Between reading about how the dept of Homeland (even that word "Homeland" sounds Nazi to me) is enlisting racist truckers to spot suspicious people (anyone in a turban) and seeing the part of F/911 in which a deputy infiltrates a peace group, I'm starting to get queasy. I never thought I'd live in an Orwellian future. The brownshirts have taken over. They are stomping on all the things that made me proud to be an American. First I was angered, then I was ashamed and sickened. Now fear is creeping into the picture. Holy shit.

yeah odd bird, fear is creeping into the picture. scary feeling, isn't it?

ben, it's a good idea. i'm going to start carrying my camera around more often. there are plenty of times when i see the cops pulling someone over and busting them and i pull over too, get out of my car and watch them. it makes them very nervous. they do everything they can to get me to go away, but i stand my ground and say, "i'm just a citizen watching in my community". once i told a cop that "hey, if there are drug dealers in my neighborhood, i want to know, and if there are cops who are busting people for driving while black or brown, i want to know that too."

that felt good. :)

and to address what plato said, i say yes, that's an act of solidarity and it keeps 'em busy. they can't bust and investigate all of us.

and that reminds me of an email i received today about the norwegians and danes. don't know if it's true, but it's below. reminds me of the story (myth?) i've heard of the danes wearing yellow stars at the time of the nazi occupation. needless to say, i'm all in red today!


----- Original Message -----

WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS TO PROTEST BUSH POLICIES

My name is Nadia Jensen and I have an idea for a
quiet revolution. Please take a minute to read my
email and then join me if you can:

Here's some history behind this idea: When Norway
was occupied by Germany in 1940, Norwegian women began
to knit RED caps for children as a way of
letting everyone know that they did not like what
was happening in their country, that they didn't like
having their freedom taken away. My great
aunt, Karin Knudson Myrstad, was one of the women
who knit red caps for her children and others.
Similarly, in Denmark, women knit red-white-and
blue caps (colors of the Allies) for the very same
reason.

The result was that whenever Norwegians and Danes
left their homes -- to go to the store, to work, etc,
they could see that THE MAJORITY opposed what
was going on in their country. As you know, both
countries organized effective Resistance efforts and
changed history -- everything that happened began
simply by wearing red!!!! (or the colors of the
Allies, in Denmark).

1. BACKGROUND: I believe, as many of us do, that at
the very heart of our democracy is our right to oppose
the policies of our government.
Increasingly, our Government is redefining "freedom"
in ways that make too many Americans perceive that it
is risky to oppose the policies. However, many of us
DO oppose what our government is doing to individual
rights as well as to the U.S. position in the world
and I have an idea that will allow all of us to
recognize each other very easily so we can see that WE
ARE THE MAJORITY.

2. SO...I have been thinking that it's time to take
action in a way that is effective and easy for all of
us to do: Just wear red every Friday between now and
election day. Wear a little or a lot-- just be sure
that when you leave your house to go about your day to
work, to school, to the store, to the gas station,
wherever you go in your daily routine -- that everyone
who sees you will see that you are
wearing red because you believe in freedom and you
don't agree with our current administration's policies
at home and abroad. I'm really certain
that we'll see that lots of us wearing red for freedom
-- because WE ARE THE MAJORITY. We just need a way to
show each other who we are!!! Betweeen now
and election day, ask everyone you know to wear red
for "Freedom Fridays".

3. I have already spread the word to friends and
have had a very enthusiastic response. This email has
been forwarded around the country by many who receive
it - feel free to send in on to your friends and
co-workers.


"The sneakiest form of literary subtlety, in a
corrupt society, is to speak the plain truth. The
critics will not understand you; the public will not
believe you; your fellow writers will shake their
heads."
--Edward Abbey

=====

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
-Plato