Fading Liberties

Target Stores Scanning ID’s

Anya — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:42:47 +0000

I learned about this story from Papersplease.org in which a man, trying to simply buy some Nicorette gum which requires age confirmation, had his driver’s license swiped by the cashier. He asked why and she obviously didn’t know.

Now, during checkout, the cashier asks to “see” my driver’s license. Alright, since I’ve been carded before buying controlled substances, I figure she needs to check my age.

Before I have a chance to realize exactly what’s going on, the cashier swipes my driver’s license through the register. The machine then kicks and spasms out my receipt. Whoa!

I inquire, “What information, if any, was captured from my license?”

I get that deer-in-the-headlights what-ya-talk’n-bout glaze. She’d never thought about, or was apparently never asked, why she was physically scanning driver’s licenses.

“You asked to ’see’ my license, but you swiped it. Big difference,” I say.

She looks at my receipt and says that maybe they’re tracking it for Health Savings Account purposes.

I’m not buying it, but it’s clear the cashier wasn’t trained or hadn’t been properly explained to by management about what, if anything, is being captured when the license is swiped.

Full article continues…

Tasing Children is Becoming the Norm

Anya — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:29:29 +0000

Officials: Deputy Shocks Girl, 11, With Taser At Elementary School
Girl, Deputy Taken To Hospital

POSTED: 10:34 am EDT March 27, 2008
UPDATED: 5:57 am EDT March 28, 2008

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County sheriff’s deputy on Thursday shocked an 11-year-old girl with a Taser gun at an elementary school after the girl punched her in the face, authorities said.

The altercation happened during announcements at Moss Park Elementary School, located at 9301 N. Shore Golf Club Blvd. in Orlando, Orange County school officials said.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the girl, identified as Thaliamar Jiminez by Local 6 News, pushed another student into oncoming traffic, and the student who was pushed reported the incident to a teacher.

The teacher approached Jiminez, but the 11-year-old ignored the teacher and walked to her homeroom class, according to the sheriff’s office.

The homeroom teacher also tried to talk to Jiminez, who became agitated and began to shove her desk and chair, Orange County sheriff’s deputies said. Jiminez was asked to go to the office but refused and yelled and spit at the teachers, deputies said.

The school resource officer, Orange County sheriff’s Deputy Donna Hudepohl was called to remove Jiminez, who pushed Hudepohl and punched her in the face, causing her nose to bleed, according to the sheriff’s office.

Hudepohl attempted to secure Jiminez, but she continued to fight, so Hudepohl shocked her with her Taser gun, the sheriff’s office said.

Full article continues…

Get punched in the face by an 11-year old child; electrocute her. Perfectly logical….right?

There are several instances of this happening. Even to a child as young as 6.

A web site that has a page dedicated to incidences of tasers being used on children states the following facts and quotes from people who have been tased:

According to Amnesty International, Tasers have been responsible for 220 deaths in America from 2001-2007.

That’s an average of about 31 deaths per year. Yet, tasers have been deemed as safe by the company, Taser International, that makes them according to their own personal research.

The United Nations has deemed Taser use a form of torture.

Well, it’s not surprising that in our country we knowingly and willingly continue to use a form of torture on our citizens. Not surprising at all.

All taser use needs to either stop completely or much stricter guidelines need to be enacted. In my opinion, police officers have been way too quick to resort to using their tasers. I think they need to exhaust every possible alternative before they cause injury or harm to someone. But now it seems like instead of thinking of alternatives they see the problem and break out the taser gun to get it done and over with.

Police Called in to Calm Angry Parents at a School Meeting

Anya — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:04:52 +0000

As I posted before a school in Texas (Texas? Why does this not surprise me?) has instituted a punishment, if you will, against kids to wear a bonafied prison jumpsuit if they do not follow the dress code which requires the students to wear a collared shirt and has banned cargo pants. There are some parents who, understandably aren’t too happy with the form of reprimand the school chose and became unruly during a scheduled meeting in which school officials decided to call in the police to calm things down.

Detention Slip

GONZALES, Texas — Police were called to a school board meeting because of the loud protests of parents upset about a revamped dress code that includes prison-like jumpsuits for kids who don’t comply.

