Global
I read the article on Police FBI/vigilante tactics on the Web site.
I wanted to pass along a similar report of something that happened in Akron. It comes by way of Dana Williams, a volunteer with the Cleveland Indymedia Center. cleveland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3709&group=webcast Apparently, people holding a peace vigil were attacked and the Cops didn't do anything about it.
On Saturday, another Indymedia reporter/videographer was arrested at a demonstration near the Westside Market in Cleveland. He was on the scene to cover a demonstration by peace activists. Several demonstrators attempted to link arms and form a human chain blocking traffic at an intersection. Police moved in to break up the action. As they shoved demonstrators, the Indymedia guy was knocked down. The Police then told him to get up or he'd be arrested. He replied that he couldn't get up because a Cop was practically standing on him.
I wanted to pass along a similar report of something that happened in Akron. It comes by way of Dana Williams, a volunteer with the Cleveland Indymedia Center. cleveland.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=3709&group=webcast Apparently, people holding a peace vigil were attacked and the Cops didn't do anything about it.
On Saturday, another Indymedia reporter/videographer was arrested at a demonstration near the Westside Market in Cleveland. He was on the scene to cover a demonstration by peace activists. Several demonstrators attempted to link arms and form a human chain blocking traffic at an intersection. Police moved in to break up the action. As they shoved demonstrators, the Indymedia guy was knocked down. The Police then told him to get up or he'd be arrested. He replied that he couldn't get up because a Cop was practically standing on him.
Open harassment by Columbus Police, vigilantes and possibly federal agents against the peace movement began Saturday, March 15, 2003. More than 400 peace activists gathered in Blackburn Park at 18th and Main Streets in the heart of the black community. Bill Moss, a prominent African American Columbus School Board member and former “Soldier of the Year” in Ohio spoke out against the illegality of the war with Iraq; Barry Edney, local barber, founder of the Ordinary People’s Movement and a Vietnam-era vet also spoke. Despite the involvement of these well-known black activists within the peace coalition, the Columbus Free Press learned that local precinct officers fanned out through the community, including those assigned to the gang squad, to warn black youth that a large group of white troublemakers was coming into their neighborhood to cause disruption.
Joan Baez joins protesters along High St. near Spring. - March 20
Women in Black at 15th and High. - March 14
The sound of protest.
Downtown protesters line the street.
NO BLOOD FOR OIL!
Protesters line both sides of the street.
Contact Larry Fairbanks
Photos by Mike Gruber:
Joan Baez at the rally.
Baez and Gruber at the rally. Peace!
Propaganda has been used for as long as people have been around. Mankind uses propaganda to make it easier to kill one's enemy. When you convince your people that the enemy is subhuman and a threat, a threat that must be stopped, then it is very easy to kill your enemy because you are doing the right thing. This method of dehumanizing your enemy is as old as time.
There are many examples of this in American history. American propaganda against the Japanese in World War II and the communists in the Korean War, Vietnam, and the cold war are examples of this. In World War II we told American that the Japanese are a mindless evil and told Americans that every gun made kills a Jap and every tank made kills a Jap and so on. Propaganda doesn't just happen between two enemy nations, but also between different cultures, races, and religions. The Klan and other White Power Aryan Nations used propaganda against blacks, hispanics, Jews, homosexuals, and communists.
They try to portray African-Americans and criminals and white-woman rapists. They constantly bombard people with the idea that Afriacn-Americans are sub-human both through art and racial slurs.
There are many examples of this in American history. American propaganda against the Japanese in World War II and the communists in the Korean War, Vietnam, and the cold war are examples of this. In World War II we told American that the Japanese are a mindless evil and told Americans that every gun made kills a Jap and every tank made kills a Jap and so on. Propaganda doesn't just happen between two enemy nations, but also between different cultures, races, and religions. The Klan and other White Power Aryan Nations used propaganda against blacks, hispanics, Jews, homosexuals, and communists.
They try to portray African-Americans and criminals and white-woman rapists. They constantly bombard people with the idea that Afriacn-Americans are sub-human both through art and racial slurs.
