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In 2002 the Federal Government arrested Joseph Padilla, a U.S. Citizen, but also a "former Chicago gang member" (I think that's code for, "he sure ain't a white guy"), at O'Hare Airport in Chicago as he returned to the U.S. The military has held him since, without trial, on a presidential order declaring him an enemy combatant. While a lower court ruled that this was unconstitutional (ever heard of habeus corpus, or the right to a speedy trial, or the right to face your accusers?), the 4th Circuit Court (including one judge reportedly being considered for a supreme court nomination) ruled yesterday, unanimously, that even in the absence of criminal charges "the president can indefinitely detain a U.S. citizen captured on U.S. soil...holding that such authority is vital to protect the nation from terrorist attack" (Minneapolis Star Tribune, Saturday, September 10, 2005, p. A4). (fuller story online: www.startribune.com/stories/...519.html)
Warning, my friends: don't do anything or offend anybody that might lead to an accusation that you could be a terrorist or involved with terrorists or thinking about terrorism or sympathetic with terrorists or anything other than one-hundred and ten percent with the President of these United States. We all know that "you're either with us or against us," so if you criticize George W. and his royal we, "us," you must be against us.
Beware, abandoned citizens of New Orleans: you're actions might be deemed terroristic unless you stand firmly with the government that served you so well. Did you break a store window to find diapers, food, water? Damn, that's a terrorist attack against capitalism, the foundation of the "us" that you're supposed to stand with, not against. You must be against "us." The president might decide to declare you enemy combatants and hold you against your will without charges indefinitely on some military base(s).
Caution, non-Christian critics of the president: clearly if you're not Christian, as determined by narrow conservative fundamentalist definitions, you're suspect and definitely not with "us." So you must be against "us." Don't speak up too loudly or call attention to yourselves, or the president might declare you an enemy combatant, arrest you on U.S. soil, and hold you with no charges indefinitely.
Look out, voters who vote against the president and his party. If you're not with us, you're against us. If you don't support the president and his party, you're not with us. You, too, must be enemy combatants.
Not white? Don't even think about doing anything but what you're told by those in power. Certainly, if you're not white, you're not with this "us."
Supporter of the president? Wait... did you just say he looks a little tired... hold on... you're not with "us"?
Hello? Anybody home?
Welcome to Germany, early 1930s.
Warning, my friends: don't do anything or offend anybody that might lead to an accusation that you could be a terrorist or involved with terrorists or thinking about terrorism or sympathetic with terrorists or anything other than one-hundred and ten percent with the President of these United States. We all know that "you're either with us or against us," so if you criticize George W. and his royal we, "us," you must be against us.
Beware, abandoned citizens of New Orleans: you're actions might be deemed terroristic unless you stand firmly with the government that served you so well. Did you break a store window to find diapers, food, water? Damn, that's a terrorist attack against capitalism, the foundation of the "us" that you're supposed to stand with, not against. You must be against "us." The president might decide to declare you enemy combatants and hold you against your will without charges indefinitely on some military base(s).
Caution, non-Christian critics of the president: clearly if you're not Christian, as determined by narrow conservative fundamentalist definitions, you're suspect and definitely not with "us." So you must be against "us." Don't speak up too loudly or call attention to yourselves, or the president might declare you an enemy combatant, arrest you on U.S. soil, and hold you with no charges indefinitely.
Look out, voters who vote against the president and his party. If you're not with us, you're against us. If you don't support the president and his party, you're not with us. You, too, must be enemy combatants.
Not white? Don't even think about doing anything but what you're told by those in power. Certainly, if you're not white, you're not with this "us."
Supporter of the president? Wait... did you just say he looks a little tired... hold on... you're not with "us"?
Hello? Anybody home?
Welcome to Germany, early 1930s.
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Israel
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