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1

No, he does not say they are "intact," you annoyingly inaccurate person, Josh. He actually says the recent amendment to the FISA is shameful. But he says, "Nonetheless, the overall state of civil liberties in the US, viewed in historical perspective, is surprisingly strong."

He saying we're used to things being a lot worse when we panic like this. That is not equivalent to saying our liberties are intact.

Posted by elenchos | August 21, 2007 9:40 AM
2

It is good for people who engage in hyperbolic criticism of the current government (not that some criticism is not warranted) to get some historical perspective.

I was just reading a book that discussed the trials of Max Eastman and others associated with The Masses for violations of the 1918 Sedition Act mentioned by the uchicago blog. Amazing stuff! The government today does not come within a zillion miles of the temporary clampdowns in previous periods of crisis.

Posted by JMR | August 21, 2007 9:46 AM
3

elenchos @1,

Calm down. Feit's post was accurate. The guy is arguing that we should chill about the wartime lock down because it's minimal in contex. And in the long run, given our history, we're intact.

Jeeez Louise. Some of you haters are downright irrational.

Posted by F.S. on East Coast | August 21, 2007 9:49 AM
4

But the larger point the prof misses is that we didn't learn anything from those episodes which is why we keep repeating these mistakes today.

You simply can't legislate civil liberties and basic human rights away in exchange for a false sense of security.

Posted by Original Andrew | August 21, 2007 10:37 AM
5

A friend pointed me to a video, "What we chose to ignore" on YouTube, where crazy conspiracy theories abound. Can anyone help me tear this apart by noting any inaccuracies?

This is a brief history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the civil liberties we have lost because of it. Also, it is a testament to what a government can accomplish when its people are in fear.

[Video of Oliver North testifying before Congress and Rep. Jack Brooks (TX) asking if during North's work with the NSA he was asked to work on plans for continuity of government in the event of a major disaster. He is told that the question "touches upon a highly sensitive and classified area, and it is requested that he not continue. Brooks says, "I was particularly concerned, Mr. chairman, because I read in Miami papers and several others that there had been a plan, uh, developed by that same agency, a contingency plan, in the event of an emergency that would suspend the American Constitution, and I was deeply concerned by it, and wondered if that was area in which he had worked." North was again advised not to comment.)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's powers grew under the tutelage of people like Lt. Col. Oliver North and General Richard Secord, the architects of the Iran-Contra scandal.

FEMA has been given responsibility for disaster relief, including urban forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, refugee situations, urban riots, and emergency planning for nuclear and toxic incidents.

FEMA was created in a series of executive orders. A Presidential executive order, whether Constitutional or not, becomes law simply by its publication in the Federal Registry. Congress is bypassed.

FEMA has spent only about 6% of its budget on national emergencies. The bulk of their funding has been used for the construction of underground facilities to assure continuity of government in case of a major emergency -- foreign or domestic.

FEMA has even been given control of the State Defense Forces, a rag-tag, often considered neo-Nazi, civilian army that will substitute for the National Guard in the event of a declared emergency, if the Guard is called to duty overseas.

Executive orders and bills passed by Congress associated with FEMA or the federal government that suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights:

