TiLTNews Network: Earth Watch - Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference, not by safety. It is easy to clamor for government security when terrible things happen; but liberty is given true meaning when we support it without exception, and we will be safer for it ~ Dr. Ron Paul
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Activist Post: Syrian Kurds, Not U.S. Military, Rescued Trapped Yazidis In Iraq
Activist Post: Syrian Kurds, Not U.S. Military, Rescued Trapped Yazidis In Iraq
Friday, August 15, 2014
Syrian Kurds, Not U.S. Military, Rescued Trapped Yazidis In Iraq
Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post
In a perfect example of how world events can be misconstrued in mainstream media outlets for propaganda purposes, recent reports regarding trapped Yazidis on Mt. Sinjar have been used as cover for the justification of an American bombing campaign in Iraq.
This tragedy, which is very real, has been presented to the American public as the reason that the U.S. military is engaging in “targeted airstrikes” in Iraq, despite the fact that the area where the airstrikes initially took place was Erbil, a “hub” for major international oil companies which is not “in the vicinity” of Mt. Sinjar.
Although some airstrikes did eventually take place near Mt. Sinjar, the truth is that the trapped Yazidis were used as an excuse for the American military to act as protection for oil fields and international oil interests.
Now, after reports have trickled in suggesting that conditions on the ground on Mt. Sinjar are “better than expected” and that many Yazidis have actually been able to escape the mountain to safer areas, the “rescue mission” that was in the works while oil interests were being secured is now being called off.
Of course, the mainstream Western press is attempting to paint the improved conditions on Mt. Sinjar as a success of the American military, U.S. Marines, and other related personnel. However, the fact is that the U.S. military personnel only ever engaged in air relief drops and“reconnaissance.”
Friday, August 15, 2014
Syrian Kurds, Not U.S. Military, Rescued Trapped Yazidis In Iraq
Brandon TurbevilleActivist Post
In a perfect example of how world events can be misconstrued in mainstream media outlets for propaganda purposes, recent reports regarding trapped Yazidis on Mt. Sinjar have been used as cover for the justification of an American bombing campaign in Iraq.
This tragedy, which is very real, has been presented to the American public as the reason that the U.S. military is engaging in “targeted airstrikes” in Iraq, despite the fact that the area where the airstrikes initially took place was Erbil, a “hub” for major international oil companies which is not “in the vicinity” of Mt. Sinjar.
Although some airstrikes did eventually take place near Mt. Sinjar, the truth is that the trapped Yazidis were used as an excuse for the American military to act as protection for oil fields and international oil interests.
Now, after reports have trickled in suggesting that conditions on the ground on Mt. Sinjar are “better than expected” and that many Yazidis have actually been able to escape the mountain to safer areas, the “rescue mission” that was in the works while oil interests were being secured is now being called off.
Of course, the mainstream Western press is attempting to paint the improved conditions on Mt. Sinjar as a success of the American military, U.S. Marines, and other related personnel. However, the fact is that the U.S. military personnel only ever engaged in air relief drops and“reconnaissance.”
The real heroes for the Mt. Sinjar Yazidis are not NATO military personnel, but Syrian Kurds. This is because groups of Syrian Kurdish fighters, upon learning of the fate of the people trapped on Mt. Sinjar, organized and battled through IS forces, militarily digging out a safe corridor by which to remove them from the mountain and give them safe passage into Syria or some other area.
In other words, while humanitarian air drops were in the process of being bungled by the West, Syrian Kurds entered Iraq in order to battle IS militants and carve out an escape route into safer territory.
As the Associated Press reported on August 12, “For the past few days, fighters have been rescuing Yazidis from the mountain, transporting them into Syrian territory to give them first aid, food and water, and returning some to Iraq via a pontoon bridge.”
In other words, while humanitarian air drops were in the process of being bungled by the West, Syrian Kurds entered Iraq in order to battle IS militants and carve out an escape route into safer territory.
As the Associated Press reported on August 12, “For the past few days, fighters have been rescuing Yazidis from the mountain, transporting them into Syrian territory to give them first aid, food and water, and returning some to Iraq via a pontoon bridge.”
Ismail Rashu, a Yazidi who had escaped to Kurdish Syria, stated “The (Kurdish fighters) opened a path for us. If they had not, we would still be stranded on the mountain.”
