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Don't Cage Dissent
The bulwark against tyranny is dissent. Open opposition, the right to challenge those in power, is a mainstay of any healthy democracy. The Democratic and Republican conventions will test the commitment of the two dominant U.S. political parties to the cherished tradition of dissent. Things are not looking good.
Denver's CBS4 News just reported that the city is planning on jailing arrested Democratic convention protesters at a warehouse with barbed-wire-topped cages and signs warning of the threat of stun gun use. Meanwhile, a federal judge has ruled that a designated protest area is legal, despite claims that protesters will be too far from the Democratic delegates to be heard.
The full spectrum of police and military will also be on hand at the Democratic convention in Denver, many of these units coordinated by a "fusion center." These centers are springing up around the country as an outgrowth of the post-9/11 national-security system. Erin Rosa of the online Colorado Independent recently published a report on the Denver fusion center, which will be sharing information with the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI and the U.S. Northern Command. The center is set up to gather and distribute "intelligence" about "suspicious activities," which, Rosa points out, "can include taking pictures or taking notes. The definition is very broad."
Civil rights advocates fear the fusion center could enable unwarranted spying on protesters exercising their First Amendment rights at the convention. Documents obtained by I-Witness Video, a group that documents police abuses and demonstrations, revealed that the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency were receiving intelligence about the protests at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. The growing problem is that legal, peaceful protesters are ending up on federal databases and watch lists with scant legal oversight.
Former FBI agent Mike German is now a national-security-policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. He said, "It's unclear who is actually in charge and whose rules apply to the information that's being collected and shared and distributed through these fusion centers." Maryland State Police were recently exposed infiltrating groups like the Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty. German explains how police expand "beyond normal law-enforcement functions, and start becoming intelligence collectors against protest groups. The reports that we obtained ... make clear that there was no indication of any sort of criminal activity. And yet, that investigation went on for 14 months, and these reports were uploaded into a federal database. ... When all these agencies are authorized to go out and start collecting this information and putting it in areas where it's accessible by the intelligence community, it's a very dangerous proposition for our democracy."
After Barack Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee, the protest coalition in Denver splintered, as many were motivated originally by the anticipated nomination of the more hawkish Hillary Clinton. An anarchist group, Unconventional Denver, actually offered to call off its protests if Denver would redirect the $50-million federal grant it is receiving for security to "reinvest their police budget toward real community security: new elementary schools; health care for the uninsured; providing clean, renewable energy." The plea has not been answered. The city, meanwhile, is stocking up on "less-lethal" pepper-ball rifles and has set aside a space for permitted protesting that some are referring to as the "Freedom Cage."
In the Twin Cities on the evening Obama was giving his Democratic acceptance speech in June, the St. Paul Police Department arrested a 50-year-old man peacefully handing out leaflets promoting a Sept. 1 march on the Republican National Convention. After mass arrests at the RNC in Philadelphia in 2000 and roughly 1,800 arrests in New York City in 2004, ACLU Minnesota predicts hundreds will be arrested in St. Paul, and is organizing and training 75 lawyers to defend them.
For now, the eyes of the world are on the Beijing Olympics. Sportswriter Dave Zirin is reporting on the suppression of protests that are occurring there. He has an interesting perspective, as he is a member of the anti-death-penalty group infiltrated in Maryland. He told me, "Our taxpayer dollars went to pay people to infiltrate and take notes on our meetings, and it's absolutely enraging ... a lot of this Homeland Security funding is an absolute sham ... it's being used to actually crush dissent, not to keep us safer in any real way." The lack of freedom of speech in China is getting a little attention in the news. But what about the crackdown on dissent here at home? Dissent is essential to the functioning of a democratic society. There is no more important time than now.