  • Executive order 12656: Appointed the National Security Council as the principal body that should consider emergency powers. It allows the government to increase domestic intelligence and surveillance of U.S. citizens and would restrict the freedom of movement within the United States and grant the government the right to isolate large groups of civilians.
  • Executive order 11003: Allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.
  • Executive order 11005: Allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways, and storage facilities, public and private.
  • Executive order 10990: Allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.
  • Executive order 10995: Allows the government to seize and control "the communication media".
  • Executive order 10997: Allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals, public and private.
  • Executive order 10998: Allows the government to take over all food supplies and resources, public and private, including farms and equipment.
  • Executive order 11921: Allows the government to control the mechanisms of production and distribution of energy sources, and the flow of money in U.S. financial institutions in any undefined National Emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the declaration for a period of six months.
  • Executive order 11051: Grants authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.
  • Executive order 11000: Authorizes the government to mobilize American civilians into work brigades under government supervision.
  • The USA PATRIOT Act: Third-party holders of your financial, library, travel, video rental, phone, medical, church, synagogue, and mosque records can now be searched without your knowledge or consent. Allows Law Enforcement to conduct warrantless searches of your records and place of residence and to confiscate your personal property without your knowledge or consent
  • The Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003: Instructs the government to build a mammoth database of citizen DNA information, aimed at "detecting, investigating, prosecuting, preventing or responding to terrorist activities."
  • The Military Commissions Act: Strips the courts of jurisdiction to hear or consider habeas corpus appeals of anyone held in U.S. custody as an "unlawful enemy combatant." Defines an unlawful enemy combatant as "an individual engaged in hostilities against the United States who is not a lawful enemy combatant." The definition of "hostilities" is broad enough to include any American citizen who is acting in a way the President deems "hostile" to the United States. Prohibits any person from invoking the Geneva Conventions or their protocols as a source of rights in any action in any U.S. court.
  • National Security Presidential directive 51 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20. Signed by President Bush in May, 2007. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall serve as the President's lead agent for coordinating overall continuity operations and activities of executive departments and agencies. Allows the President to control and coordinate all three branches of government in the event of a "Catastrophic Emergency". Catastrophic Emergency means any incident that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.
  • NSPD/HSPD 20, 51, Annex A: Classified.
  • NSPD/HSPD 20, 51, Section 24 (Security): Classified.

Kellog Brown and Root recently was awarded a 385 million dollar open-ended contract by the Department of Homeland Security which provides for establishing "temporary detention" facilities and "processing areas" on American soil.

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility... I welcome it" --John F. Kennedy

Posted by Phil M | August 21, 2007 2:11 PM
6

A friend pointed me to a video, "What we chose to ignore" on YouTube, where crazy conspiracy theories abound. Can anyone help me tear this apart by noting any inaccuracies?

This is a brief history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the civil liberties we have lost because of it. Also, it is a testament to what a government can accomplish when its people are in fear.

[Video of Oliver North testifying before Congress and Rep. Jack Brooks (TX) asking if during North's work with the NSA he was asked to work on plans for continuity of government in the event of a major disaster. He is told that the question "touches upon a highly sensitive and classified area, and it is requested that he not continue. Brooks says, "I was particularly concerned, Mr. chairman, because I read in Miami papers and several others that there had been a plan, uh, developed by that same agency, a contingency plan, in the event of an emergency that would suspend the American Constitution, and I was deeply concerned by it, and wondered if that was area in which he had worked." North was again advised not to comment.)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's powers grew under the tutelage of people like Lt. Col. Oliver North and General Richard Secord, the architects of the Iran-Contra scandal.

FEMA has been given responsibility for disaster relief, including urban forest fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, refugee situations, urban riots, and emergency planning for nuclear and toxic incidents.

FEMA was created in a series of executive orders. A Presidential executive order, whether Constitutional or not, becomes law simply by its publication in the Federal Registry. Congress is bypassed.

FEMA has spent only about 6% of its budget on national emergencies. The bulk of their funding has been used for the construction of underground facilities to assure continuity of government in case of a major emergency -- foreign or domestic.

FEMA has even been given control of the State Defense Forces, a rag-tag, often considered neo-Nazi, civilian army that will substitute for the National Guard in the event of a declared emergency, if the Guard is called to duty overseas.

Executive orders and bills passed by Congress associated with FEMA or the federal government that suspend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights:

