A Compliment I Don’t Deserve, or, “Hi, Coppers!”
The New York Times reports that the New York Police Department monitored this very here “Search and Destroy” website during its manic run-up to the 2004 Republican National Convention, which was held in New York and became infamous as the site of “Little Gitmo”—a system of disused piers transformed into concentration camps where protesters and random passersby were held incommunicado for as long as four days, without being charged.
Here is the Times:
Some highlights from the police intelligence digests:
An Oct. 9, 2003 digest showing that the Police Department shared information with other law enforcement agencies about Bands Against Bush. “The mixing of music and political rhetoric indicates sophisticated organizing skills with a specific agenda,” one police officer wrote.
A Nov. 13, 2003 digest noting the Web site of the editorial cartoonist and activist Ted Rall. “Activists are talking, some with barely hidden glee, about the possibility of violence,” an officer wrote, describing postings on Mr. Rall’s site. [emphasis added]A March 5, 2004 digest citing Aron Kay, a k a “Yippie Pie Man,” who was planning to apply for camping permits so that activists could sleep in Tompkins Square Park during the convention. “The permit application will reportedly be submitted on behalf of an activist group ‘Rainbow Affinity Tribe,’” the officer noted.
The Times story also contains a link to the NYPD dossier on yours truly, the Dreaded “Activist”:
“Ted Rall is a Columbia University graduate who earns a living as a cartoonist/radio host and has been published in the Village voice.[sic]Ted Rall is a nationally known activist figure.”
No wonder our security state can’t find bin Laden: they can’t even get the basics right.
I’m no activist. I marched during the 2003 anti-Iraq War demo in New York, but before that it had been many years since I’d been active in any political organization. (The Dukakis campaign sort of ended my interest in conventional politicking.) Many of my friends are activists, and I admire them for it. Next to them, I’m a mere lump on a log who opines on current events from behind my computer and drafting table.
Also, it wasn’t just stuff posted on my “website,” as they say–it was my syndicated column, which also happens to appear at my website. Saying that this material is from a website is like saying the New York Times is a website, which it is–but it also misses the point.
Another reason they can’t find bin Laden: they’re so worried about the “traitors” in their midst that they’ve lost sight of America’s real enemies.
14 Comments.
I know it's been several weeks since it aired, but the George Tenet interview on 60 Minutes was very informative. The best part was when Tenet was asked about the use of torture — such as "waterboarding" — on detainees. Tenet became incensed and repeated at least three times that "we do not torture". He then went on to say that "'enhanced interrogation techniques' is really a misnomer. We prefer to call it 'fun party games'. In fact, every Halloween we throw some apples into the tank and everybody has a great time."
“The mixing of music and political rhetoric indicates sophisticated organizing skills with a specific agenda,”
there are so many things going on in this one sentence it's hard to know where to start. Please tell me you are doing a comic on this.
<< the Police Department shared information with other law enforcement agencies about Bands Against Bush. “The mixing of music and political rhetoric indicates sophisticated organizing skills with a specific agenda,” one police officer wrote. >>
So musical instruments are now the latest weapon in the terrorists' arsenal? Just imagine the future updates in the ongoing War on Terror:
The CIA has uncovered a plot by Osama bin Laden to attack US targets by assembling a twenty-piece orchestra. The CIA also believes that bin Laden had sought to acquire sheet music in Niger.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
In Iraq, US forces discovered a stash of insurgent munitions, including 8 French horns, 5 trumpets, 3 snare drums, and a grand piano.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
The military has launched a successful air strike on an Al-Qaeda training installation in Afghanistan. The terrorists were caught unawares during a performance of the 3rd act of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. According to the latest reports, Air Force stealth bombers dropped four 2000-pound smart-bombs, taking out the bulk of Al-Qaeda's Woodwinds section. The Brass section also reportedly took heavy casualties. During a sweep of the area, Special Forces took into custody several jihadists, including two bass trombonists and a tuba player.
Yes,yes Ted in todays light you are a activist, and a radical! Look at you, you talk of things like free speach, even if you don't agree with what the other person says. You talk of treating every one of all faiths with respect. You suggest all people of all color should be equal. You talk about health care problems and civil injustice. RADICAL,RADICAL,RADICAL!!!!!
photos from inside little gitmo: http://www.2600.com/rnc2004/images/161_6138.jpg
there is a whole story and video here:
http://www.2600.com/rnc2004
RNC 2004 was just more practice.
According to Jello:
"Halliburton subsidiary KBR just got a $385 million dollar contract on January 24 from the Department of Homeland Security for the construction of temporary detention facilities inside the United States in case of "an emergency influx of immigrants" or to support the rapid development of new programs or natural disasters. What new programs?"