Gonzales Independent School District superintendent Vic Salazar said that following the public comment period Monday night, a few members of the audience started yelling at school board members about the dress code. They were asked repeatedly to quiet down but would not, he said. Salazar didn’t know who called the police.

“When it gets to be disruptive, we asked them to leave,” Salazar said Tuesday. “They wouldn’t be quiet. They were given an opportunity” to speak.

Capt. Gayle Autry of the Gonzales Police Department said two police officers arrived to keep order, stayed less than an hour and didn’t arrest anyone.

Full article continues…

China Unveils Frightening Futuristic Police State at Olympics by Naomi Klein

Anya — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:29:15 +0000

Here’s a great article that prompted me to write my
last post. I’ve read several articles about this but this one seemed to lump it all together in one.

What the Olympics have provided for Western firms is a palatable cover story for this chilling venture. Ever since the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, U.S. companies have been barred from selling police equipment and technology to China, since lawmakers feared it would be directed, once again, at peaceful demonstrators. That law has been completely disregarded in the lead up to the Olympics, when, in the name of safety for athletes and VIPs (including George W. Bush), no new toy has been denied the Chinese state.

There is a bitter irony here. When Beijing was awarded the games seven years ago, the theory was that international scrutiny would force China’s government to grant more rights and freedom to its people. Instead, the Olympics have opened up a backdoor for the regime to massively upgrade its systems of population control and repression. And remember when Western companies used to claim that by doing business in China, they were actually spreading freedom and democracy? We are now seeing the reverse: investment in surveillance and censorship gear is helping Beijing to actively repress a new generation of activists before it has the chance to network into a mass movement.

The numbers on this trend are frightening. In April 2007, officials from 13 provinces held a meeting to report back on how their new security measures were performing. In the province of Jiangsu, which, according to the South China Morning Post, was using “artificial intelligence to extend and improve the existing monitoring system” the number of protests and riots “dropped by 44 per cent last year.” In the province of Zhejiang, where new electronic surveillance systems had been installed, they were down 30 per cent. In Shaanxi, “mass incidents” — code for protests — were down by 27 per cent in a year. Dong Lei, the province’s deputy party chief, gave part of the credit to a huge investment in security cameras across the province. “We aim to achieve all day and all-weather monitoring capability,” he told the gathering.

Full article continues…

China, America, Big Brother, and the Olympics

Anya — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I am refusing to watch the Olympics this year. I think you should too if you care about the rights of human beings. But if watching who is going to get the gold medal in any given event is more important to you, then be my guest.

The only reason that China was granted the privilege of hosting the games was because they hoped that it would encourage China to giving more rights to it’s citizens once the spotlight was on them. Exactly the opposite has happened. Aside from that, it’s US companies that are supplying China with the technology to be able to do these things!! This kind of transaction is strictly forbidden by law, but under the guise of Olympic security, we’ve allowed it.

Instead, they have pumped up their already outlandish security and introduced the world to the always feared, reserved for conspiracy theorists, Orwell’s Big Brother of 1984 police state. Right there. In your face. We’re here, we’re feared, get used to it.

So for those that think this type of surveillance will never happen in America, think again. We already have several cities, Detriot being the most notable, with surveillance cameras lined down the streets. The government has blatantly admitting that, yes, we are spying on you. We all know for a fact there are lists with millions of names on them of people in activist and protest groups.

We didn’t have this stuff 10 years ago. And it wasn’t quite as widespread as it is now even 5 years ago. It gets worse and worse slowly over time and as long as we all feel safe, it’s worth it.

Yes it’s a tired old euphemism, but we are just like frogs in boiling water, we know it’s happening, but it’s not enough to make us want to stop it because we’ve convinced ourselves that it won’t get as bad as it is in places like China.

We’ve seen the President and congress pass through legislation that literally lessens our freedoms every single single time.

PATRIOT Act

Executive order to declare Martial Law

Detentions centers being built all over the country by none other than Halliburton

The new surveillance bill that just past

The possibility of the REAL ID card that was actually supposed to go into effect this very year a couple months ago. Thankfully, there was so much opposition against it they’ve postponed it, but only until they can reword it enough to satisfy everyone opposed.

