[GPSCC-chat] number of protesters arrested

[Spencer Graves]

       Masao Suzuki, who teaches economics at Skyline College, was 
visited by the FBI wanting information pursuant to subpoenas for a grand 
jury investigation in Chicago regarding peaceful assemblies at the 
Republican National Convention in 2008 
(http://apexexpress.wordpress.com/2011/02/11/2102011-yukimi-nagano-of-little-dragon-protest-to-free-human-rights-activist-binayak-sen-and-professor-masao-suzuki).  
Masao is helping organize "The Committee to Stop FBI Repression" to 
fight this (www.stopfbi.net).


       Part of the legal justification of this uses the Patriot Act and 
the Effective Death Penalty and Antiterrorism Act, both of which have 
been interpreted as overriding the bill of rights.  I don't understand 
how a mere act of congress, passed by simple majorities in the house and 
senate and signed by the President can override constitutional 
amendments passed by at least 3/4 of the original 12 states and endorsed 
by every state that joined since.  However, we don't really believe in 
the rights of the minority unless they limit themselves to activities 
the majority thinks is OK for them.


       In brief, I'm concerned that we are in a new McCarthy era, driven 
by fear of mice.  (Al Qaeda and other non-state terrorist organizations 
are not major powers capable of threatening the internal security of the 
US.  They are mice.)


       Best Wishes,
       Spencer


On 5/29/2011 10:29 AM, Gerry Gras wrote:
>
> Interesting.
>
> Does this mean that
> - the government is cracking down on protestors
>     OR
> - there are more protests
>     OR
> - something else
> ????
>
> The article implies that there are more protests.
> I hope it's right.
>
> Gerry
>
>
> Jim Doyle wrote:
>> There is an article at  http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/05/24
>> titled
>> Over Two Thousand Six Hundred Activists Arrested in US Protests
>> by Bill Quigley <http://www.commondreams.org/bill-quigley>
>>
>> Since President Obama was inaugurated, there have been over two thousand
>> six hundred
>> arrests of activists protesting in the US. Research shows over 670
>> people have been
>> arrested in protests inside the US already in 2011, over 1290 were
>> arrested in 2010,
>> and 665 arrested in 2009.
>>
>> The full list is included in the article starting with
>>
>> January 1, 2011. Nine women, ages 40 to 91, who brought solar panels 
>> to the
>> Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor were arrested for blocking the 
>> driveway at
>> Entergy Corporation. Shut It Down.
>>
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-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Operating Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567