The Cellar Image of the Day

A.J. Brown is a 19-year-old freshman at Durham Tech. She got the poster she displays at an "anti-inauguration" protest in DC. It reads "We hang on your every word. George Bush: Wanted, 152 Dead" - a reference to the number of people executed by the state of Texas while Bush was governor.

One night she was playing some CDs a little too loud and a police officer came to tell her to turn it down. Two nights later someone else was playing music a little too loud and the cops came back to her door "by mistake". And two days after that, she was visited by the Secret Service and accused of having "anti-American material" in her apartment.

A smart lass, she refused them entry without a search warrant. They explained that they have to investigate every "complaint" that they get, but they stuck around for 40 minutes. Finally she got her mother on the phone - an Army reservist - who explained to the agents that her daughter was harmless and the poster was not anti-American. Finally she relented and allowed the agents in to see her poster wall, after which they left.

How does it start? It starts like this.

The full story: http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2001-...triangles.html

John Fisher posted this on phl.media a few days ago.

That is just ridiculous. Does this mean that I'm being watched b/c I still think Dubya is a doofus?

I heard about this on 2600's radio show. If this trend keeps up i'll likely be next, as i've aired plenty of 'unpatriotic' views of late. :]

     This just plain sucks. It's good that the agents were reasonable in an unreasable situation though. With all the rights we lost with 'anti-terrorism bill' they could have done alot more than stand outside the door. I suppose that is the last line of defense Americans have. The shared understanding of what our country is meant to be.

     For the record I disagree with all of this kid's stated political views. Still I refuse to accept that this was deserved. She has a right in this country to express those views. If we don't stand up for the views of others that we disagree with then it will soon be our own veiws we are not allowed to express.

     By the by syc, you think he's a doofus? Huh, I've never called him anything that nice. Go figure. =]

Think you can't spend the rest of your life in an Alaskan labor/death camp for criticizing a president in even a letter to a friend? THINK AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN!

Imagine you were looking at it from far away. The words that would stand out are:

We Hang

George
W Bush

If I

write a sentence

like this,

it is

still a

sentence.

But, to support your point, I have an idea. Please make a sign that says

Fuck

Niggers

and head into downtown Brooklyn. Make sure to argue that it doesn't really mean what it says. Thanks.

Personally, I think it could be interpreted in more than one way. For example, the poster could be read as, "We hang, George W. Bush." A reference to his death penalty legacy in Texas. Or, a reference as to his potential performance as President.

Tip for the day: Although we are taking about the President here, remember, assuming makes an ass out of you and me.

Kuro5hin and /. point to the FBI having gone and interviewed a gent based on his post on Kuro5hin, which is archived at Google (Kuro5hin is down for hardware problems):

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache...smallpox&hl=en

You too can waste government official's time, energy and money. Just post raw speculation about terrorism! Because it's on the Internet, it must be true!

If intelligence can profile the Anthrax guy, why can't they figure out that Kuro5hin is built for exactly that kind of high-level clever speculation? Why can't they figure out that the web, not Hollywood, is where people will figure out the next terrorist plot?

I read about that when it happened. Basically, the deal was:

He speculated about how to infect the Vice President of the United States, and also speculated why it probably wouldn't work. Secret Service got wind of it, went and interviewed him, figured they had nothing to fear and let it go. The scary thing is, the Attorney General still *could* prosecute - but, I would imagine, probably won't. Still.

the "on your every word" is nearly as big as the george bush anyway. Scary stuff. Any way waht kind of terorist mastermind is gonna put that in his window?

jag -

the "on your every word" is in a thinner font than the rest. i'm sure that's intentional.

jtm -

okay there buddy. actually. it would be

We Hang

George
W Bush
anted

Nevermind the large picture of him.

The "anted" is smaller than the rest of the text. Period. I guarantee you that there is a point in the distance that the others would catch your attention better.

Now. I have a suggestion. Please make this sign and wear it in Brooklyn:

FUCK

NIGGERS
is a racist word.

Lemme know how the African American police officers react.

Well, my point with the "Fuck Niggers" thing is that the speech may be protected, but that doesn't mean that it's not going to piss off the wrong people, be them gangsters with guns in Brooklyn or Secret Service agents.

The girl can't really complain because it's pretty easy to see how the Secret Service could misread her poster. They're required by law to check that stuff out. No harm, no foul. It's a non-story.

Bullshit it's not smaller. Fire up photoshop, zoom in a few times, place some guides and count the fucking pixels.

