More Administration efforts to crush dissent
Would you call it a perfect storm? Maybe not, but the news yesterday had two different stories about Bush administration efforts to crush dissent.
First, and seemingly more typical, was the firing of a CIA employee for disclosing classified information about CIA activities, including the operation of secret prisons in various friendly countries. Obviously it's easier to try to shut down the critics than stop the illegal conduct, right?
On the same day we learn that the Chinese Falun Gong member who showed up at the White House to confront Hu Jintao for his government's suppression of the growing sect. Nothing like cozying up to a repressive foreign government to prove your commitment to human rights, eh George?
What I thought was particularly interesting about this story was the rationale from the U.S. Attorney:
"She was yelling at the president," George said. "You can't walk into a theater and yell 'Fire!' The First Amendment does not permit her to engage in criminal conduct."
Since when is criticism of the government the same as falsely yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater?
For more information you can view the criminal complaint against the protester here. (Thanks to Tom Foley, a brother alumnus of Regis High School, for this information.)
Boy, what a week for McClellan. I bet he can't wait for them to find a pinch-weasel for him.
First, and seemingly more typical, was the firing of a CIA employee for disclosing classified information about CIA activities, including the operation of secret prisons in various friendly countries. Obviously it's easier to try to shut down the critics than stop the illegal conduct, right?
On the same day we learn that the Chinese Falun Gong member who showed up at the White House to confront Hu Jintao for his government's suppression of the growing sect. Nothing like cozying up to a repressive foreign government to prove your commitment to human rights, eh George?
What I thought was particularly interesting about this story was the rationale from the U.S. Attorney:
"She was yelling at the president," George said. "You can't walk into a theater and yell 'Fire!' The First Amendment does not permit her to engage in criminal conduct."
Since when is criticism of the government the same as falsely yelling "Fire" in a crowded theater?
For more information you can view the criminal complaint against the protester here. (Thanks to Tom Foley, a brother alumnus of Regis High School, for this information.)
Boy, what a week for McClellan. I bet he can't wait for them to find a pinch-weasel for him.
posted by Jack McCullough at 1:35 PM
1 Comments:
The charge against the protester could just have easily said she was charged for speaking out when a government official could hear her. This administration refuses to hear dissent whether it is aimed at it or other oppressive regimes.
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