At the Ohio Statehouse, Gov. Bob (Serial
Murderer) Taft gathered his people in a Nazi Germany-style rally to promote
fascism and world dominance by the U.S. While young Columbus, Ohio children
sang "God Bless America," a "Shock and Revulsion" campaign of bombing
Baghdad, inspired by the Hitler's Blitzkrieg, killed innocent Iraqi
children. While mindless nationalists spouted "Support our Troops" they
failed to add "in this unholy, illegal, immoral war in which they may be
killed." While they gathered together items for "care packages" for the
military, George W., Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tommy Franks and the others in the
U.S. military junta clapped their hands together in glee -- for if the U.S.
citizens will take it upon themselves to support the troops and send them
supplies, the government can lower the soldiers' wages even more and
benefits even further, allowing the military to spend more money violating
international law and experimenting with new toys by starting more
preventative attacks around the world.
A nation that prides itself on its adherence to the "rule of law" has violated that commitment in launching a patently illegal war.[1]
Under fundamental international law, military force is permissible only in self-defense or when authorized by the U.N. Security Council.
The administration does not attempt to argue that self-defense applies. Iraq poses no imminent threat.
The Bush team's new doctrine of "preventive war" simply has no legitimacy under international law. Nazi leaders offered the same defense at the Nuremberg Tribunal.[2]
Rejecting the claim, the Tribunal found the Nazis guilty of the crime of aggression. As the Tribunal said, "To initiate a war of aggression, however, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole."
Has the use of force to unseat Saddam Hussein been authorized by the Security Council?[3]
The answer is unequivocally no.
Under fundamental international law, military force is permissible only in self-defense or when authorized by the U.N. Security Council.
The administration does not attempt to argue that self-defense applies. Iraq poses no imminent threat.
The Bush team's new doctrine of "preventive war" simply has no legitimacy under international law. Nazi leaders offered the same defense at the Nuremberg Tribunal.[2]
Rejecting the claim, the Tribunal found the Nazis guilty of the crime of aggression. As the Tribunal said, "To initiate a war of aggression, however, is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole."
Has the use of force to unseat Saddam Hussein been authorized by the Security Council?[3]
The answer is unequivocally no.
Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (DOH), who leads opposition in the
House to the war in Iraq, issued [Fri, 21 Mar 2003] the following
statement on the 'shock and awe' air campaign:
"Today is a sad day, the United States has begun its 'shock and awe' air campaign against Iraq. By all accounts this attack will rain thousands of bombs down on a heavily populated area."
"The 'shock and awe' air campaign is a horrific acceleration of the United States' unprovoked attack against Iraq. This air campaign is designed to aim the full might of the United States military apparatus at the center of a civilian population."
"Today, my thoughts and prayers are with the coalition service men and women serving in the region and with the innocent Iraqi civilians. We must end this unjustified war."
Congressman Kucinich will issue daily statements on the war in Iraq. www.kucinich.us
"Today is a sad day, the United States has begun its 'shock and awe' air campaign against Iraq. By all accounts this attack will rain thousands of bombs down on a heavily populated area."
"The 'shock and awe' air campaign is a horrific acceleration of the United States' unprovoked attack against Iraq. This air campaign is designed to aim the full might of the United States military apparatus at the center of a civilian population."
"Today, my thoughts and prayers are with the coalition service men and women serving in the region and with the innocent Iraqi civilians. We must end this unjustified war."
Congressman Kucinich will issue daily statements on the war in Iraq. www.kucinich.us
Dear friends,
In Baghdad, as I write, things are relatively quiet. Today IPT delegate Wade Hudson had a chance to take a limited drive around Baghdad with a driver and a government minder. After passing by the still smoking Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, he drove to a residential neighborhood where he reports having seen a bomb crater 8 to 12 feet deep "in the middle of a wide, divided street. Traffic in one direction was blocked." He also reported passing by "many small homes in the neighborhood with all of their front windows blown out, presumably from the blast that created the crater."
A few hours ago, we spoke with Kathy Kelly at the Al Fanar hotel in downtown Baghdad. Kathy told us that they will be going around and visiting some hospitals tomorrow where there are apparently quite a lot of children. It is expected that the worst is yet to come.
In Baghdad, as I write, things are relatively quiet. Today IPT delegate Wade Hudson had a chance to take a limited drive around Baghdad with a driver and a government minder. After passing by the still smoking Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, he drove to a residential neighborhood where he reports having seen a bomb crater 8 to 12 feet deep "in the middle of a wide, divided street. Traffic in one direction was blocked." He also reported passing by "many small homes in the neighborhood with all of their front windows blown out, presumably from the blast that created the crater."
A few hours ago, we spoke with Kathy Kelly at the Al Fanar hotel in downtown Baghdad. Kathy told us that they will be going around and visiting some hospitals tomorrow where there are apparently quite a lot of children. It is expected that the worst is yet to come.