Regardless, I still challenge you to make that sign and wear it. The point is, it's easy to see why the Secret Service would investigate such a sign, just as it's easy to see why you'd get your ass stabbed if you wore that sign in Brooklyn.

Good grief! Is it possible to resurrect a thread that old?

I guess it is!

This is so apropos to current events, with the "Military Commissions Act" allowing the gov to suspend all sorts of rights, that I didn't even suspect it was that old, and so didn't think to check the dates on the messages, just the articles. Sorry.

Owen, no need to apologize. Old threads don't get drug up for nostalgia (usually), they surface because they are still or have become again, relevant.
In this case, just checking the progress down the slippery slope.

Speaking of progress down that slippery slope, go here:
http://thomas.loc.gov/

Search for HR 5122 under "bill number".
Click on the last one, the one passed by both House and Senate.
Read section 1076, "USE OF THE ARMED FORCES IN MAJOR PUBLIC EMERGENCIES."

If you click the link, it takes you to a place where there's just a stub. Searching for the *second* instance of 1076 using your browser's find function finds this:

Quote:

SEC. 1076. USE OF THE ARMED FORCES IN MAJOR PUBLIC EMERGENCIES.

(a) Use of the Armed Forces Authorized-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 333 of title 10, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`Sec. 333. Major public emergencies; interference with State and Federal law

`(a) Use of Armed Forces in Major Public Emergencies- (1) The President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, to--

`(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the United States, the President determines that--

`(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order; and

`(ii) such violence results in a condition described in paragraph (2); or

`(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such insurrection, violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition described in paragraph (2).

`(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition that--

`(A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that State or possession, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or

`(B) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.

`(3) In any situation covered by paragraph (1)(B), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution.

`(b) Notice to Congress- The President shall notify Congress of the determination to exercise the authority in subsection (a)(1)(A) as soon as practicable after the determination and every 14 days thereafter during the duration of the exercise of that authority.'.

(2) PROCLAMATION TO DISPERSE- Section 334 of such title is amended by inserting `or those obstructing the enforcement of the laws' after `insurgents'.

(3) HEADING AMENDMENT- The heading of chapter 15 of such title is amended to read as follows:

`CHAPTER 15--ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER'.

(4) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS- (A) The tables of chapters at the beginning of subtitle A of title 10, United States Code, and at the beginning of part I of such subtitle, are each amended by striking the item relating to chapter 15 and inserting the following new item:

331'.

(B) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 15 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to sections 333 and inserting the following new item:

`333. Major public emergencies; interference with State and Federal law.'.

(b) Provision of Supplies, Services, and Equipment-

(1) IN GENERAL- Chapter 152 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

`Sec. 2567. Supplies, services, and equipment: provision in major public emergencies

`(a) Provision Authorized- In any situation in which the President determines to exercise the authority in section 333(a)(1)(A) of this title, the President may direct the Secretary of Defense to provide supplies, services, and equipment to persons affected by the situation.

`(b) Covered Supplies, Services, and Equipment- The supplies, services, and equipment provided under this section may include food, water, utilities, bedding, transportation, tentage, search and rescue, medical care, minor repairs, the removal of debris, and other assistance necessary for the immediate preservation of life and property.

`(c) Limitations- (1) Supplies, services, and equipment may be provided under this section--

`(A) only to the extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession concerned are unable to provide such supplies, services, and equipment, as the case may be; and

`(B) only until such authorities, or other departments or agencies of the United States charged with the provision of such supplies, services, and equipment, are able to provide such supplies, services, and equipment.

`(2) The Secretary may provide supplies, services, and equipment under this section only to the extent that the Secretary determines that doing so will not interfere with military preparedness or ongoing military operations or functions.

`(d) Inapplicability of Certain Authorities- The provision of supplies, services, or equipment under this section shall not be subject to the provisions of section 403(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b(c)).'.

(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

`2567. Supplies, services, and equipment: provision in major public emergencies'.

(c) Conforming Amendment- Section 12304(c)(1) of such title is amended by striking `No unit' and all that follows through `subsection (b),' and inserting `Except to perform any of the functions authorized by chapter 15 or section 12406 of this title or by subsection (b), no unit or member of a reserve component may be ordered to active duty under this section'.

The government should never be trusted, under any circumstances. Especially now.

Well that makes sense....how else can the give you the mandatory flu shots, you don't want, can't sue the maker if they hurt you and can't even find out how many were injured by the vaccine under the freedom of information act.

Don't let him kid you, Ibram. He's got an in on the official posters for the campaign after the election, so he must be an agent of HS.