According to the United Nations, about 50,000 Yazidis had fled to Mt. Sinjar. By Sunday, however, around 45,000 of them had been rescued by the Syrian Kurdish forces. While thousands are still stranded on the mountain, it appears that help is indeed on the way – just not in the form of the American military and the U.S. Marine Corp.
According to the United Nations, about 50,000 Yazidis had fled to Mt. Sinjar. By Sunday, however, around 45,000 of them had been rescued by the Syrian Kurdish forces. While thousands are still stranded on the mountain, it appears that help is indeed on the way – just not in the form of the American military and the U.S. Marine Corp.
In fact, the United States and its fellow NATO members are now abandoning a plan to “rescue” the trapped Yazidis as the majority have already been evacuated from the Mountain. The remaining people appear to be well on their way to relative safety.
According to the AP report,
Syrian Kurdish officials said soon after Yazidis fled their villages, they began fighting to create a safe passage. They clashed with Islamic State fighters upon entering Iraq, losing at least 9 fighters, but by Aug. 7 had secured a safe valley passage, cramming Yazidis into jeeps, trucks and cars to bring them some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away. Some of the ill were even rushed to hospital.
"We answered their cries for help. They were in danger and we opened a safe passage for them into safety," said military official Omar Ali. "We saw that we had to help them and protect them; they are Kurds and part of our nation."
While the vast majority of Americans who were casually paying attention to media reports regarding the trapped Yazidis will conclude that the victims were saved by the United States Marines and Western heroism, the fact is that the Syrian Kurdish forces, who are also locked in battle with Western-backed death squads in Syria, were the true heroes of this whole ordeal.
Without a doubt, it is important to remember that, if it were not for NATO and the United States, ISIS would never have been in Iraq to begin with and, thus, the Yazidis would never have suffered through this horrible affair.
Recently from Brandon Turbeville:
U.S. Knew About 9/11 Warning, Staged Egypt Revolution: Ex Interior Minister
NY State Candidate for Governor Arrested For Filming Police
The Real Reason The US Is Bombing Iraq
Brandon Turbeville is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Francis Marion University and is the author of six books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1and volume 2, and The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria. Turbeville has published over 300 articles dealing on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's podcast Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.
Syrian Kurdish officials said soon after Yazidis fled their villages, they began fighting to create a safe passage. They clashed with Islamic State fighters upon entering Iraq, losing at least 9 fighters, but by Aug. 7 had secured a safe valley passage, cramming Yazidis into jeeps, trucks and cars to bring them some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away. Some of the ill were even rushed to hospital.
"We answered their cries for help. They were in danger and we opened a safe passage for them into safety," said military official Omar Ali. "We saw that we had to help them and protect them; they are Kurds and part of our nation."
While the vast majority of Americans who were casually paying attention to media reports regarding the trapped Yazidis will conclude that the victims were saved by the United States Marines and Western heroism, the fact is that the Syrian Kurdish forces, who are also locked in battle with Western-backed death squads in Syria, were the true heroes of this whole ordeal.
Without a doubt, it is important to remember that, if it were not for NATO and the United States, ISIS would never have been in Iraq to begin with and, thus, the Yazidis would never have suffered through this horrible affair.
Recently from Brandon Turbeville:
U.S. Knew About 9/11 Warning, Staged Egypt Revolution: Ex Interior Minister
NY State Candidate for Governor Arrested For Filming Police
The Real Reason The US Is Bombing Iraq
Brandon Turbeville is an author out of Florence, South Carolina. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Francis Marion University and is the author of six books, Codex Alimentarius -- The End of Health Freedom, 7 Real Conspiracies, Five Sense Solutions and Dispatches From a Dissident, volume 1and volume 2, and The Road to Damascus: The Anglo-American Assault on Syria. Turbeville has published over 300 articles dealing on a wide variety of subjects including health, economics, government corruption, and civil liberties. Brandon Turbeville's podcast Truth on The Tracks can be found every Monday night 9 pm EST at UCYTV. He is available for radio and TV interviews. Please contact activistpost (at) gmail.com.
Activist Post: Forbes Calls Consumer Reports Anti-Science in a Pro-GMO Rant That…Lacks Science
Activist Post: Forbes Calls Consumer Reports Anti-Science in a Pro-GMO Rant That…Lacks Science
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Forbes Calls Consumer Reports Anti-Science in a Pro-GMO Rant That…Lacks Science
Daisy Luther
Activist Post
Forbes Magazine is known for its lists of the wealthiest people and companies. Frequently they use their influence to slyly support their big dollar buddies in the biotech industry.
