiting groups who protest Bush

policies; or a person who invades Bush's bubble by criticizing his

policies. A disruptor is also a person who interferes in someone else's

activity, such as interrupting Bush when he is speaking at a press

conference or during an interview.

 

What are the parameters of the crime of " disruptive behavior " ? The

dictionary defines " disruptive " as " characterized by unrest or disorder

or insubordination. " The American Medical Association defines

disruptive behavior as a " style of interaction " with people that

interferes with patient care, and can include behavior such as " foul

language; rude, loud or offensive comments; and intimidation of patients

and family members. "

 

What are the rules of engagement for " disruptors " ? Some Bush Team

history of their treatment of disruptors provide some clues on how this

administration will treat disruptors in the future.

 

(1) People perceived as disruptors may be preemptively ejected from

events before engaging in any disruptive conduct.

 

In the beginning of this war against disruptors, Americans were ejected

from taxpayer funded events where Bush was speaking. At first the events

were campaign rallies during the election, and then the disruptor

ejectment policy was expanded to include Bush's post election

campaign-style events on public policy issues on his agenda, such as

informing the public on medicare reform and the like. If people drove to

the event in a car with a bumper sticker that criticized Bush's policies

or wore T-shirts with similar criticism, they were disruptors who could

be ejected from the taxpayer event even before they engaged in any

disruptive behavior. White House press secretary McClellan defended such

ejectments as a proper preemptive strike against persons who may disrupt

an event: " If we think people are coming to the event to disrupt it,

obviously, they're going to be asked to leave. "

 

(2) Bush Team may check its vast array of databanks to cull out those

persons who it deems having " disruptor " potential and then blacklist

those persons from events.

 

The White House even has a list of persons it deems could be

" disruptive " to an eventand then blacklists those persons from attending

taxpayer funded events where Bush speaks. Sounds like Bush not only has

the power to unilaterally designate people as " enemy combatants " in the

global " war on terror, " but to unilaterally designate Americans as

" disruptive " in the domestic war against free speech.

 

(3) The use of surveillance, monitoring and legal actions against

disruptors.

 

Bush's war against disruptors was then elevated to surveillance,

monitoring, and legal actions against disruptor organizations. The FBI

conducts political surveillance and obtains intelligence filed in its

database on Bush administration critics , such as civil rights groups

(e.g., ACLU), antiwar protest groups (e.g., United for Peace and

Justice) and environmental groups (e.g., Greenpeace).

 

This surveillance of American citizens exercising their constitutional

rights has been done under the pretext of counterterrorism activities

surrounding protests of the Iraq war and the Republican National

Convention. The FBI maintains it does not have the intent to monitor

political activities and that its surveillance and intelligence

gathering is " intended to prevent disruptive and criminal activity at

demonstrations, not to quell free speech. "

 

Surveillance of potential disruptors then graduated to legal actions as

a preemptive strike against potential disruptive behavior at public

events. In addition to monitoring and surveillance of legal groups and

legal activities, the FBI issued subpoenas for members to appear before

grand juries based on the FBI's " intent " to prevent " disruptive

convention protests. " The Justice Dept. opened a criminal investigation

and subpoenaed records of Internet messages posted by Bush`s critics.

And, the Justice Dept. even indicted Greenpeace for a protest that was

so lame the federal judge threw out the case.

 

So now the Patriot Act, which was argued before enactment as a measure

to fight foreign terrorists, is being amended to make clear that it also

applies to American citizens who have the audacity to disrupt President

Bush wherever his bubble may travel. If this provision is enacted into

law, then Bush will have a law upon which to expand the type of people

who constitute disruptors and the type of activities that constitute

disruptive activities. And, then throw them all in jail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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70 pixies ready to go.. they’re all wrapped up in special kevlar lining.

They’re in a bunker in Colorado ready to go up there and defend our country!

And that’s how it works, and it costs a lot of money folks. That doesn’t

cost $100. That’s what a box-cutter shield would cost, that’s what you guys

seem to be wanting.â€

David Cross