168 Comments so far
Show All"Smell the irony of your last post."
miftin
I ran my own Internet discussion group for years. It was a fully moderated group. I read and approved/rejected every posting. I also banned lots of people who were deliberately disrupting the group dynamic. If a member held a completely contrary viewpoint on essential, fundamental, philosophical issues which affected his/her specific take on practically every issue being discussed, he/she had better make some strong and well-documented arguments, otherwise it's the highway. Sharpening your progressive positions against those in opposition is one thing, but simply having the group filled up with a bunch of mindless bologna is something else entirely. Jakenewton is not a member of the progressive community, and neither are SnowWolf, thomas More or a number of others. If I want to listen to their drivel, all I need do is turn on the TV or listen to Rush Limbaugh for a few minutes. Listening to rush Limbaugh for three minutes every six months pretty much sums up what people like jakenewton drone on about for hours on end.
WJM August 15th, 2008 12:10 pm
I really have to disagree (sort of). Fair trade (not free trade) and a market economy is exactly what paid built our country's infrastructure. Thats what we had during those time's. But the government built it which is their proper role.
My point was that we have markets that are out of control, regulations that have been removed, etc. You can't have Free Trade when you put taxes on say plywood from Canada so they can't sell under the Corporations agreed costs. Or a tax on ethanol from Brazil. Who's kidding who here?
I believe we are on the same page really, privitization of government funtions has been a disaster. Let me say again "There are some things only government can do. The "free market" fails every time it tries to do them."
"The market should decide what kind of toothpaste is available, or coffee, or bread. Not how much freedom and democracy you should have."
We are in absolute agreement there. I will also say that in most cases neither should the government interfere in our freedom and democracy.
"It's not to be trusted to run schools or to provide policing or justice. In my state, Colorado, we have a for profit justice system. Justice is now the last thing you can count on getting. What you can count on is extortion. It's now all about money, not about fairness or reasonable treatment under the law. We are 49th in education spending and 3rd in prison spending in my state. The market is NOT the mechanism that should be running things. It's goals are NOT those of social justice or freedom, but money. Nothing more."
Absolutely agreed.
Pax
P.S. miftin August 15th, 2008 12:42 pm
If we put up with radical left wing troll's then shouldn't we as liberals and progressives "put up with radical right wing troll's"? I really don't consider different ideas as coming from troll's. It;'s not that hard to spot a real troll.
Aren't we all better for a diversity of ideas? Isn't intellectual diversity what we strive for?
"Sharpening your progressive positions against those in opposition is one thing, but simply having the group filled up with a bunch of mindless bologna is something else entirely."
If my posts are mindless, you would have stopped responding to them long ago, but no, here you are compelled to respond yet again. You have some catching up to do in at least one other thread.
"Jakenewton is not a member of the progressive community, and neither are SnowWolf, thomas More or a number of others."
I guess we just found out about you didn't we. Thats the type of intolerant drivel that gives real liberals a bad name. I wasn't aware that you had approval of membership for anything.
Personal attacks like the one you just made and the comparison of any of us to Rush Limbaugh is just offensive. It says more about you than anything else.
"The bulwark against tyranny is dissent."
What drivel.
The bulwark against tyranny is action. Alternatives. Disobedience. Bravery. Principle. Dissent? Give me a break. Dissent is Common Dreams. i.e.: delusion, self-regard, pomposity, humorlessness and intolerance.
IF it's a progressive community, then it is a place for people to share their different interpretations and interact on the basis of certain shared principles, one of which would be a genuine concern for the human condition predicated upon the need for dramatic institutional change for the better. I recognize this concern in nearly all posters except a few, but these few seem to be guiding the threads by forcing others to react to them. They are, in effect, temporarily turning progressives into reactionaries by the very nature of their postings. You are free to make as many personal judgments about me as you wish, but the fact is, that a member of the Common Dreams administration was a member of my Internet discussion group for seven years, apparently monitoring the discussion by individual daily e-mails. That person unsubbed from my group at about the same time that Common Dreams initiated its own thread commentary feature.