Forbes successfully plumbed a new depth with an attack on Consumer Reports magazine last week.
Consumer Reports did an article ranking different milk substitutes for its readers. In that report, they (gasp) referred to the inclusion of GMOs as a “con” in their review on soy milk.
This caused Forbes Magazine to release the hounds in defense of genetically modified foods everywhere.
The hound in this case was Jon Entine. Entine, a pro-GMO activist, was very distressed by this report. I know this because he said so, repeatedly, ranting his way through an entire article about how CR has let him down with their complete ignorance about science.
Which makes it all the more distressing that this once venerable institution-in-a-magazine has driven off the science cliff in obeisance to the current hysteria—yes, we are listening Neil deGrasse Tyson—over genetically modified foods…
But the most egregious CR development is its unexplained dissing of GMO soy milk. Upwards of 94% of the US soy crop is GMO so it’s no surprise that your favorite edamame or your morning glass of soy milk is made from soy beans designed to be grown with fewer insecticides (Bt soy) or less toxic herbicides (herbicide resistant soy). In its “Cons” section, CR encourages consumers to “Look for brands with the USDA organic seal or the non-GMO verified label.”
But why? It never explains, and based on CR’s stated intention to rely on evidence to form its judgments, it’s violating its own guidance. After all, there is not one published study that suggests that GM soy products are any less nutritious than alternatives; nor are they, or any approved GMO food, harmful in any way. In fact, it’s well established that organic products, including soy milk, are more likely to have a higher risk of pathogen contamination.
Just to recap here: Entine is upset that CR is letting consumers know that the ingredients in soy milk are most likely GMO. He seems to disregard the fact that if consumers are concerned about GMOs in their diets, this is legitimately, a “con” and is important information for those of us who wish to identify and avoid GMO. If the consumer doesn’t care about GMOs, he or she is unlikely to take this warning to heart and will blithely guzzle down the negatively-reviewed product.
Entine wants you to know that GMO soy is actually better for you, also – you know, because they use less insecticide and herbicide when growing it. (I must have missed the “science” that says that these plants are sprayed less – and also that if they are, that less chemicals are better than no chemicals – I hope someone can send me a link to those reports. Please and thank you.) As well, Entine takes a moment to point out the organic products are worse for you than GMOs (he must have forgotten to put in the evidence of this “well-established fact” because that link goes no where.) It’s important to note that all of Entine’s “science” links back to his own site, pompously called the Genetic Literacy Project. Because the rest of us are…you know…illiterate. His theories are remarkably similar to the propaganda and the lies that the biotech industry espouses.
But Entine doesn’t stop with praising the health benefits of GMOs and the likelihood of a horrid death-by-pathogens from that nasty organic food.
Oh no.
His ire takes on a target completely unrelated to Consumer Reports, the Organic Consumers Association. The “radical Organic Consumers Association.” (Because we all know those organic food hippies are just crazy.) While he’s on the topic of how awesome GMO soymilk is, he took this opportunity to criticize both the OCA and a company that responded to activists by removing GMOs from their soy milk, all in one condescending fell swoop.
This is not the first time that activists have brandished their anti-science club to quash empirical based thinking on the issue of soy milk. In 2009, Dean FoodsDF +0.88%, owner of the Silk Soymilk brand, faced a barrage of criticism from food activists when it switched from organic to conventional soybeans, calling it their “natural” line—which was correct. The move was actually done for the best of reasons. Most certified organic soybeans are sourced from countries with low or non-existent labor standards; the switch to conventional soy means that workers would not being exploited to satisfy Silk Soymilk customers.
The radical Organic Consumers Association went on a rampage, calling for a boycott—and it was effective. Rather than stand by its ideals and its fair labor commitment, Dean caved, throwing its worker protection pledge under the bus to embrace the anti-GMO scare campaign. It now positions itself as a driver of the fear bus. “GMOs? No thanks,” Silk.com writes on its web page. “We think the less you mess with Mother Nature, the better.”
Kevin Folta, the head of the University of Florida plant technology program, who is clearly unbiased *snort* in his support of GMOs, pointed out unhappily that Consumer Reports, by criticizing GMOs, gave ”a backdoor endorsement of organic and non-GMO verified brands.” Isn’t it interesting how suggesting one thing is bad, Consumer Reports is accused of endorsing something else?
