What the architects of the police state want are submissive, compliant, cooperative, obedient, meek citizens who don’t talk back, don’t challenge government authority, don’t speak out against government misconduct, and don’t step out of line.
What the First Amendment protects - and a healthy constitutional republic requires - are citizens who routinely exercise their right to speak truth to power.
It’s not an easy undertaking.
Weaponized by police, prosecutors, courts and legislatures, “disorderly conduct” charges have become a convenient means by which to punish those individuals who refuse to be muzzled.
Deyshia Hargrave, a language arts teacher in Louisiana, was thrown to the ground, handcuffed and arrested for speaking out during a public comment period at a school board meeting.
Fane Lozman was arrested for alluding to government corruption during open comment time at a City Council meeting in Palm Beach County, Fla.
Dan Heyman, a reporter for the Public News Service, was arrested for “aggressively” questioning Tom Price, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services during an encounter in the West Virginia State Capitol.
College professor Ersula Ore was slammed to the ground and arrested after she objected to the “disrespectful manner” shown by a campus cop who stopped her in the middle of the street and demanded that she show her ID.
Philadelphia lawyer Rebecca Musarra was arrested for exercising her right to remain silent and refusing to answer questions posed by a police officer during a routine traffic stop. (Note: she cooperated in every other way by providing license and registration, etc.)
Robert Bartlett was arrested during an Arctic Man festival in Alaska, allegedly in retaliation for refusing to be interrogated by police and intervening when police attempted to question other people. His case is before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Cases like these have become all too common, typical of the bipolar nature of life in the American police state today: you may have distinct, protected rights on paper, but dare to exercise those rights and you put yourself at risk for fines, arrests, injuries and even death.
This is the unfortunate price of freedom.
Yet these are not new developments.
We have been circling this particular drain hole for some time now.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
7 comments:
Minus the riots, police stand down nationally with " protesters " as they destroy property, block traffic and scream at people in restaurants.
And don't even think you can expose the Clinton Crime family, you won't see another sunrise if you do!
once again I say it, the kops are not here to protect you. they are here to protect the government from you!
Start shooting.
The path of action prescribed and highly recommended by.....Thomas Jefferson.
He PREDICTED it. Encouraged it.
And told us what would happen if we DIDN'T do it.
Check. Check. And check.
We can work out the details as we go....
Or, keep cheering.
Imclain, so after the revolution then what? you keep throwing this bs out there encouraging others to do these types of things with no thought of the relative consequences! not very smart! I'm no fan of the current state of our country (democrats) or world affairs but one must tread carefully these days. You want to win the battle or the war?
Semper Fi
We have to start somewhere.
How much are YOU willing to keep cheering on before YOU decide things are out of hand??
There are ALWAYS people who advise restraint and cool heads. They're mostly on the side of status quo.
Fear is their constant companion.
I GUARANTEE there were many, many, citizens who kept telling Washington, Madison, Henry, Jefferson, and Franklin to cool it. They weren't being very "smart".
THANK GOD they knew better.
Keep cheering.
imclain, if you knew what I know you would be really worried. relax it ain't no where near that bad yet! but it's coming! keep your powder dry!
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