When many people were hollering about the criminality of the Patriot Act in 2002, many on the left were hiding behind the bushes, twiddling their thumbs, holding NOBODY accountable.

Repeat and rinse this same pattern for the next FOUR YEARS, by which point you people began to roust and think that just maybe if you vote in your friendly dUmocrats, they will save your hides.

All the while you people continued to ignore the reality that the dUmocraPs and the repuLSICKans were one and the same and united when it came to installation of an unaccountable dicktater above us all.

So why bitch and moan NOW? Take your hits, admit you people were completely asleep at the wheel for SEVEN WHOLE YEARS and let's get on with helping govern this Fascist Nation once and for all.

A bunch of people being teargassed and eventually killed in the streets by overwhelming force will do something to CHANGE THIS?

Puhleeze, the world has had ENOUGH of America for the next few centuries already. What would they do IF THEY EVEN COULD?

Admit you thought at first that all this militarism was kind of cool and submit to being sent to the American Prison Camps that have already been set up for you people.

You thought all the independent reports coming out from the uderground for years-- about the cattle car trains, the prison camps set up on military bases, etc, etc, were some sort of JOKE?!?

LIVE IT, LOVE IT. Your arrogance is what did you lefties in.

Personally, I do not think the vast majority of America will come to save your hides either. Most people are Nazis inside when it comes down to it.

It worked that way in Germany, I do not see it being any different in the States.

Does anyone see another alternative than the one I describe?

You don't read very carefully, do you because it is very hard for me to believe, that if you've seen Europe, you've seen it all - I had to live in the US (gladly) in Australia (with a lot of joy) and in Egypt (not to bad either) - and that’s why I am very careful with ‘attributes’ like ‘Police State’ or ‘Fascism’ - because you never know who you are talking to - and there are people in these countries - especially in my homeland America - where people might take offense and think you are an ignorant or arrogant foreigner – because its such a small world.

I have to say that it is totally reasonable for the police to assume that press passes are meaningless in that crowd, because inventing fake credentials to counter security measures is one thing violent activists routinely do. You can also get this information off the internet, in their adolescently violent periodicals, or simply by watching their "press conferences."

-- Tina Trent

Do you have some documented evidence of "violent protesters" successfully using fake press passes in order to stroll the streets of demonstrations?

Why are law enforcement being paid millions by tax payers if they are incapable of recognizing a legitimate member of the press wearing a legitimate press pass? Or in the case of Goodman and crew, at least two types of press passes?

Your solution - or non-solution - to the problem faced by journalists to document demonstrations and the people attending demonstrations, and the of law enforcement attending demonstrations, is basically to allow law enforcement, without question, to "Kill them all and let God sort them out later".

How are journalists going to be able document anything, and how is the public going to be able to view documentation, if you [the public] just throw up their hands and allow law enforcement, without question, to shoot first, ask questions later?

Why, I wonder, are there those who actually willfully and happily support the authoritarian tactics that are currently on display at the Republican Convention? I mean this question seriously.

I would love to to hear from one of the supporters of these tactics what they think is good about armies of black-clad shock troops willing to step on the necks of their fellow citizens, carrying automatic weapons on our streets, intimidating everyone with their promise of force.

I am reminded of Monty Python and the Holy Grail when Arthur comes upon the autonomous collective and is so enraged by a peasant's words that he attempts to physically muzzle the peasant, to which the peasant begins to respond, "Come see the violence inherent in the system! See how he's oppressing me!"

"Anyone here want to revisit my comment about how left-wing nuts can't be trusted to be civil?"

I may disapprove of their methods. In fact I do, but compared to your variety of nutbars who use actual bombs, blow up federal buildings killing children and target abortion doctors for execution, just "for practicing their love on women" well I'd call them "civil" by comparison and you can just blow me, Shooter. You have a big enough mouth to accommodate my prodigious member.

Furthermore, cops aren't automatons. They are human beings and they each have their own style of doing their jobs. Some may push you to the ground or others may do something else. Once your being detained and put under arrest, none of that is considered excessive force. You comply immediately or you will get fucked up. Period.

Gandhi and MLK proved that non-violence is the best way to deal with oppressive thugs. The RNCWC if they were responsible for broken windows and other damage and not provocateurs, even if it gets media attention from sensational seeking media, may well do more damage to their cause than help it.

I can see E-Dung’s smug smile through his comments. What a week he has had. He brought us Sarah Palin, or at least is pretending to by his refusal to answer my direct question to him. (see Time link to learn who the real Palin is) Now he wants to show us the real important truth that Goodman was not pushed down and in fact may have technically deserved to be detained.

How does an authoritarian mind like his find such pleasure in such inconsequential details, when he he blindly backs a government that has ruined the lives of millions of people in America and around the world? If he can’t see the truth behind this disastrous American government and blatant misuse of our military arm, then what are his comments really worth? If he can’t see and hear the heartfelt rage of almost all of the anti-Bush-Cheney-war-poverty protesters, of what value are his comments?

The truth to E-Dung is what he can make it, not what it might actually be. The lives and welfare of all citizens of the world- too bad, they’re not my concern. I’m going to get mine and get more anyway that I can. Those in trouble got themselves there.

And E-Dung, why haven’t you like the macho man McSame professed how much you care about hurricanes in New Orleans because it is a very important election year?

Your smugness and values E-Dung deeply disgust me as it should anyone who has human compassion.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837918,00.html?xid=newsletter-daily