By Greg PalastThe Observer
Britain's Premier Sunday Newspaper
Guardian Media Group
Friday, July 15, 2005
Well, it didn't take long, did it?
In the USA, the curtain opened on new anti-terror follies Wednesday when three Senate committees, in blustery response to the London bombings, voted to extend the power of the FBI under the Patriot Act to obtain library records without a subpoena. Exactly what suicide bomber or sleeper cell has so far been exposed by this powerful new intelligence weapon, we are not told. Did Osama fail to return his copy of 'Harry Potter'? Or 'Hijacking for Idiots'?
What we have here is the great con: to get us to pull each other's hair over the sanctity of library card privacy. We're dragged into some nit-wit debate over the "balance between security and civil liberties" -- with the defenders of America against terrorism sneering at the sissies from the ACLU.
Civil libertarians are all shook up that the FBI is going through our summer reading list. My concern is deeper. What I want to know is, who at the FBI is poring over my choice of novels, how much do we pay this guy and why isn't he reviewing Swiss and Pakistani bank transfer records instead?
If our nation's safety depends on enlisting Marian the Librarian for anti-terror espionage, then I'm checking out.
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Greg Palast is the author of the New York Times bestseller, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy." Subscribe to his commentaries or view his investigative reports for BBC Television at www.gregpalast.com
20 comments:
So why not check some library records to see if somebody has checked out the latest periodical of, "How to Make a Dirty Nuclear Bomb Without Even Trying?"
Or, "How to Fly Unaided?"
Or, "Geography and Workings of the Port System, USA," a working rendition of borders and sea ports.
A choice between your library card or your life....no selection here.
Government and politics seem to have a special draw for sociopathic personalities. Just look at our
Government here in Oz as a sample.
These types are ever on the lookout for ways to gain power over their fellow travelers on this earth. This whole war on terror scam is tailor made for these low lifes. It gives them the opportunity and excuse to erode the individual freedoms that was built into the Constitution before succeeding generaltions of sociiopathic bureauracrats ate holes in it.
My first reaction when I saw those planes flying into the Trade towers was that there was going to be massive assault on the Constitution and our freedom, not by Osama but by the power mongers in Washington, D.C.
Just like our Neo-Con collection of grubby little politicos at city hall, Washington is chock full of low lifes that look for every chance to take our rights and liberties and money in their never ending quest for domination over us. They fancy themselves as the only true keepers of the public good.
Nonsense, Anonymous....Freedom isn't free and once in awhile we must pay a price, and if it's giving up the library card or bus transfer slip, so be it. Everything isn't about power mongering!
Although some time funny, I generally don't appreciate personal attacks in these kinds of forums, but I must make an exemption and respond to Patriot Pat and say:
You sound like one dumb son of a bitch who has bought into this central planning, common good, control everything, neo-con bull shit that is sweeping our land...
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759)
PP is right on target, if you'll pardon the militaristic play on words. Bleeding democratic liberals, yeah you Boney lee and marko. Old Ben Franklin lived 200 years ago and some things have changed. Bought into the Neo-con movement that's sweeping the land? Horse pucky! What the hell does that have to do with fighting terrorism? Take 'em out, the way they try to take us out. If one of the weapons is a library card or the like, so be it. Better alive than dead. Remember, half measures avial us nothing, and it's you stupid sons-o-bitches (your wording Bone head Bonnie) that will allow the borders to seive, the hidden to stay in hiding, and just back on your pompous asses, do nothing except to berate those who really have a grasp on the situation and are doing their best to stop this Bin Laden movement, because some of the necessaries we need might just inconvenience you schmucks. Pull your heads out of your asses and stand up, fight, and be counted. If you fools were running the show, we'd be looking alot like Beirut. Probably never served a day in the military or any other "service-to-country" place either. You're just a chickenshit "taker;" a rebel without a clue.
I'm sure Marko has worn "the uniform", Thud Butt.........
The uniform of Burger King!
The paper hat too I bet
Pretty easy to surmise that about Marko. The others? Well, they probably have worn NO uniform. All they do is stand in the unemployment line with their hand out for the free shit.
What a joke, patriot pat.
Do you honestly believe that al quaeda terrorists run down to their local library to study up before they blow up a car or a building?
What a dope!
I'm bummed... I was hoping the Patriot Act would finally crash and burn and... DIE! It makes my job of marketing at a financial institution a hell of a lot more difficult than it should be, that's for sure.
It is my opinion that Patriot Pat and Thud Butt are incredibly niave in the ways of the world. They are the gullible types that are oblivious to the machinations of the Neo-Con Movement that is insidiously taking over America and our freedoms.
They are the same people that sat idly by and watched as their freedoms were systematically stripped away by the Nazi's in the 1930's. They are the same people who stood by as the holocost, which started ever so slowly, gradually destroyed fifty million lives.
Freedom must be vigilantly protected from ALL enemies without and within and at all times. There is no recess.
Our people suffered through the cold war with the spectre of atomic war hanging over their heads. The Military industrial complex was named by Ike when he warned the public about them. He warned that they manipulated the press and the American public to achieve their own goals of power and wealth. Later they grossly over estimated the Soviet capabilities in order to keep the American public scared and compliant about the expendures of thousands of billions of dollars over a fifty year period.