  • Executive order 12656: Appointed the National Security Council as the principal body that should consider emergency powers. It allows the government to increase domestic intelligence and surveillance of U.S. citizens and would restrict the freedom of movement within the United States and grant the government the right to isolate large groups of civilians.
  • Executive order 11003: Allows the government to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aircraft.
  • Executive order 11005: Allows the government to take over railroads, inland waterways, and storage facilities, public and private.
  • Executive order 10990: Allows the government to take over all modes of transportation and control of highways and seaports.
  • Executive order 10995: Allows the government to seize and control "the communication media".
  • Executive order 10997: Allows the government to take over all electrical power, gas, petroleum, fuels and minerals, public and private.
  • Executive order 10998: Allows the government to take over all food supplies and resources, public and private, including farms and equipment.
  • Executive order 11921: Allows the government to control the mechanisms of production and distribution of energy sources, and the flow of money in U.S. financial institutions in any undefined National Emergency. It also provides that when a state of emergency is declared by the President, Congress cannot review the declaration for a period of six months.
  • Executive order 11051: Grants authorization to put all Executive Orders into effect in times of increased international tensions and economic or financial crisis.
  • Executive order 11000: Authorizes the government to mobilize American civilians into work brigades under government supervision.
  • The USA PATRIOT Act: Third-party holders of your financial, library, travel, video rental, phone, medical, church, synagogue, and mosque records can now be searched without your knowledge or consent. Allows Law Enforcement to conduct warrantless searches of your records and place of residence and to confiscate your personal property without your knowledge or consent
  • The Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003: Instructs the government to build a mammoth database of citizen DNA information, aimed at "detecting, investigating, prosecuting, preventing or responding to terrorist activities."
  • The Military Commissions Act: Strips the courts of jurisdiction to hear or consider habeas corpus appeals of anyone held in U.S. custody as an "unlawful enemy combatant." Defines an unlawful enemy combatant as "an individual engaged in hostilities against the United States who is not a lawful enemy combatant." The definition of "hostilities" is broad enough to include any American citizen who is acting in a way the President deems "hostile" to the United States. Prohibits any person from invoking the Geneva Conventions or their protocols as a source of rights in any action in any U.S. court.
  • National Security Presidential directive 51 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 20. Signed by President Bush in May, 2007. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall serve as the President's lead agent for coordinating overall continuity operations and activities of executive departments and agencies. Allows the President to control and coordinate all three branches of government in the event of a "Catastrophic Emergency". Catastrophic Emergency means any incident that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.
  • NSPD/HSPD 20, 51, Annex A: Classified.
  • NSPD/HSPD 20, 51, Section 24 (Security): Classified.

Kellog Brown and Root recently was awarded a 385 million dollar open-ended contract by the Department of Homeland Security which provides for establishing "temporary detention" facilities and "processing areas" on American soil.

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility... I welcome it" --John F. Kennedy

Posted by Phil M | August 21, 2007 2:16 PM
7

I really don't think I double-posted. I don't know how that happened.

And what, no unordered lists in blockquotes? Come on.

Now, on with the fact-checking. Inaccurate? Out of context? Accidentally overly-broadly written? None of the above and warranted given this post-9/11 world with terr'ists lurkin' around every corner?

Posted by Phil M | August 21, 2007 2:42 PM
8

So the people who have the most to gain by another terrorist attack would be this administration and we seem to be doing everything in our power in Iraq to boost terrorist recruitment.

Is it a stretch to say that all Bush/Cheney need is another big terrorist attack and the country belongs to them?

Posted by monkey | August 21, 2007 2:55 PM
9

The Stranger cgi scripts have been frying out for the last week or so - probably not your fault.

But that was way too long.

Posted by Will in Seattle | August 21, 2007 2:56 PM
10

Monkey, you're a kook. Our own American Vice President and President would never let or cause an attack to occur and then use it to garner public support for his war-mongering, corporate-pandering, civil-liberties-trampling, agenda. Next you're going to be telling us that JFK wasn't killed by a lone shooter, that there were additional, unexploded, bombs found in the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City after the truck bomb exploded, or that Germans set fire to their own Reichstag Building. How dare you insult those who died by suggesting such absurdities?

Now, back to the subject at hand. Surely the U.S. President doesn't have the power to suspend the Constitution in a national emergency of his own designation. Surely FEMA's main purpose is to assist with natural disasters -- right?

Posted by Phil M | August 21, 2007 3:30 PM
11

Yes. I am, indeed, a kook. I'll bet you a case of Ensure and a diesel-powered generator that I'm right.

Uhg, I'm totally kicking myself now for selling my guns.

Posted by monkey | August 21, 2007 3:51 PM
12

Monkey, even if they were the sort of people who could stomach something like that -- and it is treasonous for you to suggest that they are -- how could or would they pull something like this off? Americans aren't fools, you know.

I am coming to realize that the single most irritating part of being alive in the next twenty years is [going to be] hearing these conspiracy shitheads talk.

Seriously, Monkey: Find a new hobby. Get a job. Do something interesting with your life, because this lunacy will consume you and turn you into a gibbering loon. Some have seen it happen to many JFK kooks.

Posted by Phil M | August 21, 2007 4:27 PM
13

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