Constitution? We don' need no es-teenking Constitution

Amendment I to the U.S. Constitution:



Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.



The reality in George W. Bush's America:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been questioning political demonstrators across the country, and in rare cases even subpoenaing them, in an aggressive effort to forestall what officials say could be violent and disruptive protests at the Republican National Convention in New York.



The unusual initiative comes after the Justice Department, in a previously undisclosed legal opinion, gave its blessing to controversial tactics used last year by the F.B.I in urging local police departments to report suspicious activity at political and antiwar demonstrations to counterterrorism squads. The F.B.I. bulletins that relayed the request for help detailed tactics used by demonstrators - everything from violent resistance to Internet fund-raising and recruitment.



In an internal complaint, an F.B.I. employee charged that the bulletins improperly blurred the line between lawfully protected speech and illegal activity. But the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, in a five-page internal analysis obtained by The New York Times, disagreed.



[snip]



The office, which also made headlines in June in an opinion - since disavowed - that authorized the use of torture against terrorism suspects in some circumstances, said any First Amendment impact posed by the F.B.I.'s monitoring of the political protests was negligible and constitutional.



[snip]



The opinion said: "Given the limited nature of such public monitoring, any possible 'chilling' effect caused by the bulletins would be quite minimal and substantially outweighed by the public interest in maintaining safety and order during large-scale demonstrations."

This Administration's willingness to piss on the U.S. Constitution knows no bounds. For three years, George W. Bush has not countenanced any dissent against him. Whether it's sending Ari Fleischer out with dire threats that people have to "watch what they say, watch what they do; or defining "dialogue" as "[A]s you know, these are open forums, you're able to come and listen to what I have to say" (October 28, 2003); or "Free Speech" zones set up nowhere near where George will have to see protesters' message, this administration has tried to at least ignore, or at worst squelch, dissent at every turn.



Now, with the deliberately inflammatory act of holding the Republican National Convention in New York City, the whole world will be watching...and Republicans are scared shitless about what's going to happen. But instead of looking inside themselves, they're looking to suppress as many demonstrations as possible in advance by attempts at intimidating those who might think of going.



NO ONE is planning violent demonstrations, except perhaps the New York City Police Department, which will surely turn out in full riot gear. Those of us who oppose this administration have every reason to want to speak out, and Bush's goons have no legal right under the U.S. Constitution to resort to these tactics to try and stop it.



George W. Bush's grandfather financed Adolf Hitler even after the U.S. became involved with WWII. George W. Bush has repeatedly said that he'd rather be a dictator. Karl Rove has studied his Goebbels very carefully. This is NOT a group that has any respect whatsoever for the rule of law and for the U.S. Constitution.



Yes, Mr. pResident, we ARE pissed. We are pissed at your attempts to systematically dismantle the middle class to further enrich your friends. We are pissed at your willingness to spill the blood of America's young people because you want to prove that you have a bigger penis than your daddy does; or because you're trying to win daddy's love, or whatever psychosexual demons are driving your Ahab-like obsession with Saddam Hussein. We're pissed at your ignoring of clear warnings of terrorism and then using schoolchildren as human shields on September 11, 2001. Ever read The Dead Zone, Mr. President? Well, YOU are Gregg Stillson. And we want you out of office; not through violence or coup, but through a LEGITIMATE election; peacefully, bloodlessly.



Those of us who oppose your administration are NOT interested in violence. We love America, we love what it stands for and we do not want to allow you to trample on OUR flag and OUR constitution a day beyond January 20, 2005. That's why we're demonstrating. That's why we're supporting the candidacy of John Kerry. WE are the ones who respect the American way, not you.



We have a right to speak out. Be a man. Deal with it.



UPDATE: The New York Daily News is reporting that

"Protesters arrested at the upcoming Republican National Convention could face harsher penalties than in the past.



"That's because of a little-noticed court ruling that allowed the Manhattan district attorney's office to introduce previously sealed records of prior arrests for civil disobedience."

Usually, cases against demonstrators are handled as "adjournment in contemplation of dismissal." Anyone who has an ACD on his or her record, and is arrested at the Republican National Convention (and don't forget, there is a quota of 1000 arrests per day on the NYPD), is going to be subject to harsher penalties.



Meanwhile, The Associated Press is reporting that "Federal agents and city police are keeping tabs on people they say might try to cause trouble at the Republican National Convention, questioning activists, making unannounced visits and monitoring Web sites and meetings."



Hello, officer! Have a nice day.