The Soviets never ever had the computer technology down which is absolutely necessary to successfull intercontental atomic warfare. The CIA, FBI and American Government knew this. All of the major aerospace companies knew this. The American public did not know this.
Now in 2005 we are again faced with an awsome adversary, and the Neo-Cons, whose movement began with the rise of the military industial complex, are doing the same thing as their forefathers did. That is manipulate the message, manipulate the masses, remove the rights they enjoy so that they do not impede the progress of the right wing movement.
Al Quida is indeed the modern day foe of major proportions. They undoubtedly pose a nuclear threat. But in spite of that they are still not as big a threat to America as the politicians that are using them as an excuse to chip away at the constitution.
It is only with a strong and intact constitution that we will prevail against this or any other enemy.
These neo-con politicians are cold unfeeling control freaks, and when they succeed at chipping a little of the puplic's freedom away it is virtually impossible to ever get it back again.
Tom
1st Cav
Nam 68-70
And suddenly all of these terrorist experts who know EVERYTHING come to life. They use words like "Neo-con" and "military industrial complex," and served in Nam (a heartfelt thanks for a horrible war that was fought for one's government as opposed for one's country). But, there is no comparison to the Viet Nam era and the terrorist era of today. Nada. None.
The 9-11 investigation showed that many of the 19 went into our public libraries to use computers, wherein they would lay the hologram sheaf layers atop one another that would give them their directions, bank accounts, information of all types. Public computers, free, and no tracing. Somewhere in the libraries are books, used by the blind Shiek who bombed the WTC in the early 90's, that showed building blue prints, materials used for construction and other pertinant information that helped them decide where to plant the bombs. Also, the planes seemed to have a certain destiny, an impact position, found through various books in libraries, both public and on college campuses. To blindly say that "al Quaeda won't check out a book before bombing a building" is naive. The sad fact is, like the Japanese who took tours of Pearl Harbor and found much needed information prior to Dec 7, 41, and the Umber-Fuherer branch of the SS, who had spies searching for geographic facts and other such info that they sent back the the Fatherland via U-boats, and today's terrorists, our libraries hold a wealth of information that can aid in target selection and where to plant bombs and maybe fly planes into. Yet none of this has crossed your minds. Maybe you've got an inside track on these things but to say that I'm naive, you need to open your eyes and realize more is at stake than your marketing commission and a few minutes on the PC keyboard.
And you say I'm naive.
You tell 'em, patriot pat. There's more in them libraries than Tom-freakin'-Sawyer.
Really glad these idiots ain't on watch or standing a post. We'd be over-run in a flash.
Neo-cons chipping away at the Constitution my ass!
In relation to Patriot Pat and Thud butt, I would only say that there is no disputing ignorance. The two of them sound just about as stupid pretending to be smart as you can get.
What kind of self image would lead some one to use a moniker like Thud Butt? So far neither one has said anything intelligent, funny or true. Basically they sound stupid and stupid is boring.
On the other hand there are several frequent commentors that are funny, bright, well written and interesting. I hope they do not get discouraged by the presense of these boorish low intellectual participants and quit contributing.
Say Monica, you can always hook up and collaborate with Viktor and Mary Jo. They seem to be just your kind, anti-neocons and probably have never never set foot in the library.
Much can be learned in the library, and there are books in there that help people like me put up with fools like you all.
As for Thud Butt, he's a harmless contributor, but he, even with his moniker, know much better than you.
You ever stand a post? You want us on that wall. You need us on that wall. And you can't handle the truth!
I think Patriot Pat and ec have watched that Jack Nicholson Marine movie to many times.
My guess is that they are both phony vets. You know the kind that tell all kinds of lies about their service to the country, even when they did none or very little. Viet Nam era guys that tell of their great war exploits even tho they never left camp pentelton.
Monica is a movie buff I see. Is your last name Lewinsky? You seem to be about as intelligent as she.
Nobody has said anything about being in the military. You're just a bit pissed off because the info available in the library deal that I pointed out is valid.
Remember sweetie, the Viet Nam war and today's war against terrorism are really two different animals, about as far apart as one can get. Read up and concentrate and you'll be OK.
Well Mr. Butt, if you were not such a butt - head that is - you would know that these two pretenders have in fact been making military insinuations about themselves and questioning the qualifications of some commenters based on their implied lack of military service. "Right on target" "standing a post" - you been doing it yourself you friggen idiot!
In fact when looking at the amatuer useage of the language and certain lame style, I would guess that you are probably all one and the same.
And no, my last name is not Lewinski, that was the slut that reminds you of your mother.
Monica, you've fallen into Thud Butt and PP's trap, responding to their posts with sullen and less than dignified remarks, like that your "mother" reference to Lewinsky. Maybe those 2 clowns were right about you and others, and it appears that EC's impression, about how this blogsite is beginning to sink into decay through remarks such as yours, is proving to be accurate. Lewinsky was not a very bright or intelligent lady and should be careful to not use your head like she did hers. "wink"
I haven't seen a response, Monica. Have you finally learned how to use yer head or you been mis-behavin again?
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