" I recognize this concern in nearly all posters except a few,"
Maybe your recognition skills are substandard. Maybe you wrongly confuse a competing ideology with a lack of "concern".
"but these few seem to be guiding the threads by forcing others to react to them."
Nonsense. No one forces you to respond. If you "feel" forced, maybe that feeling indicates some doubts about something you think you beleive.
No, it is you who presents drivel. In my case at least, dissent is action. Why don't you call yourself Baby Doc?
Awesome post miftin, have a nice weekend.
I think the CD members should begin lobbying CD administration to kick this newton guy off the board. He just clutters up the threads and dumbs down the level of interaction. If it were up to jakenewton, everyone would just be calling each other names and he'd be right in his element.
Miftin, you were first to call me a name.
Take to the streets!
Democrats and Republicans caging protesters at their conventions emphasizes the contempt they have for citizens, The Bill of Rights, and The US Constitution.
Might be interesting if protesters didn't turn out leaving the cages empty . . .
I called the Democrat Party and was met with indifference by a man I suspect is a Republican. He not only displayed indifference, he claimed to be unaware of the cages for protesters.
meanwhile, back at the commute: the Single Occupancy Vehicle rolls on...
Could this be where the rubber meets the road?
You can bray all you want jakenewton, because once there enough of you right-wingers on here, CD is going to have to do something about it.
...and in this ring ::drumroll:: !
"The bulwark against tyranny is dissent."
Not just any dissent. Not just dissent for it's own sake.
Maybe the US citizens are just being made ready for China, when they decide to cash in on the debt we've built up by taking over the country - after the bushes, cheneys and all those other 1% mega rich have moved bag and baggage to Dubai, and other such places. By then China will us a docile, dumbed-down, and cowering people, one they won't have to crush as it's in the process of being done for them now.
This is a big deal!
Permitting the herding a caging of people expressing themselves in "free speech zones" and arresting them for doing what has long been taught an American, human right and honor is absolutely amazing to me. Caged, free speech zones in a country that is in itself "supposed" to be a nation dedicated to free speech is cynical and remarkable. More amazing is that it is permitted and not grasped for what it is -- duplicating the practices of dark dictatorships. If anything, it is a measure of us -- our serious decline as a country and the values we supported. This is a sign of our fall and tells the unavoidable story of what we may well be becoming. Power unchecked becomes all-powerful. Aligning to the power becomes absolute and pure. And the pursuit of that purity results in death camps for those deemed not pure, etc., etc., etc.
"Not just dissent for it's own sake." That comment seems absurd given the content and context of Ms. Goodman's posting; Amy is not advocating some petulant, adolescent protest just for the heck of it ("hey guys whaddaya wanna do today?" "I dunno, why don't we drum up some dissent against something." "Yeah, that sounds like a whole lotta fun!")--she is clearly referring to dissent in response to TYRANNY. Duh. (And in case you haven't noticed, that is certainly what we face in this country today). Did you actually read and understand her writing?
"What an incredibly dumb remark! Who has been advocating "dissent for it's own sake", pray tell?"
Amy Goodman in this article makes no extra qualification. Ever see the bumper sticker "Dissent is the Highest Form of Patriotism"? There are all kinds of people advocating dissent for it's own sake.
http://www.cafepress.com/irregulargoods.14148588
Who else but the world's greatest hypocrit dares to lecture others on Human Rights?
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
"Amy is not advocating some petulant, adolescent protest just for the heck of it"
Since she doesn't specify we are left to guess. Just because it might be against tyranny wouldn't disqualify it as "petulant, adolescent protest".
wilmoor,
Regardless of what anyone thinks about the extent to which the current Chinese Communist Party meets or even strives to meet its ideal, it should be recognized that the communist approach is based on the idea that the Party and its officials are expected to be dedicated to the welfare of the members of society. People in the society who are concerned with the direction of the country and with the policies of the Party are expected to join the Party and become involved in Party decisions. Protesting on the streets (and really voting in general elections) is not considered a healthy or productive form of provoking or working for change.
