Chilling scenes, made more chilling by the failure/refusal of the so-called mainstream press to cover these scenes themselves.

It's the over-emphasis on security since 9/11--and the Republican government's fanning of those fear flames--that makes scenes like this not only possible, but acceptable to a large sector (if not majority) of Americans.

The first casualties of 9/11 were those that died in the attacks; the second is the Constitution. And the assault on the latter continues almost unabated.

in St. Paul! ... are like the terrorists in Iraq, Glenn. (Pre-surge) Don't say I never told you it was just a matter of time before Bush invaded Minnosota.

Urine and what! Dang, in Denver they were throwing high-class Parties (well, not so much for Glenn and Jane.), but in St. Paul they're whacking em' over the head, rounding em' up and throwing out the slop jars! (*For the record, I don't have a pot to pee in, nor a window to throw it out of.)

Rocky mountain high (and I'm stuck in St. Paul with you'all),

bah.

ps. Mooser, I don't know if you're the daddy. ...but i've got my eye on you. It's very suspicious.

Remember that when the skull cracking thugs are "maintaining order" by violating people's civil rights, they are giving away the public treasury faster than you can say, 'no bid contract cronyism'. And the money is going to the victims, whom some here seem to love to see marginalized.

Our Constitution isn't fully dead quite yet.

I doubt the city of St. Paul can really afford this: Antiwar Activists Win $2 Million Settlement From New York City ( http://tinyurl.com/6rkpxg ), or this: City to Pay $150 Per Person In G.O.P. Arrest Settlement ( http://tinyurl.com/5kkenc )

The press rarely hold the police accountable for these outlandish and avoidable wastes of the public wealth, but they outght to. I can't imagine remaining in my job if I or my department threw away $2 million.

Funny, a columnist in the St. Paul Pioneer Press made this point just a week ago. Looks like that advice went unheeded. ( http://tinyurl.com/5zcxk7 )

It should be used as evidence in dismissal hearings against reckless officers.

Remember, when the cops riot in your town, every swing of that baton or pull on that trigger is going to fuel a lawsuit that costs real city services and real tax money out of your pocket.

Good Celery. Is he still in the hospital?

-MB

-- Morally_Bankrup

Yes, he is. If I'm not mistaken he is now over the worst of his surgery, but is facing quite a rehabilitation period. I don't know any more detail than that. Pedinska has been in touch. Hopefully she'll drop by soon and update.

Includes Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar's accounts of their arrests and an interview with Rep. Keith Ellison who is in St. Paul.

democracynow.org

St. Paul Mayor Says Protest Crackdown Necessary

CBS News August 31, 2008, 1:58 PM

"(ST. PAUL) St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman defended police raids and arrests Saturday night as the city prepares for the GOP convention which kicks off Monday. Dozens of people were handcuffed and released in the wake of the raids and at least five people were jailed, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

"The target of the police raids has been a ground called the RNC Welcoming Committee, a group which states on its Web site: 'Together we can derail this purely ceremonial show of this repressive system and remake it with our own hands.'

"Coleman said the raids were conducted to help keep other protesters at the convention safe. 'We are making sure that people here to legitimately protest have the right to do that, but people engaging in criminal activity are not going to be able to do that," Coleman said.

"The mayor said police seized dangerous items in the raids, including Molotov cocktails, a book called 'Recipe for Disaster' and tools aimed at disabling buses. 'I think we have done absolutely everything we can to accommodate First Amendment rights. But the weapons recovered as a result of these operations make it very clear that there are people here planning to engage in criminal behavior,' Coleman said."

Wonder why my letter didn't appear a while ago?

Federally coordinated multi-agency police crackdown with federal presence, aerial coordination of troop responses, "fusion centers", mass arrests, pre-emptive strikes, arrest and detention of press, massive federal aid for repressive police plan....

This a dress rehearsal for the coming Putsch: the unlawful, violent takeover of our government and country by those presently in power.

It can happen here.

Oh yeah:

How many Predator and Global Hawk drones overhead???

Paging Michael Chertoff....

He had some pretty major surgery earlier this week. He is still in ICU (to monitor for infection) and will be in the VA medical center for some time yet to come for post-surgery therapy etc.

He sends thanks for all the support and well-wishes. Said to tell everyone he misses being here.

I'm into Democratic party exceptionalism?

Hardly. The Democratic Party hates to talk about energy - they hate to discuss their 2006 promises about removing the subsidies from giant international oil corporations, and they sure don't want to talk about their inability to pass any kind of renewable energy tax credit - which is due to expire this year.

The point here is that Amy Goodman seems to be practicing Republican party exceptionalism. For example, a few days ago, she ran this series of stories, in order.

1) Biden Accepts Democratic VP Nomination

2) Ralph Nader on the Democrats’ Corporate Ties, the Silencing of Third Parties, and Why Biden is the “MasterCard Senator”

3) Iraq Veterans Against the War Lead Thousands in Protest March to Democratic Convention

No mention of Naders corporate ties to Cisco or his multimillion dollar fortune, made of investing on Wall Street in the very system he claims to oppose.

And the Iraq war veteran discussion?

AMY GOODMAN: Well, protests against the Democratic National Convention continued Wednesday, as members of Iraq Vets Against the War led an unpermitted march to the Pepsi Center to call on Barack Obama to back an immediate US withdrawal from Iraq.

Followed by this emotive plea from Ron Kovic:

And I don’t know—I don’t understand why the Democratic Party is turning their back on their own veterans, their own soldiers. Why is the Democratic Party not listening to these young men and women? Why? They served their country. They served their country honorably. They are peaceful. They are nonviolent. Why is the Democratic Party not listening? Where are the representatives of this party? Where are the representatives? Where are the delegates? That’s what we’re asking tonight. That’s what we’re asking tonight.

Fair enough - but then Amy Goodman refuses to cover the Iraq Veterans Against the War march at the Republican National Convention - and so does Glenn Greenwald?

Why? Why not cover the anti-poverty protest camp on Harriet Island - the one they dubbed "Bushville" - after "Hooverville?"

Why not cover the two most important protests at the Republican convention?

A.I., are you sure you yourself are not dabbling in one of the corporate establishment's favorite pastimes, Republican Party and Lieberman Democrat exceptionalism?

Yours, Ike Solem