Entine summed up his disappointment with Consumer Reports’ anti-GMO stance with his own unsubstantiated pronouncement:
The only difference between soy milk made with GM soy and alternatives is that the substituttes (sic) would almost certainly cost a heckuva a lot more because of the price premium extracted by organic producers. In other words consumers would be paying more for no benefits.
Is that the kind of advice that you want from Consumer Reports? How to spend more for new (sic) real benefits?
Forbes Magazine has a history of promoting the interests of Big Business. If you google “Forbes and GMOs” you’ll find a long list of pro-Biotech propaganda, including 2000+ Reasons GMOs Are Safe to Eat (also penned by Entine, who must get a heck of a Christmas present each year from the folks who sell GMO seeds.) Meanwhile, Forbes mocks organic consumers as “agricultural narcissists.”
The creators of the famous Forbes 500 lists have a dubious interest in educating the public if it might lower the net worth of companies with questionable ethics like Monsanto and Dow. In fact, articles like these could potentially manipulate markets by using their influence to attempt to sway public opinion. By setting themselves up as well-educated experts and condescending to the rest of us ignorant fools with ad hominem cries of “anti-science”, they promote the money makers: low quality, dirt cheap ingredients that can be highly processed and marked up with an enormous profit margin.
But honestly. Forbes really just wants you to have the scoop about genetic modification. Forbes Magazine wants you to know that GMOs are good for you, and that organics contain deadly pathogens. Forbes cares about you.
Further reading
Techniques of Propaganda and Persuasion
GMO Free Diet: How to stay healthy by identifying and avoiding dangerous foods
We’re Monsanto: Feeding the World, Lie After Lie
Organic: A Journalist’s Quest to Discover the Truth behind Food Labeling
Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor who lives in a small village in the Pacific Northwestern area of the United States. She is the author of The Pantry Primer: How to Build a One Year Food Supply in Three Months. On her website, The Organic Prepper, Daisy writes about healthy prepping, homesteading adventures, and the pursuit of liberty and food freedom. Daisy is a co-founder of the website Nutritional Anarchy, where this first appeared, which focuses on resistance through food self-sufficiency. Daisy's articles are widely republished throughout alternative media. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Forbes Calls Consumer Reports Anti-Science in a Pro-GMO Rant That…Lacks Science
Daisy LutherActivist Post
Forbes Magazine is known for its lists of the wealthiest people and companies. Frequently they use their influence to slyly support their big dollar buddies in the biotech industry.
Forbes successfully plumbed a new depth with an attack on Consumer Reports magazine last week.
Consumer Reports did an article ranking different milk substitutes for its readers. In that report, they (gasp) referred to the inclusion of GMOs as a “con” in their review on soy milk.
This caused Forbes Magazine to release the hounds in defense of genetically modified foods everywhere.
The hound in this case was Jon Entine. Entine, a pro-GMO activist, was very distressed by this report. I know this because he said so, repeatedly, ranting his way through an entire article about how CR has let him down with their complete ignorance about science.
Which makes it all the more distressing that this once venerable institution-in-a-magazine has driven off the science cliff in obeisance to the current hysteria—yes, we are listening Neil deGrasse Tyson—over genetically modified foods…
But the most egregious CR development is its unexplained dissing of GMO soy milk. Upwards of 94% of the US soy crop is GMO so it’s no surprise that your favorite edamame or your morning glass of soy milk is made from soy beans designed to be grown with fewer insecticides (Bt soy) or less toxic herbicides (herbicide resistant soy). In its “Cons” section, CR encourages consumers to “Look for brands with the USDA organic seal or the non-GMO verified label.”
But why? It never explains, and based on CR’s stated intention to rely on evidence to form its judgments, it’s violating its own guidance. After all, there is not one published study that suggests that GM soy products are any less nutritious than alternatives; nor are they, or any approved GMO food, harmful in any way. In fact, it’s well established that organic products, including soy milk, are more likely to have a higher risk of pathogen contamination.
Just to recap here: Entine is upset that CR is letting consumers know that the ingredients in soy milk are most likely GMO. He seems to disregard the fact that if consumers are concerned about GMOs in their diets, this is legitimately, a “con” and is important information for those of us who wish to identify and avoid GMO. If the consumer doesn’t care about GMOs, he or she is unlikely to take this warning to heart and will blithely guzzle down the negatively-reviewed product.