In the capitalistic US, the basic idea is that everybody is competing with everyone else, and that includes people serving in government, so none of the citizens should place much trust in government officials or rely on the expectation that the officials are acting in the public interest. So it is the right and even duty of citizens to participate in the decision-making process by voting and by protesting when they feel sufficiently strongly about an issue. So governmental repression of free speech (which really is drowned out by corporate media flood speech anyway) and of protests is a much more serious transgression as it undermines the basic claims of fairness in a capitalistic society. It is as if one set of players in the competition are using the government to squash their competitors (which is actually exactly what is happening).
Interesting to note when those bumper stickers popped up...what with the U.S. government legalizing the spying on of its own citizens, infiltrating peaceful protest groups, putting people in "free speech zones," etc. Hmm, maybe there is some sort of correlation there...nah, that slogan must surely be about your basic, everyday, random dissent. Yeah, that's it, random, recreational dissent...you know, for fun!
The Constitution of the U.S. is on life support and in critical condition. We cannot allow the authorities to set to parameters of free speech or to compromise the right of assembly. This is NOT China,,,,,yet! What a shameful spectacle the Olympics are, hundreds, maybe thousands of potential "trouble makers" forcefully removed from Beijing. Where are they? The authorities in the totalitarian regime of China have managed to suppress any and all dissent, and the US media willingly goes along buying into and even promoting the charade.
It can't happen here? It is happening here and it's going to take a massive effort on many fronts to restore and preserve the fragile concept of "We the People".
"Since she doesn't specify we are left to guess. Just because it might be against tyranny wouldn't disqualify it as 'petulant, adolescent protest'." Spoken like a true tyrant...
"There are all kinds of people advocating dissent for it's own sake." Um, ok, like who? (Please inform us so we can report this suspicious activity...)
Looks like ol' jakenewton has really painted his Rovite ass into a corner on this thread.
This kind of thing usually happens when users let their hatred for a certain figure (in this case, Goodman) lead them to try to make arguments where there are none.
jj
"This kind of thing usually happens when users let their hatred for a certain figure (in this case, Goodman)"
So I "hate" Goodman, is that it?
If the term "Dissent" were replaced with "Honest, Intelligent, Informed, and Reasoned Dissent" then I would have no problem. But Goodman is supporting mere "Dissent".
And that wouldn't fit on the bumper sticker.
"JAKE" wants to be the guy to judge whether dissent is
"Not just any dissent. Not just dissent for it's (sic) own sake."
However, perhaps fourth-grade English grammar should be required of "JAKE" before he is made Commissar of Permissions.
Then again, I never met a Bushie who was competent at high school basic skills, and most of them can't do grade school basic skills. That's how we get into Iraq and can't get out again: incompetent Bushies following incompetent Bushies, who want to rule the world because it sounds like fun, even though they have no idea what the world is.
(must...not...get...stuck...on...tar...baby...)
"Honest, Intelligent, Informed, and Reasoned..." In my opinion, Amy Goodman is all those things. And a real patriot! While you argue semantics as our country is being over run with fascists...
JAKE LIKES TRYANNY
SO JAKE DOES NOT WANT DISSENT
APPARENTLY DISSENT AGAINST TRYANNY MUST BE JAKE LIKE TO BE GOOD DISSENT.
TOO MUCH DISSENT RIGHT HERE...
"grammar "
Ah yes, when all else fails, go after spelling and grammar.
" In my opinion, Amy Goodman is all those things."
She may very well be. But she seems to favor any old kind of dissent in her article.
At this point, the US public wouldn't have the courage to protest if "they" were slaughtering children in the streets.
Most of "us" are more afraid of missing So-You-Think-You-Can-Make-A-Deal-To-Be-An-American-Idol than "we" are about losing our basic freedoms.