Like the quote by Pastor Martin Niemoller:

First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Social Democrats,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Social Democrat.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew,
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.

Follow the Code or We’ll Put You in a Prison Suit

Anya — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:02:12 +0000

This is what a school in Texas is telling it’s students. If a student shows up to school not dressed according to the code.

Well, I guess it makes sense. Right? Since we have the highest prison population the chances of you being put in prison are pretty good, comparitively. You might as well get used to the suit now since, you know, obviously if you can’t follow a simple dress code, your likely to grow up and commit a crime landing you in prison. Conditioning at it’s worst.

Information Liberation

GONZALES, Texas. — A school in Texas will force students who don’t follow the rules to wear prison-like jumpsuits in a controversial move this coming school year.

Gonzales High School has new navy blue jumpsuits that students will wear if they break the dress code.

Violators will be forced to wear the jumpsuit for the day, the report said.

Some parents said the jumpsuits will make students feel like prisoners but the district said it’s just a way to keep the children dressed appropriately for school.

A school board official said it’s “worth a try” because it’s a way to keep the district’s conservative values intact.

Some students said the plan may backfire on the school.

“I talked to some of my friends about it and they said they are not going to obey the dress code just so they can wear the jumpsuit,” high school student Jordan Meredith.

Before the jumpsuits students who didn’t follow the code had to sit in the office and wait for their parents to bring them clothes or face in-school suspension.

Next Time You Fly…I Dare You Not to Show ID

Anya — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:15:27 +0000

Here’s a great way to exercise your rights and freedoms. This is yet another instance that Americans have been duped into giving up their simple freedoms because we’ve been made to THINK that “it’s the law”. Well, showing your ID is not the law and it is not a federal requirement. You CAN get on a plane if you do not have your ID.

Why is is a violation of our rights to require identification when traveling? Because the fact is that it is a violation of human rights to deny travel from point A to point B if the government doesn’t give you permission to do so. It’s called Freedom of Movement. Just because you don’t have an ID doesn’t mean the gov’t can refuse your travel.

There is a great article written by someone who has put this idea to the test and has surprisingly found that when the airlines just use the old “it’s federal law” line when you fail to produce an ID it’s all just a bunch of hogwash. He’s encountered some very hostile airline workers and some very cooperative workers but every time, no matter their attitude towards him, he was permitted to board a plane without proper ID and sometimes with absolutely no identification at all. He was even shown a Federal Aviation guideline sheet that lays out what to do if a passenger fails to provide identification. In the end, you are permitted to board no matter what.

However, he did produce a copy of Security Directive 96-05, which the Federal Aviation Agency issued to all airlines in August of 1996. Its wording is very instructive; it reads as follows:

1. IDENTIFY THE PASSENGER -

A. ALL PASSENGERS WHO APPEAR TO BE 18 YEARS OF AGE WILL PRESENT A GOVERNMENT ISSUED PICTURE ID, OR TWO OTHER FORMS OF ID, AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH MUST BE ISSUED BY A GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY.

B. THE AGENT MUST RECONCILE THE NAME ON THE ID AND THE NAME ON THE TICKET — EXCEPT AS NOTED BELOW.

C. IF THE PASSENGER CANNOT PRODUCE IDENTIFICATION, OR IT CANNOT BE RECONCILED TO MATCH THE TICKET, THE PASSENGER BECOMES A “SELECTEE.” CLEAR ALL OF THEIR LUGGAGE AS NOTED IN SECTION 6, BELOW.

6. CLEAR SELECTEE’S CHECKED AND CARRY-ON LUGGAGE, AND SUSPICIOUS ARTICLES DISCOVERED BY THE QUESTIONS ASKED;

A. IF THE SELECTEE IS ON A FLIGHT WITHIN THE 48 CONTINENTAL US STATES, OR TO MEXICO, OR TO CANADA, ITEMS CAN BE CLEARED BY EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

1. EMPTY THE LUGGAGE OR ITEM AND PHYSICALLY SEARCH ITS CONTENTS BY A QUALIFIED SCREENER, OR;

2. BAG-MATCH — ENSURE THE BAG IS NOT TRANSPORTED ON THE AIRCRAFT IF THE PASSENGER DOES NOT BOARD.

B. IF THE SELECTEE IS ON AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT — CHECKED LUGGAGE, CARRY-ON LUGGAGE, AND SUSPECT ITEMS CAN BE CLEARED ONLY BY THE FOLLOWING METHOD; EMPTY THE LUGGAGE OR ITEM AND PHYSICALLY SEARCH ITS CONTENTS BY QUALIFIED SCREENERS.

