RRC Archives

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2064157,00.html

These are some excerpted bits of the article:

Last autumn, there was a military coup in Thailand. The leaders of the coup took a number of steps, rather systematically, as if they had a shopping list. In a sense, they did...

...It is very difficult and arduous to create and sustain a democracy - but history shows that closing one down is much simpler. You simply have to be willing to take the 10 steps.

As difficult as this is to contemplate, it is clear, if you are willing to look, that each of these 10 steps has already been initiated today in the United States by the Bush administration...

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance system
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law

Of course, the United States is not vulnerable to the violent, total closing-down of the system that followed Mussolini's march on Rome or Hitler's roundup of political prisoners. Our democratic habits are too resilient, and our military and judiciary too independent, for any kind of scenario like that.

Rather, as other critics are noting, our experiment in democracy could be closed down by a process of erosion....

"You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." Describing what it's like to be governor of Texas.
-- Governing Magazine 7/98

-- From Paul Begala's "Is Our Children Learning?"

"I told all four that there are going to be some times where we don't agree with each other, but that's OK. If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator," Bush joked.

-- CNN.com, December 18, 2000

"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it, " [Bush] said.

-- Business Week, July 30, 2001

a country of sheep need a pasture with a fence in order to "feel" safe... Bush is but a symptom of a much larger problem or "condition" if you prefer since you know calling a problem a problem isn't really PC and thats the deciding factor "these days"

Our democracy is indeed threatened. But what you describe as "the threat" is actually just this country's clumsy response to the real threat, radical Islamists, and their media enablers.
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/presspol/new ... 7/kalb.htm

Alan,
This is a really sad attempt to compare the US to any foreign dictatorship or insurgency.

1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy( Jihadists do not exist, nothing to see here)
2. Create a gulag ( yeah we dont need prisons, the Mexican Government just released all they're criminals and then gave them a ride to our border)
3. Develop a thug caste( THIS IS BOTH SIDES ALAN)
4. Set up an internal surveillance system (we been doing this since 1777)
5. Harass citizens' groups (yeah Cindy Sheehan and those funeral protestors are ok )
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release ( cant pay the time, don't do crime)
7. Target key individuals (Clintons body count is like a war time body count, and no one seems to care )
8. Control the press (are you fucking kidding me, they are so left, they bring the far right to the middle)
9. Dissent equals treason (you have the right to dissent, you don't have a right to Anarchy, we all have to follow the rules or be willing to pay the consequences)
10. Suspend the rule of law (both parties are equally guilty of this)

I have recently officially denounced my Republican/Conservative party involvement, I have two key issues that keep me slightly right, the Second Amendment, and my personal beliefs on Jesus, "NOT" organized religions version.
I like allot of people think it's high time for a third party, I would like a party called the Nationalist party, more centered on America and a lot of common sense versus political power climbing, again from both sides.......


Our democratic habits are too resilient, and our military and judiciary too independent, for any kind of scenario like that.

Yeah, of the people, for the people, and by the people, thats what we should be.....

Please go back and read the descriptions in the article under each of the steps. They counter and/or absorb each of your arguments. You'll also find the author agrees with your idea that we will resist, but he also fears that we're losing by erosion.

Islamic fundamentalists are scary. So are Baptists. If we'd get the fuck out of the Islamist's holy lands they wouldn't be much of a worry. Baptists are everywhere and they're fucking nuts. No dancing, women should remain silent and support their husbands, never ever appear to be having fun... All it'll take is for one of those crazy mother fuckers to blow up a Federal building... oh, that's right. They already did that. But I'm supposed to be afraid of the towel heads because they're mean and they're different. OOOO!!! They might be right next door! Be afraid! Vote Republican! Pay no attention to the FUCKED UP MESS they've created! It's not like they assassinate women's clinic employees or doctors or anything or lead us into a bullshit war on lies or tap our phones for the hell of it.

I'm a lot more worried about our Democracy decaying than I am about some vague terrorist threat. If we would get down to the business of police work the "terrorist network" requires, lock up the loose nukes out there, beef up security around biological research locations, etc. and stop bombing these people I think we'd be a lot safer than we are now. It's like knowing there are some termites in your house and then attacking them with a bulldozer. It may kill the termites in the end but you ultimately come out on the loosing end of things.

Liberals can be fascists too, ya know.

Any attempt to affect my personal liberties from the right or left should be seen as treasonous.

Talk to anyone who survived the attacks of Sept. 11th, or the survivors of the London terror attacks and ask them how "vague" the terrorist threat is.

I hate the inconvenience of flying in the "modern" world where great care must be exercised in order to prevent our airlines from once again being converted into guided missiles. Other than dealing with this inconvenience, I don't think I have given up any freedoms, what-so-ever.

So you think the Baptists are the greatest threat we face, that if we'd just pack our shit and go home the Islamists would leave us alone. These notions are beyond stupid, they are an example of wilfull denial of the obvious. Still, I'm glad you put up these ignorant posts. They are highly amusing.

The only problem Alan with your statements is that no one has a plan, they just want power. The Liberals are just as confused as the Reps/Cons in this game.
I'm tired of both parties BS, no one can seem to say what they mean and mean what they say. As long as my guns are safe and I don't have to sell out to stay free, I don't much care what happens anymore.........

come on day, I really doubt that anyone believes that packing up and leaving as is would be the right thing to do. So yes that notion is beyond stupid. But I would believe that the author is saying that the war, no matter what you think of it, no matter how important it is to pay attention too, can be hyped up enough that it is our only center for attention, and we may not notice what else is going on. (put both eyes on the left hand, throw you off balance by faking the right only to have a buddy kick you from behind) All the misdirection does scare me.

I also don't believe that the great care that is being taken to prevent our airlines from being converted into guided missiles is really doing anything to prevent our airlines from being converted into guided missiles. There are plenty of weapons a terrorist could still bring onto a plane and plenty of combustible fluid that can fit in a bag full of 3 oz containers. What will stop the guided plane missiles will be the air force shooting them down when necessary. Taking of my shoes to go through a metal detector is only a reminder of the constant fear I should be in.

I prefer to be prepared than to be afraid so hopefully they don't try to stop me from getting a gun before I can afford one

gunslnga - I understand it's tempting to loose heart when faced with a situation western civilization is under assalt and our so-called leaders are alternately playing politics with soldiers lives or wallowing in pork, all the while speaking of ethical reforms and an end to the "culture of curruption". When "respected" members of the leadership class have decided that is in their best political interests to make certain that the country they profess to love loses this war, it is enough to make one puke. Still, this country, and what it stands for is civilizations best, perhaps only, hope. Be strong.