If you want to see protest, take away their TV and torch their SUVs. That would mobilize the U.S. public. In the wrong way, of course, but it would get them moving.
A powerful and timely article by Amy Goodman, one of America's greatest patriots.
The thing not to loose sight of is that the ruling capitalists in the U.S. are terrified of a shift in social consciousness.
There is an emerging shift in global consciousness for a more just, sustainable and compassionate world. It is the only answer to peace in the world. The frustration of many dissidents is that this emerging higher consciousness is yet to hit the Democratic Party.
The crackdown on dissent at both the Democratic and Republican Conventions demonstrates this fear of losing political control on the part of the ruling capitalists.
Since WWII. the U.S.A. has become Ruling Corporate Capitalism Inc. Yet the Fortune 500 Corporations employ only 10% of working Americans. This is the tail waging the dog.
Simply put, unregulated corporate capitalism is the enemy of democracy. Corporate Capitalism eventually seeks a safe alliance with Fascism and this is what we are witnessing today.
In turn, Corporate America has the full support of numerous conservative think tanks and powerful philanthropist foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. These conservative think tanks and foundations, including the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have one and the same purpose; to support and sustain U.S. corporate capitalism.
The challenges to democratic dissent in America are enourmous.
No protester should go into a protest zone/cage.
Let them throw everyone in prison for the act of free speech.
Then sue.
@ Jeffrey August 14th, 2008 2:02 pm
I couldn't agree more. Caging people in free speech zones reveals the decline of our country and its values.
But not allowing folks to comment on certain touchy issues at this very site, is every bit as repressive and deplorable.
It's time this site starts practicing what its articles preach.
jakenewton: You are an ass, and ignorant to boot.
zzz: Right on!
The time has come for us lefties to realize that until we (to quote Mario Savio) "throw our bodies on the cogs of the machine", making it cease to operate at all, we are doing nothing but having public get-togethers. I love Amy, and I love all the people who take the time to truly listen to her as a very accomplished journalist. However, I grew up the Bay Area, and it is there where the idea of "peaceful protest" took on a completely different meaning than what Ghandi and King meant it to be. That is, we have to re-engage ourselves in the act of actual civil disobedience. If all we do is show up when and where they say we can, we should not be at all surprised when the media doesn't go out of their way to cover it. On the other hand, if we stop traffic, make it difficult for the fascist motorcades to get into the Xcel, etc and so on, they will cover it like a rock concert. They can't arrest all of us. The idea isn't to get arrested of course, but it also isn't the idea to protest only so far as to fully please the powers that be, the powers that we are supposedly speaking truth to.
Myself, and my five piece band will all be there protesting too. We just hope that if we do get arrested, we get out in time for our concert on September 2nd in Lowertown, Saint Paul.
"But not allowing folks to comment on certain touchy issues at this very site, is every bit as repressive and deplorable."
What happened!?!?
"You are an ass, and ignorant to boot."
Why? Do you support *all* dissent as a bulwark against tyranny?
"We just hope that if we do get arrested, we get out in time for our concert on September 2nd in Lowertown, Saint Paul."
Good luck with your show. If you avoid blocking traffic, throwing animal blood on people, spray painting slogans or breaking windows you should be fine.
the gestapo us polics state thugs will be there in force with weapons ready to use to maim and kill innocent civilians.
what? it's not like they can march down the streets of mainstreet america on a sunday morning. shucks, they just need a place to quench their bloody violent thirst for death. what better place than the democratic convention? they could beat to death every democrat in the world and go unpunished. in fact, they will probably get promoted and eventually end up in congress under the guise of a "republican".
Several thoughts here.
