US Congress passes authoritarian anti-protest law

**Elvis** · 2012-03-04 05:57

Originally Posted by ronin sparthos

I'd be more worried about BG coming back to haunt you Zealot. lol

These are the anti-Israel forums afterall and we know that if you even speak ill of Israel in today's politics that you might as well cut your own throat on stage.

Originally Posted by ronin sparthos

Find some of Elvis' posts, link them to you and boom it's time to disown BG and answer allegations of being anti-Semitic.

It's true that in American politics you have to be pro-Israel. That being said, I think Zealot is mainly concerned about domestic issues. Nothing on BG is going to (hypothetically) hurt his political career, should he pursue one.

Outside of myself and a few others, it's false to characterize BG as 'anti-Israel'.

I'm not even anti-Israel. I'm pro-Palestinian and anti-colonialist. That is my angle. Unless you are accusing people of supporting the regional dictatorships and Islamic fundamentalism - there is no context for the term, 'anti-Israel' (since it implies that critics of Israel are hypocrites for focusing on the Israel-Palestine issue and not, for example, condemning the brutality of the current Syrian regime).

There are 17,000+ registered users on this forum. I think most of them are lurkers/inactive. A fraction of actual active member-base post in the political discussions.

So you do the numbers. Who here is truly critical of Israel? Most people don't even participate in those threads.

Most people here care about domestic issues which is representative of most Americans I would think. The Israel-Palestine issue is just one issue. There are plenty of other things to talk about.

Some people care about animal rights more than the wars in the ME or the economy.

Zealot has nothing to 'worry' about. I don't think he is the kind of person who legitimizes the theater of American politics anyway.

**Ragnus** · 2012-03-04 11:03

I'll fully admit that I'm afraid to stick my neck out to try and change things in this country. I did help the Occupy movement by buying them some supplies but at the same time I wasn't pitching a tent along side them because I knew I didn't have the resolve to stay put when the cops say to leave or be arrested.

With the way that jobs work in this country, your job is pretty much on the line even when you're off the clock if you get taken in for something major. Theres no such thing as personal things staying personal when one of the agreements with the company is that you're always representing the company in everything you do. With bills like these getting passed it's pretty hard to even want to do anything when your already meagre pay check is the lynch pin of your house's budget and the authorities can declare pretty much anywhere a "restricted area", give 1-2 warnings, and then just start arresting everyone anyway.

My only hope for this country is that this gets overturned in the Supreme Court because, like it's been pointed out a few times, the Constitution blatantly says that a law like this cannot be passed.

@Elvis: I wouldn't say that I'm Anti-Israel as much as I am Anti-Middle East. That whole area is giant mess and I know the only reason we even care about them is because of their oil. Israel is right there in the middle of it all in my opinion and, from all of the arguments that my girlfriend has given back to me before we tabled the discussion, they do all of the things you point out often while hiding behind an Aegis of national defence and racial persecution by the hand of everyone else in the region. Politics in the Middle East is just a giant blob of greys where nobody is truly innocent and everyone claims they're right.

**Alleya** · 2012-03-04 11:32

Originally Posted by Elvis

I'm not even anti-Israel. I'm pro-Palestinian and anti-colonialist. That is my angle.

That makes you anti-Israel in america. Sorry.

**Elvis** · 2012-03-04 11:36

Originally Posted by Alleya

That makes you anti-Israel in the theater of american politics. Sorry.

ftfy

**hey** · 2012-03-04 11:41

I did help the Occupy movement by buying them some supplies but at the same time I wasn't pitching a tent along side them because I knew I didn't have the resolve to stay put when the cops say to leave or be arrested.