Entine wants you to know that GMO soy is actually better for you, also – you know, because they use less insecticide and herbicide when growing it. (I must have missed the “science” that says that these plants are sprayed less – and also that if they are, that less chemicals are better than no chemicals – I hope someone can send me a link to those reports. Please and thank you.) As well, Entine takes a moment to point out the organic products are worse for you than GMOs (he must have forgotten to put in the evidence of this “well-established fact” because that link goes no where.) It’s important to note that all of Entine’s “science” links back to his own site, pompously called the Genetic Literacy Project. Because the rest of us are…you know…illiterate. His theories are remarkably similar to the propaganda and the lies that the biotech industry espouses.
But Entine doesn’t stop with praising the health benefits of GMOs and the likelihood of a horrid death-by-pathogens from that nasty organic food.
Oh no.
His ire takes on a target completely unrelated to Consumer Reports, the Organic Consumers Association. The “radical Organic Consumers Association.” (Because we all know those organic food hippies are just crazy.) While he’s on the topic of how awesome GMO soymilk is, he took this opportunity to criticize both the OCA and a company that responded to activists by removing GMOs from their soy milk, all in one condescending fell swoop.
This is not the first time that activists have brandished their anti-science club to quash empirical based thinking on the issue of soy milk. In 2009, Dean FoodsDF +0.88%, owner of the Silk Soymilk brand, faced a barrage of criticism from food activists when it switched from organic to conventional soybeans, calling it their “natural” line—which was correct. The move was actually done for the best of reasons. Most certified organic soybeans are sourced from countries with low or non-existent labor standards; the switch to conventional soy means that workers would not being exploited to satisfy Silk Soymilk customers.
The radical Organic Consumers Association went on a rampage, calling for a boycott—and it was effective. Rather than stand by its ideals and its fair labor commitment, Dean caved, throwing its worker protection pledge under the bus to embrace the anti-GMO scare campaign. It now positions itself as a driver of the fear bus. “GMOs? No thanks,” Silk.com writes on its web page. “We think the less you mess with Mother Nature, the better.”
Kevin Folta, the head of the University of Florida plant technology program, who is clearly unbiased *snort* in his support of GMOs, pointed out unhappily that Consumer Reports, by criticizing GMOs, gave ”a backdoor endorsement of organic and non-GMO verified brands.” Isn’t it interesting how suggesting one thing is bad, Consumer Reports is accused of endorsing something else?
Entine summed up his disappointment with Consumer Reports’ anti-GMO stance with his own unsubstantiated pronouncement:
The only difference between soy milk made with GM soy and alternatives is that the substituttes (sic) would almost certainly cost a heckuva a lot more because of the price premium extracted by organic producers. In other words consumers would be paying more for no benefits.
Is that the kind of advice that you want from Consumer Reports? How to spend more for new (sic) real benefits?
Forbes Magazine has a history of promoting the interests of Big Business. If you google “Forbes and GMOs” you’ll find a long list of pro-Biotech propaganda, including 2000+ Reasons GMOs Are Safe to Eat (also penned by Entine, who must get a heck of a Christmas present each year from the folks who sell GMO seeds.) Meanwhile, Forbes mocks organic consumers as “agricultural narcissists.”
The creators of the famous Forbes 500 lists have a dubious interest in educating the public if it might lower the net worth of companies with questionable ethics like Monsanto and Dow. In fact, articles like these could potentially manipulate markets by using their influence to attempt to sway public opinion. By setting themselves up as well-educated experts and condescending to the rest of us ignorant fools with ad hominem cries of “anti-science”, they promote the money makers: low quality, dirt cheap ingredients that can be highly processed and marked up with an enormous profit margin.
But honestly. Forbes really just wants you to have the scoop about genetic modification. Forbes Magazine wants you to know that GMOs are good for you, and that organics contain deadly pathogens. Forbes cares about you.
Further reading
Techniques of Propaganda and Persuasion
GMO Free Diet: How to stay healthy by identifying and avoiding dangerous foods
We’re Monsanto: Feeding the World, Lie After Lie
Organic: A Journalist’s Quest to Discover the Truth behind Food Labeling
Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor who lives in a small village in the Pacific Northwestern area of the United States. She is the author of The Pantry Primer: How to Build a One Year Food Supply in Three Months. On her website, The Organic Prepper, Daisy writes about healthy prepping, homesteading adventures, and the pursuit of liberty and food freedom. Daisy is a co-founder of the website Nutritional Anarchy, where this first appeared, which focuses on resistance through food self-sufficiency. Daisy's articles are widely republished throughout alternative media. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca
Activist Artist Michael D’Antuono Upends the Establishment
Art is not made to decorate rooms. It is an offensive weapon in the defense against the enemy - Picasso
Artist Michael D'Antuono
Activist Post
Deemed “one of the world’s most controversial artists” by more than one foreign publication, Michael D’Antuono is known for making art that challenges people to think more deeply about sociopolitical issues. His work has received high praise from fellow artists Shepard Fairey and Banksy.
