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On an ever-increasing basis, I get the distinctly creepy feeling that high school English class made a very big impact on the neo-cons in office. Not for the quality of writing of such dystopian classics like 1984 and It Can’t Happen Here, but as a guideline of what to do once in power (tell me you can look at Karl Rove and not think “Four legs good. Two legs better”), proving once again that the basic lessons of history and humanity are lost on them.
Case in point: drawing from a very apt analogy of Fahrenheit 451 in which firemen went looking for questionable material (like the unacceptable notion of books that make you think) from the citizens to keep them complacent and happy, comes the news that the Department of Homeland Security has “deputized” the FDNY with the ability to report on citizens that may express opinions or have in their possession books that sound “anti-American.” A handy ally for DHS, as fire departments and EMTs don’t have to waste time with little niggly things like search warrants or probable cause for such searches.
Mike German, formerly with the FBI and now with the ACLU, talks with Keith Olbermann of the highly greased slippery slope we all find ourselves on.
Filed Under: Civil Liberties, Countdown/Keith Olbermann, Fascism, Government Policy, Homeland Security
No Trackbacks To “Getting Hosed By Homeland Security“
you can no longer trust the ambulance and fire dept.
bring out you dead!…..gong…..bring out your dead!
What if we keep anti-American and pro-American (jingoistic) literature in equal numbers? Would that confuse them?
I asked my librarian, “What do you think DHS would make of me, if they looked at the books I’ve checked out?” She didn’t even hesitate a second before replying, “Anything they want to.”
Fire fighters can enter homes because they have either been ordered to enter the residence by 911 or because they notice a clear and present danger. Still the Bush regime’s plan would be illegal. No fire department would play along because they are too busy fighting fires rather than snooping through people’s underwear drawers.
Ah, glad to see this posted.
One can only imagine “what next”?
Oh wait, we already know.
East Germany is the new America and Democrats will not change that.
Knock, knock. [or alternatively, ding dong]
Who’s there?
Firemen.
What do you want?
Home inspection. It’s been reported that your home may not be safe from fires. Say, what a book collection–Zinn, Blum, Chomsky, Marx. Are you by any chance discontented with our government?
One of THE best Book TV’s I ever saw was Mike German on “How To Think Like A Terrorist” here. Some of the smartest thinking I’ve heard in a while.
Sounds like a Stalinist police state to me. Wasn’t it fear of living under this kind of government what fueled the cold war for half a century? … sorry, gotta go - the KGB’s at the door. :-(
Department of Homeland Security has “deputized” the FDNY with the ability to report on citizens that may express opinions or have in their possession books that sound “anti-American.”
Homeland Security also has a “Citizens Police” training program thats basically the same thing. Neighborhood Police is a better term.
So if you ever wonder why a neighbors been giving you strange looks now you know why.
Jesus tap-dancing Christ.
Double-plus ungood are my thoughts.
Except, Nicole, there’s no slope, it’s a cliff. And its not greased, it’s a free-fall into a black-hole.
And don’t forget the “Thought Crime Bill” that recently passed in the House. If it becomes law it will establish a Center of Excellence to study and defeat thought criminals.
This bill was overwhelmingly support by the Democrats. WTF!!!
Homeland Security must be abolished.
You heard me NSA.
THEY are unAmerican. Look into it, won’t you?
Martial law is on the way. Blackwater is training police and we’re all in trouble. I think a better name for Homeland Security might be SS or maybe Stasi. How about Savak? KGB anyone? It’s past time to rise up and say enough. Throw ALL the politicians out and start over. We should be running away screaming in horror at those who say they want to “lead us”. We need to throw out the Federal Reserve system and bring down the banks and Wall Street. We’ve got to stop blindly allowing ourselves to be led like sheep and instead take charge of our lives. Of course, that will never happen. We’ll be segregated, selected, inspected and sent off to “rehabilitation resorts”. Just imagine the future as a foot stomping on a human face……..forever.
don’t hate me @ 11:
And the ground is rapidly approaching.
So if George Bush wants to get into your house he can pay some punk to light a 4th of July smoke bomb on your front door. Presto! The fire-department can enter legally. One of the fire-fighters is actually a Blackwater goon undercover. He sees a copy of a Michael Moore book on your shelf. Presto…You’re an Enemy Combatant on your way to Uzbekistan to be boiled in oil.