It is possible to join a protest without putting yourself in a situation that will lead to your arrest. I spent 10 days+nights at OWS, and there was exactly 1 situation where i was in any danger of being arrested, and that was standing in the middle of times square, blocking the entire street. And i knew days in advance that there would be trouble. I knew people would be arrested, and if i went, i could be too. I knew when i left the camp i could be arrested. I knew when we started standing still for a minute at a time, while the cops repeatedly told us to keep moving, that people could be arrested. I knew when we argued with the police about which way to go, people could get arrested. And i knew when despite being repeatedly told to stay on the sidewalk, we ran into the street, and sprinted towards broadway, that people would be arrested. And an hour later, when i was standing right in the middle of the street, in front of multiple cops, i knew i could have been arrested. If i was unwilling to take that risk, it would have been extremely easy to avoid. No one who gets arrested at a protest is ever surprised when they get arrested. 90% of the time, they want to get arrested, and the other 10% know that it is likely.

Fear of arrest is a terrible reason to not protest.

**Sera** · 2012-03-04 11:51

This stuff is already happening in VA. 31 peaceful protesters arrested at the state capital, held for 9 hrs in handcuffs with no food, water or bathrooms and no charges. This is what your GOP VP front runner likes to do to his state's citizens.

**Churchill** · 2012-03-04 14:37

Seems pretty stupid to specify GOP in your statement

**kuronosan** · 2012-03-04 15:08

Especially considering not a single democrat opposed the law.

**hey** · 2012-03-04 16:53

Originally Posted by Sera

This stuff is already happening in VA. 31 peaceful protesters arrested at the state capital, held for 9 hrs in handcuffs with no food, water or bathrooms and no charges. This is what your GOP VP front runner likes to do to his state's citizens.

Not sure if serious.

9 hours in jail is normal, expected, and probably desired. 1 year is not.

**Sera** · 2012-03-04 17:24

Originally Posted by hey

Not sure if serious.

9 hours in jail is normal, expected, and probably desired. 1 year is not.

they weren't held in jail. they were shoved on a bus and left there. they also weren't charged with anything.

**hey** · 2012-03-04 17:59

Originally Posted by Sera

they weren't held in jail. they were shoved on a bus and left there. they also weren't charged with anything.

Ok, that changes nothing. And why would they be charged? They didn't break any laws. You do know police are allowed to hold people for up to 24 hours without charge, yes?

**archibaldcrane** · 2012-03-05 13:42

lol

**Synbios** · 2012-03-13 02:15

I didn't see it posted yet but it looks like good old Berry signed the bill

http://rt.com/usa/news/trespass-bill-obama-secret-227/

There's all that hope and change you folks dreamed of. Isn't Obama supposed to be the one on the 99%ers side?

**Churchill** · 2012-03-13 02:23

**Ragnus** · 2012-03-13 08:18

Originally Posted by Churchill

Indeed. This is a sad day for America. I'm rereading Transmetropolitan and there's starting to be a frightening amount of overlap between Obama and The Smiler. >_>;

I can definitely say one thing. It's going to be a test of whether or not people are going to take on the old methods of flooding prisons if the Occupy movement gets going again. With the way the court system is these days they can really fuck up the lives of people taken in on felony charges especially if they take a plea deal.

Hell, it might actually be funny to see some Occupy Occupy protesters get arrested also.

**kuronosan** · 2012-03-13 09:27

Well, that settles it. Definitely not voting for Obama. He can suck my dick.

**Day** · 2012-03-13 09:38

he was really hinging on your vote too that sucks.

**kuronosan** · 2012-03-13 09:54

Yea I know good thing I'm the only person on the planet capable of changing his mind.

**Ragnus** · 2012-03-13 11:08

Just clicked on me how dangerous removing the word "willingly" from previous laws is.

It's now completely legal for police to utilize kettling to purposefully herd protesters into a restricted area which then leads to felony arrests. D:

**Talint** · 2012-03-13 12:21

Originally Posted by Synbios

I didn't see it posted yet but it looks like good old Berry signed the bill

http://rt.com/usa/news/trespass-bill-obama-secret-227/

There's all that hope and change you folks dreamed of. Isn't Obama supposed to be the one on the 99%ers side?

I offer no apologies or excuses for the man.

Also, the president was never on the side of the 99% and never has been. To say otherwise is intellectually dishonest.

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