The quotes from the cops in the Times piece confirm our suspicions. They really do look down on people. That allows them to carry out these ridiculous orders.
How many cops are leftists? Progressives? Left of center?
All the pieces are in place.
Of course it is bad enough that dissent is swept off the street by a political party…Brazilian style.
Yes, the police-state got it right!
"Ted Rall: infamous rabble-rousing cartoonist"
Is that the caption they use when you're on FOX ?
<< The New York Times reports that the New York Police Department monitored this very here "Search and Destroy" website during its manic run-up to the 2004 Republican National Convention, which was held in New York and became infamous as the site of "Little Gitmo" >>
Back during the GOP convention in 2004, I posted something on a Yahoo! message board which I think is just as relevant today as it was then:
In keeping with the spirit established at the Democratic Convention in Boston, GOP Convention officials in New York City have proposed setting up a "free speech zone" in a salt mine located one mile below Yucca Mountain in Nevada.
Convention officials expressed confidence that Yucca Mountain would be the ideal venue for protesters to exercise their First Amendment rights as the activists would be well protected from earthquakes and floods.
The proposal drew strong objections from protest organizers who claim that Yucca Mountain is patently unsafe because it is believed to be infested with man-eating troglodytes. Responding to the protesters' concerns, Mayor Bloomberg noted that troglodyte attacks have actually declined sharply in recent years and suggested that most were probably killed off anyway by radiation from the nearby nuclear waste dump.
But not all protesters objected to the GOP's proposal. Said one activist, "Look, with the specter of terrorism looming and the climate of politics being what it is, fending off attacks by flesh-eating troglodytes, or the occasional boogen, is just part and parcel of being a protester in America nowadays."
“The mixing of music and political rhetoric indicates sophisticated organizing skills with a specific agenda,” one police officer wrote.
This type of thinking goes back at least to the nixon administration and their targeting of john lennon. They were very much afraid of the motivating and organizing power of youth and music.
The fact that individual policemen were are willing to take this initiative should scare the shit out of everyone.
Remember that they investigated Billionaires For Bush, too. What a waste of taxpayer money.
There was a rather upset lady at the Los Angeles immigration rally who said something along the lines of "One day we're not going to be running from these cops, we're going to be ready…"
paraphrased of course. I think the police need to take a look at who they REALLY work for.
I'm still waiting for the big push for disarming the US public. Now that's going to be fun!
What do you expect from a govt. whose forigen policy has done nothing to stabilize the world since the Korean War. Talk about shipping all our money over seas. The Bush, administration shipped it to the Middle East, by the ton. While at home, we have unfunded mandates to improve public education, and leave "no child left behind". Fuel prices continue to rise while our standards of living sink. The president has stated "most people don't realize how robust the economy is". Well, why don't most people realize this? Could it be that for "most people", the economy sucks? Yet we the people need to worry about freeing Iraq, from the boot heel of a tyrant? Maybe we should look closer to home.
With the way you're trying to minimize and disavow your activism while at the same time pointing out other people who are more "dangerous" makes it seem like you're intimidated by the NYPD surviellance.
You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. The NYPD is a bunch of imcompetent morons and everyone knows it. Don't let them intimidate you Rall.
Ted, you're on the money here, except for one thing, which completes the purse-snatching metaphor you began with. There's a big story, which doesn't make sense, we've all been told to believe The September Criminals, are the very thugs who hijacked our government, murdered hundreds of thousands, and legalized torture. The reason they are not worried about the next attack, is because if it is being planned, THEY are planning it. They are worried that people like you might actually go public with the fact that the most nonsensical story we've been told in the last 7 years, is that of the official story of September 11th. What about WTC 7 Ted, does that make sense? The BBC, on 2 different stations, and CNN as well, reported that it fell, before it fell (it was standing behind Jayne Standley while she said it had collapsed)No plane hit WTC7, and yet it collapsed in under 7 seconds, completely to the ground. Giuliani has admitted prior knowledge it would collapse, Larry Silverstein said he and the FDNY decided to "pull it." Modern steel framed buildings do NOT collapse due to hydrocarbon fires, period, forget doing so completely into their own footprint, at freefall speed. Mohammed Atta ate pork, cavorted with strippers, and took MDMA and cocaine, according to our FBI, not exactly fundamentalist material. These 'purse snatchers' need to be convicted, their story doesn't wash, and if you've read the real dirt, you know that's the truth. You're on the right track, but you need to step it up, and expose the seriousness of our situation, our nation is usurped by traitors.