Even if none of this happens they’re slowly creating a climate where neighbor turns on neighbor. Everyone is suspicious of everyone else. Exactly the climate necessary to further their fascist dreams more efficiently.
Seriously, is this a coincidence?
hope @ 12:
Posting on C&L may be a violation of this bill. How does it feel to be a criminal?
that @ 17:
The only coincidences were the ones that occurred on a certain day in September.
Oh and everything that has happened since.
OUTING A CIA AENT IN TIME OF WAR IS TREASON AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Call Nancy Pelosi @1-202-225-0100 and DEMAND IMPEACHMENT.
I guess i better hide my copy of “America Sucks.”
don’t hate me @ 18:
I always thought my history of being a law abiding citizen would stand me in good stead. Uhhhh….not so much anymore.
A very shrewd move by King George. Firefighters (especially in New York) are one of the few trusted institutions of government left. Sure, they have screw-ups too, but generally they feel close to the people, and the people love them.
Not so with cops, especially recently. Not so with the increasingly SS-like Bush Federal agents. How to fix this? Well, if you can turn the people against the Firefighters and EMTs there are two benefits to the aspiring Prince:
1) In doing so, you create a firm “us” vs. “them” with the citizenry. When ALL government is suspect, and there is vocal agitation, this provides the perfect excuse for marital law (whether explicitly declared or not). “I have taken measures to make sure that the good firefighters and amblance workers can do their jobs to save our lives and homes, save from these terrorists and radicals.” This makes good speech copy, and an excellent cover for “cultural enforcement” by these institutions. As it is, one agency may “rat out” another to keep their favor with the public. We’ve seen this with the NYFD publicly humiliating the mayor Guliani and the NYPD by telling the truth. If this favor is not an option, the incentive to act in the public interest goes away… telling the truth will then only gain them your wrath, yet they will still be distrusted by the public. A win for the Prince.
2) As a bonus, those with too much integrity to spy on their fellow citizens and plant evidence in the course of EMT or firefighting duty will most likely quit, which is much more convenient than having to fire them without cause. Sometime the hardest thing in turning a tool of the state into a tool of the Prince is weeding out those of loyalty to the people rather than the coin.
Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? It may be answered that one should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, is much safer to be feared than loved, when, of the two, either must be dispensed with. Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous, and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life and children, as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you. And that prince who, relying entirely on their promises, has neglected other precautions, is ruined; because friendships that are obtained by payments, and not by greatness or nobility of mind, may indeed be earned, but they are not secured, and in time of need cannot be relied upon; and men have less scruple in offending one who is beloved than one who is feared, for love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.
Nevertheless a prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred; because he can endure very well being feared whilst he is not hated, which will always be as long as he abstains from the property of his citizens and subjects and from their women. But when it is necessary for him to proceed against the life of someone, he must do it on proper justification and for manifest cause, but above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony. Besides, pretexts for taking away the property are never wanting; for he who has once begun to live by robbery will always find pretexts for seizing what belongs to others; but reasons for taking life, on the contrary, are more difficult to find and sooner lapse. But when a prince is with his army, and has under control a multitude of soldiers, then it is quite necessary for him to disregard the reputation of cruelty, for without it he would never hold his army united or disposed to its duties.
(Bush. Crueler than Machiavelli.)
“Employees may also be held liable for damages suffered by the company”.
Well it’s real, it’s on the company website, all real and official looking. I have a pdf of it on at least two computers now. In addition to the obvious Satan inspired policy changes reading between the lines a trained analyst such as myself can easily extrapolate the proximity and severity of the imminent dystopian future.
I guess I’d better get over my fantasies about firemen.