First, Jake, Buddy, you have got to think BEFORE you say stupid things. WHO is it that would be dissenting purely for the sake of dissenting? I don't believe that there are such people. It takes time, effort, energy and frequently money to form a dissenting group, and none of us has that available. No one would be so foolish (or bored) who has been paying attention to what has been going on. To think that you would even bring it up is amazing to me that you would have to go so far to do so. In fact, you are the very example of what you are talking about. You are dissenting purely for the sake of doing so. And that is not only ironic, that you would blame others for what YOU are doing, which is of course, the republican way, now, but it's just plain foolish, and makes you look like an idiot.
Secondly, it was always my belief that AMERICA is a "free speech zone". To limit those with differing opinions to areas a quarter mile away from those who need to hear those very voices is proof that we are no longer the country we used to be. Now we are a place of "order" and corporate wishes instead of democracy and the people having a voice.
And for the record, yes, democracy is a messy thing. It's SUPPOSED to be. It is what keeps those who have more money than brains from being able to dictate to the rest of the world how things will be.
The fact that BOTH parties are doing the "free speech zone" thing is proof that there really is less and less distance between them. But then, what do you expect when it's the same money that is telling them both what to do, say, and how to be? The fact that the righties don't see this as being an affront to THEIR rights as well as ours is proof that they aren't thinking anymore. They are bought and paid for just like their party is. How on earth does one who is a "conservative" decide that the destruction of their rights and their country as well as their livelihood is acceptable? They are not for conserving anything, they are only for destroying OUR rights, and for some reason don't even see that theirs are going away at the same time.
I guess that they have bought into the whole hatred thing that means that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". How sad that they have decided that their own fellow citizen is more dangerous than any real enemy.
And so ends America, not with a bang but with a whimper.
freedom... or security. some citizens of china are ok with their government's police state. 1.3 billion is a big population, a population that takes comfort in their governments control. thus, in a post 9/11 world (one of my most hated phrases), its this idea of comfort being sold to america, and many are buying. lets be real, freedom can be scary and democracy alot of work, comfort is easy.
i agree with amy goodman, there is no more important time than now. dissent, freedoms of assembly, speach, and press are the foundation of democracy.
on that note has anyone heard of a plan in canada to begin internet restrictions, pay per page, in 2010? possibly exported to the us by the 2012 elections?
"WHO is it that would be dissenting purely for the sake of dissenting?"
No one. It was Goodman's lack of specificity that prompted my reaction.
"I don't believe that there are such people. "
I do.
"You are dissenting purely for the sake of doing so."
In pointing out the vagueness of Goodman's statement and that on the bumper sticker, I am by no means "dissenting".
Jake: I called you an ass for all the reasons WJM so clearly put forward. Thanks for that. Secondly, "Why? Do you support *all* dissent as a bulwark against tyranny?" Again, you are an ass. But, I'll play along. In this piece, Amy clearly points out what she defines as "dissent" in the first paragraph: "Open opposition, the right to challenge those in power, is a mainstay of any healthy democracy." Maybe that's not clear enough for you, so let's elaborate: Dissent is the art of questioning one's authority, simple as that. Dissent is patriotic. Dissent is a loosely defined word that is used to identify actions and/or statements that go against the status quo. Now that can be, as is the case now, in an effort to display the absolutely rabid actions of a corrupt regime, or it could be something relatively small and simple, like saying no to a fare increase, like what they have done in Paris on numerous occasions. Look, we are all trying to assume you are not some kind of right wing troll, but when you use this black or white lingo, or better yet demand that every word meet your own personal definition and usage, you make it very difficult to assume you are a thinking person.
And lastly, your ignorance is made only clearer when you insinuate that one has to engage in "throwing animal blood on people, spray painting slogans or breaking windows," in order to get arrested. I personally know more than a dozen people who have been arrested for nothing other than standing with a sign. I also know people who were falsely arrested for inane acts like that and then harassed by law enforcement agencies for YEARS. I suggested blocking traffic because that actually makes it hard for the fascists to even do what they intend to come to Saint Paul to do, dig? You have to stop the machine from operating sometimes, in order to the rest of the people to look around and realize just how screwed things are.