Stiffling news of protests

The R A N T of G L E N N glenn3@frontiernet.net
Glenn Jacobs / 130 N. Poverty Flat / Box 954 / Eagar, Arizona 85925 / 928-333-3517
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Suppressing the news of protests

Letter to the editor;

(A guest-rant by Stu Young, former Deputy Leader of the American Fascist Party)

[Here’s] a disturbing trend. We supposedly have freedom of speech, and are free to choose between political parties with clearly different agendas and tactics.

Flying in the face of all this, award winning journalist and host of Democracy Now, Amy Goodman, was arrested while covering a protest outside the Republican National Convention. Though clearly identified as press, Goodman was charged with “obstruction of a legal process and interference with a peace officer.”

Please note that she was not participating in the protest: She was doing a story on it.

Suppressing non-violent protests is not new. It has been happening since the Patriot Acts were signed. (Incidentally, the wording of that legislation can be interpreted as defining as a terrorist any citizen who disagrees with the government.) We Americans are turning our backs on an increase of arrests, tear gas and club attacks on non-violent protesters.

In 2004, Ralph Nader, who had purchased a ticket to the last Presidential Debate, and was planning to attend like any other private citizen, was threatened with arrest if he entered the convention hall where the debate was held (this can be seen in the independent film, An Unreasonable Man). I guess the corporate-controlled organizers of the debate feared a potential protest, as though Ralph Nader, all by himself, could whip the crowd into a frenzy. But now, apparently, letting the public know that such protests are occurring has become intolerable to the [big-shots]. (For more info, I recommend the movie Why We Fight, available in the special interest section of Blockbuster.)

Think Brave New World, 1984, and Fahrenheit 451 are just science fiction books?

If you wonder what you can do, the following website offers [an] idea:
http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/dont_arrest_journalists/?r_by=803-1636285-jDjWujx&rc=confemail

Otherwise, we can start memorizing the coming, new slogan of the “American Union” (a.k.a. “Security and Prosperity Partnership;” Google that if you haven’t heard of it):

War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength. (Sound familiar?).

Stu Young

Generous victor

The R A N T of G L E N N glenn3@frontiernet.net
Glenn Jacobs / 130 N. Poverty Flat / Box 954 / Eagar, Arizona 85925 / 928-333-3517
Permission is granted to edit, print and/or broadcast these weekly polemical essays.
(To subscribe -- for yourself or a friend – or to unsubscribe – send the e-address.)

From the wreckage of war

Letter to the editor; (A guest-rant by Don Blaster)

As I watched the Olympics, the thought came to my aging mind:

Q. Were it not for the dedication, hard work, sacrifice of life and treasure of the United States from 1941 until 1945, which of the countries represented at Beijing would be there, competing, in AD 2008? Starting with China; would it be China?

Then my mind expanded the vision to ask:

Would Korea still be Korea?

Would Mongolia have entered an athlete from Mongolia? Australia?

Would Poland be Poland? France? England? Scotland? Ireland? Norway?

Would Sweden be Sweden? Denmark? Austria? Finland? Greece?

Would Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania be themselves?

Then, again I broadened the view to ask: Would even Russia still be Russia?

Would Japan and Germany and Italy be the prosperous, sovereign nations they have become if the U.S. had used our power to confiscate their lands as all other conquering armies always did?

How many of their composite, Olympic minds ever gave the above a tiny thought as they enjoyed the various medals and acclaim they received?

Were we perfect then? Are we perfect now? Will we ever become perfect? Hardly! But, c'mon, World, be like the one leper who returned to thank Jesus for being cured. At least NOD a bit toward our flag as you hear our National Anthem played as an athletic victory is recognized.

God bless America. God heal America. God use America to accomplish His will.

Don Blaster
Benton, Kentucky

Telemarketing

The R A N T of G L E N N glenn3@frontiernet.net
Glenn Jacobs / 130 N. Poverty Flat / Box 954 / Eagar, Arizona 85925 / 928-333-3517
Permission is granted to edit, print and/or broadcast these weekly polemical essays.
(To subscribe -- for yourself or a friend – or to unsubscribe – send the e-address.)

Cell-phone telemarketing?

Letter to the editor;

(Sound of phone ringing)

ME: Glenn Jacobs.

VOICE: This important message is to tell you that your vehicle warra . . . (click)

(Sound of phone ringing)

ME: Glenn Jacobs.

VOICE: There is nothing wrong with your credit card accounts. However, would you like for us to help you to reduce your interest rates and become debt-free?

ME: You said you wouldn’t call me again.

VOICE: We won’t. I will remove your name and number from our list.

ME: This is the seventh time you have promised exactly that.

Don Blaster, an old friend in Kentucky sends word that today (TODAY!) cell-phone numbers will be released to telemarketing companies all across the United States. He warns that now, when a person with an unidentifiable foreign accent calls you during supper to offer an “affordable” health plan – YOU get to pay for the call.

This has some of the earmarks of a hoax. I really don’t know if it’s true or not.

On the off chance that we start getting sales calls on our cell-phones, the antidote is supposed to be to call (from your cellphone!) 1-888-382-1222.

I just now called that number. A voice said it was the Federal Trade Commission Do-Not-Call Registry. (“To register your phone number, press one.”)

Then, thinking it over, I called the same number from my “land-line” home phone.

I still don’t know whether the problem (or the solution) is “for real”.

Glenn Jacobs / Eagar, Arizona