[PLUG-TALK] Re: [PLUG] Sounds good to me ;)

Jeme A Brelin jeme at brelin.net
Tue Jun 18 08:43:45 UTC 2002


On Mon, 17 Jun 2002, Craighead, Scot D wrote:
> >My point (without calling anyone an idiot. I don't resort to those types of
> >tactics) is that borders don't matter anymore. The world is a much smaller 
> >place, and people need to realize that going from point a to b shouldn't be
> >that difficult.
> 
> That's why terrorists are able to get around so well.

I recommend you all watch a very entertaining little movie called Brazil.

It contains the staggeringly appropriate line, "Have you ever actually MET
a terrorist?"

Terrorism is the great spectre; the enemy that cannot be defined and,
therefore, can neither be refuted nor vanquished.  It is always looming,
for those who choose to say it looms.  It's the bogeyman.  "The threat of
Terrorism" is an excuse for "The War Against Terror", which, in turn, is
an excuse for big military contracts, the squashing of political
organizations unfriendly to the current regime, and the creation and
enforcement of a host of rules and regulations that benefit the powerful
at the expense of the many.

Jefferson explained to us that the greatest enemy of peace is a large
standing military.  And peace is a prerequisite for freedom.

Consider that the USA Patriot Act defines a terrorist as any person or
organization that commits acts within the United States that are
"dangerous to human life" and "appear to be intended" to "influence the
policy of a government by intimidation or coercion," or "to intimidate or
coerce a civilian population."  This is more or less a description of the
police and military.  However, the act makes a specific point of exempting
police and military from accusations of terrorism.  This is a case of
calling your enemy "everyone who is like me, but isn't actually me."

And take a look at the EFF's well-considered review of the "USA Patriot
Act" and see if this doesn't give you some insight into the true intent
and value of the law:

<URL: http://www.eff.org/Privacy/Surveillance/Terrorism_militias/20011031_eff_usa_patriot_analysis.html >

Don't buy the hype.  Nobody wants to kill tolerant, freedom-loving,
respectful people.  If there are organizations that want to destroy all
Americans, then realize that they are simply the people most convinced by
our propaganda which states that the U.S. government acts upon the will of
the people.  If I believed that, I'd think it was about time to kill every
American, too.

J.

"We've got a bunch of crippled looners in power
Who want to treat us to a nuclear shower
I'd give my life for just a gun and hour
You know I'd murder them out in the street"
                    -- Robyn Hitchcock, _Dancing on God's Thumb_

-- 
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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