Big hoses, ya know.
don’t hate me @ 18:
Kind of like a “them too” bill. Since most of congress are apparently crooks and criminals they need to make everyone else one to so they feel justified in their behaviors.
hope @ 22:
There are, of course, situations where not being a criminal is immoral. This is quickly becoming one of them.
where can I sign up to be on this list ? I know I already have a police/FBI file because of my (7 years of ) Anti-Bushit truck signs , the bomb squad was called on the truck once and another time I interrupted (with a 4′x4′ protest sign in the background) CNN’s live shot of Bob ‘PrinceOfDarkness” Novak on “Capital Gang” in Boise and was hustled off by local Gestapo . Oh yeah , I had a run-in with the (piggish acting) Capital Police in WDC a few years ago when they wouldn’t let me protest on the US Cap’s grounds even tho I was correct and they were WRONG , as proven by a US Supreme Court ruling just a year after my to-do with ‘em . The point is , I’ve insured that the Pigs ( currently ) running America know who I AM , and that I ( and MILLIONS ) will NOT be silenced , I am Peaceful and non-violent unless I’m attacked , , , OK ?
Remember (Tr)Ashcroft’s TIA ; where hundreds of thousands of us signed up to be on it and it died ? Can anyone create such a list/movement for this Fetid Fahrenheit Fetish ?
hope @ 22:
I know. If your a law abiding citizen who knows what they are doing these days your treated like some kind of dangerous freak.
Remember when they put out that alert to be on the lookout for men carrying World Almanacs because they might be terrorists?
I went right out and bought one with a credit card so they would have something to do.
slowly?
In one fell swoop, DHS has turned firemen from heros into agents of oppression. They might as well replace the Fire Department logo on their jackets with bull’s eyes.
We should put together a list of the most radical, revolutionary, thought provoking, DHS provoking books we can think of, buy them, bbring them home and read them.
It’s just the government We deserve because it’s the government WE have and have ALLOWED to become these last 7 years. (+/-) (no guts, no glory—no pain, no gain)
people should not fear thier goverment . Government should fear the people. rudy and all these contenders don’t want to hear this…but people….smarten up. I’m para-phraseing V. Impeach the Chimp and Count Dickula.
xoites defends Constitution @ 30:
You rebel. No juice for you. What is your cell number, prison mate? LOL
johnny canuck @ 34:
We have no reason to fear this government: They have retarded people like FEMA directors who have to lie about Horse Shows to get a job in a reckless organization. The quality of the employees is so low, they still have to lie to get the bad jobs.
johnny canuck @ 34:
Actually, what they do not want us to know and what they will never admit is they are scared shitless of us. That is why they do everything they can think of to keep us divided, distracted and preoccupied.
xoites defends Constitution @ 32:
Read them, and the DHS employees will get confused as they burn them: “Uh, what is this . . .a book? I haven’t seen one of these in years. Where’s my bourbon?”
BTW , when was the last time anybody heard the term : ” Jack-Booted Thugs “ ?
RIGHT , , , there HAS to be a Democrat in the White-house for RePIGlicans to say that .
So , WHY don’t Dems call the Bushiters Jack-Booted THUGS and get it in the national meme ?
Drunken US Govt Idiots @ 38:
Well, i would not go that far. I have come in contact with people who (because DHS sucked up every agency when it was formed the Idiots In Charge could think of) must now be in DHS. There are very bright well read people in our government. Their political views i may not agree with, but i will never pretend they are ignorant or stupid.
Why the fuck do we have to go to the Telegraph UK to find this out??? Jesus Christ, thank the goddess for the Internet and blogs otherwise we would have no way of keeping track of what these criminals are doing. A fireman’s job is hazardous enough without having to be an informant for the Bush regime. So where are the Democrats on this?? Hillary? Obama? Pelosi? Reid? Oh yeah, they’re busy cowering in their offices because they’re afraid FOX news is gonna say bad things about them. People, we DO have two parties running this country: Criminals and Cowards
gene214 @ 41:
I thought it was Crooks and Liars.
Is there some publicly-traded prison corp. stock I can start investing in?
With the majority of people hating Bush, that’s a lot of jail cells to build.
Can I just assume these stocks will be added to the Spade index?
Gregg @ 43:
Whackenhut and Rentokill (i kid you not.)
Dunno… I for sure could be wrong about this… but… Seems like a lot of firemen are more about helping people and saving lives..
and they take a lot of pride in that… Not so sure the majority of them are interested in being part of some Gastapo… Sooo… not sure how this little HLS ‘depitty dog’ program will be received by NYFD…….Especially if its about spying on what people are reading…… IF I was a fireman, my basic response would be thanks but no thanks, I’m too busy, got better things to do…. Actually what I’d be thinking is fuck off……JD