Thursday, June 19, 2008
1968
...Jim Morrison.
"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety."
...Benjamin Franklin.
So why have we become a police nation? The answer my friend is blowing in the 60’s. This unique period in United States history was set off by the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. For the first time we had citizens questioning the reality that the U.S. government was feeding them. J.F.K. was openly against the U.S. involvement in the Viet Nam conflict. His viewpoint went against the post World War II agenda of keeping the U.S. at the status of hedgemon. He and many other citizens would face the negative consequences of being out spoken about this supposed war on communism.
Protests would swarm the streets when our youth were faced with the reality of being drafted into an unjust war. This mass rebellion set off violent response from the very political force that was propagating our involvement in a war that had been in the works since the day World War II ended.
The youth were exploring what Terrence McKenna called the “Archaic Revival”; a constricted puritanical society exploring the very primal nature of the species that is Homo sapien. With the onset of the sex based rhythms of Rock and Roll, and the consciousness expanding boundary dissolving effects of psychoactive substances, the U.S. youth were breaking free of the notion of a justified war against communism and the societal taboos of sexual exploration. This action could only be met by a counteraction from the leaders of this fascist like enforcement of the rightwing moral agenda.
Introducing the “Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968". With this act came $200,000 a year to any police department who asked for it, 60% of it going to police hardware. Any action taken against public protests were backed up by this act. It gave the U.S. government the right to wire tap and listen to any private conversation involving what they deemed threatening, grouping marijuana users with murderers.
June 17 1970, Richard Nixon declares war on drugs. Under Nixon, the U.S. Congress passes The Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This illegal form of prohibition has increased crime, raised prison population levels and cost tax payers billions of dollars.
October 26 2001, Congress passes the USA PATRIOT Act. Reminiscent of the "Red Scare" this act targeted any individual suspected of supporting terrorism. This unconstitutional act bypassed the Fourth Amendment.
I feel it is these actions taken by the U.S. Government that has led us to the over policed nation that we are today.
If you are intrested in reading the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 for yourself, go here.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Venice incident.
“Police and thieves in the street, oh yeah Fighting the nation with their guns and ammunition”
.......The Clash
“The people are difficult to govern because their superiors are too meddlesome”
.......Lao Tzu
I sat in on a drum circle the other day at Venice beach. It's a way for all kinds of people to communicate through rhythm; a beautiful thing when you think about it. Suddenly this black helicopter began circling right above us. I looked closer at it and saw those infamous letters written on the side: LAPD.
"What could they want" I thought, and was relieved when the helicopter flew away. Next a black SUV rolled up on the sand and parked right next to us. "What the hell is going on" I wondered, I have joined this drum circle many times, day and night, never have we been bothered by the cops.
The driver rolls his window down and begins scanning the crowd. I looked around and saw nothing that he should be interested in. I knew there was trouble when he got out of the vehicle. The cop pointed to a guy and motioned him over with his finger. The poor man stood up and pointed to himself. "Me?" he asks. "Yeah you," says the cop, "come here." When the guy got to the SUV the cop spreads him out on his hood and begins searching him. I was so disturbed by the scene that I couldn't watch anymore.
Was this America or some twisted parallel universe where the Nazi's had won? Why have we become a police nation? Why are so many laws being passed that turn the common man into a criminal? What happened to our Fourth Amendment rights?
p.s. Dont believe me? Watch this video....
