/ Social Commentary

Gulags are a’coming

Check this out: Bush has just signed into law a bill (HR 5122) that gives him the right to order military forces into any state that he deems necessary. You can read the pertinent section of the bill below, and I also suggest you check out Frank Morales’ story, “Bush Moves toward Martial Law” on the Toward Freedom website.

The Third Reich did not take over the German government in one night. The Nazis consolidated power in increments, until their power was complete enough to use blatent violence and repression. While the Bush goverment is distinctly different from the Nazis, power accrues in similar ways, no matter who is taking it. So as long as we let them, they will take more and more, positioning themselves to have far more power and control that the leaders of a democracy should ever be allowed.

When it all comes to a head and the Constitution is shredded along with our freedoms, nobody will have the right to say “we didn’t know it would happen.” It’s happening now. Voting next week will help, but it will not solve our problems. There is a fundamental cancer at the heart of our democracy as the cells of money and power have metastasized into a tumor that will destroy us all unless each of us starts taking responsibility for our society, for our politics and for our government. I’m not sure how I’m going to do that for myself, but I know I have to start, otherwise I will be culpable.

Call your Representatives and Senators to let them know you are concerned and that they should work to repeal the power that this bill has given the President. Tell as many people as you can about this outrage, especially those Republicans and conservatives who are concerned about where this President and his cronies have led the country. MAKE NOISE about this. Write letters to editors. But first, read the following and help me figure out how we have let this happen:

‚??‚???? 333. Major public emergencies; interference with State and
Federal law
‚??‚??(a) USE OF ARMED FORCES IN MAJOR PUBLIC EMERGENCIES.‚??
(1) The President may employ the armed forces, including the
National Guard in Federal service, to‚??


‚??‚??(A) restore public order and enforce the laws of the United
States when, as a result of a natural disaster, epidemic, or
other serious public health emergency, terrorist attack or
incident, or other condition in any State or possession of the
United States, the President determines that‚??
‚??‚??(i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent
that the constituted authorities of the State or possession
are incapable of maintaining public order; and
‚??‚??(ii) such violence results in a condition described in
paragraph (2); or
‚??‚??(B) suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic
violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy if such insurrection,
violation, combination, or conspiracy results in a condition
described in paragraph (2).


‚??‚??(2) A condition described in this paragraph is a condition
that‚??

‚??‚??(A) so hinders the execution of the laws of a State or
possession, as applicable, and of the United States within that
State or possession, that any part or class of its people is
deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named
in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted
authorities of that State or possession are unable, fail, or refuse
to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that
protection; or
H. R. 5122‚??323
‚??‚??(B) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the
United States or impedes the course of justice under those
laws.


‚??‚??(3) In any situation covered by paragraph (1)(B), the State
shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the
laws secured by the Constitution.
‚??‚??(b) NOTICE TO CONGRESS.‚??The President shall notify Congress
of the determination to exercise the authority in subsection (a)(1)(A)
as soon as practicable after the determination and every 14 days
thereafter during the duration of the exercise of that authority.‚??‚??


(2) PROCLAMATION TO DISPERSE.‚??Section 334 of such title
is amended by inserting ‚??‚??or those obstructing the enforcement
of the laws‚??‚?? after ‚??‚??insurgents‚??‚??.
(3) HEADING AMENDMENT.‚??The heading of chapter 15 of
such title is amended to read as follows:
‚??‚??CHAPTER 15‚??ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS TO
RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER‚??‚??.

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