NYPD Body Slams Critical Mass Cyclist

Anya — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:40:23 +0000

For no known reason, an NYPD officer present at a critical mass bicycle ride body slammed a cyclist who, from what is seen in the video, did nothing wrong. Even if he did, the extreme use of force seen in the video was unwarranted. The result was the cyclist flying off his bike and hitting the pavement.

A New York Daily News article states that the police officer (most likely unaware at the time that the whole thing had been taped) wrote in his incident report that the cyclist actually hit HIM and knocked him to the ground! Unbelievable.

In court documents, Pogan said he saw Long weaving in and out of lanes and obstructing traffic before he ordered the cyclist to stop. The cop claimed Long deliberately drove his bike into him, sending both of them falling to the ground. Pogan claimed to have suffered cuts from the impact.

You can clearly see in the vehicle that the officer never said a word to the cyclist ordering him to stop and the man even tried to weave away from Pogan as he encroached on him. Pogan remained upright the entire time and NEVER even fell to the ground.

Pogan is a third generation police officer fresh out of the Academy. What did his veteran NYPD father have to say about the incident?…

Pogan’s father, a retired NYPD detective who worked on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, defended his son’s actions last night. “You gotta do what you gotta do to make an arrest,” said Patrick Pogan Sr., 51, who retired in 2002.

Guess it runs in the family.

Police Taser Boy with a Broken Back, Foot for Non Compliance

Anya — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:34:22 +0000

Your local cops. Looking out for our safety. It just doesn’t get any worse than this…

A family from Branson wants answers about what happened to their son that left him hospitalized. Early Saturday morning, police found Mace Hutchinson, 16, underneath the Highway F overpass over U.S. 65.

Messersmith and his wife were the last known people to see 16-year-old boy walking, shortly before their phone call to 911.

“He looked a little agitated but, other than that, he didn’t look to be falling down drunk or anything like that,” he said.

By the time officers arrived, the teen was off the 30-foot overpass, lying on the shoulder below along U.S. 65, with no good explanation as to how he got there.

“They tested his system. He was clean of drugs and alcohol. We don’t know why unless just being in shock and the whole thing in itself caused him to forget everything,” said Hutchinson.

His aunt says he is undergoing major surgery for a broken back and broken heel. While he was lying on the ground, she wonders why Ozark police used an electric stun gun on him up to 19 times.

“He refused to comply with the officers and so the officers had to deploy their Tasers in order to subdue him. He is making incoherent statements; he’s also making statements such as, ‘Shoot cops, kill cops,’ things like that. So there was cause for concern to the officers,” said Ozark Police Capt. Thomas Rousset.

Police say although there are several unanswered questions; the reason for the use of a stun gun is not one of them.

“It’s a big concern for the officers to keep this guy out of traffic, to keep him from getting hurt,” said Rousset.

It’s their concern to keep him from getting hurt? WTF!! He was laying there with a broken back and they electrocuted him! How is that helping someone to not get hurt? They should have called a Gawd D*mn ambulence.

Police Director Sues for Blogger’s Real Name

Anya — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:33:07 +0000

It just never stops does it? The Memphis Police Director is suing AOL to compel them to “produce all information related to the identity of an e-mail address” of a blogger at a website known for being very critical of the department.

What I would like to know is what he plans on doing with this information should he actually receive it (which I’m sure he won’t). Is he going to go kick the guys door down and beat him up for talking bad about him? Boo flippin hoo…the fact is anybody can say anything they want in this country without the fear of being punished for it. Of course, intentional defamation is another story ,but you have to prove that the person knew it was a lie.

Here is the article.