In 2009 D’Antuono created a firestorm with his painting “The Truth” as seen above. The artist’s intent was to the to let the diverse interpretations of the piece expose how badly people’s political prejudice distort subjectivity and how dangerously divided we are as a nation. The piece worked too well, igniting such great protest that D’Antuono had to cancel his planned installation in New York’s Union Square Park on President Obama’s 100th day in office. The painting became an international news story with much-received hate mail. D’Antuono finally had the opportunity to exercise his first amendment right to exhibit the painting at an art exhibition in Boston in 2012. Once again the painting created a firestorm. Former Presidential candidate Herman Caine denounced the piece, and the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights called for its removal from exhibition. Surprisingly, Glenn Beck defended the artist’s right to exhibit his art by devoting a show to it and another one with Michael as his guest.
D’Antuono’s provocative takes on racism, class warfare, the environment, corporate influence and other hot-button issues have made him the object of censorship and derision by those who want to protect the status-quo. Yet he continues to make art that speaks truth to power, perpetuating the historic role of the artist to spark social change.
Activist Post is happy to have been given the opportunity by Michael to present his paintings in our articles. Please see Michael D'Antuono at work in the video below, and visit his site at Art and Response.
Activist Artist Michael D'Antuono Upends the Establishment
Activist
Sat, 16 Aug 2014 13:25:00 GMT
Stirring The Pot: DOJ Sends ‘Marshals’ To ‘Coach’ The Protesters In Ferguson
Michael Snyder
Activist Post
Is the Obama administration looking to stir up more trouble in Ferguson? “Protest marshals” from the same Department of Justice division that organized protests against George Zimmerman in the aftermath of the shooting of Trayvon Martin have been deployed to the troubled city. It is being reported that these DOJ agents will be “conducting training” for Ferguson protesters that will focus on “best practices for participating in protests”.
Local officials in Missouri hope that this will help defuse the situation, but if history is any guide it may end up doing just the opposite. According to the head of Judicial Watch, the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice “has a record of racially inflammatory rhetoric that is extreme in ideology and cynical in its politics”. Could these Ferguson protests ultimately be used to take us to the next level in the inflammation of racial tensions in America?
What we have seen play out in Ferguson over the past few days demonstrates so much of what is wrong in this country.
The initial rioting and looting in the city was a prime example of the extreme social decay that is eating away at the foundations of our nation. And it showed how rapidly the streets of our major cities could potentially descend into chaos.
And then the absolutely brutal response by the police was a perfect example of how our society is rapidly being transformed into a heavily militarized police state.
Now that the Obama administration is getting involved, who knows what is going to happen next.
According to the Daily Caller, two “protest marshals” have already been deployed to Ferguson so far…
Two Department of Justice “protest marshals” are in Ferguson, Mo., to help train people taking part in demonstrations over the fatal police shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.That’s according to Ferguson mayor James Knowles, who spoke with The Daily Caller Wednesday evening.We are being told that they will be “conducting training for the groups on best practices for participating in protests”.
That sounds good, but as Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch has pointed out, this particular Department of Justice division has a troubled history…Responding to news that the Justice Department has dispatched its Community Relations Service to the scene of racially charged unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, the head of the Washington watchdog group Judicial Watch says it’s time for a civil rights investigation of Attorney General Eric Holder’s agency.
“Eric Holder’s Justice Department is unfortunately not to be trusted on racial matters,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in an interview with WND.Under Holder’s leadership, he said, the department “has a record of racially inflammatory rhetoric that is extreme in ideology and cynical in its politics.”“The idea that this Justice Department could be trusted to mediate is highly suspect,” he said.So precisely what kind of “coaching” and “training” will these protesters be receiving?
In a previous article, I discussed how Judicial Watch has documented the fact that the Community Relations Service helped “organize and manage rallies and protests against George Zimmerman” back in 2012. This assistance also included spending quite a bit of money, arranging meetings between the NAACP and local leaders, and even providing police escorts for protesters.
Let us certainly hope that the DOJ does not choose to inflame the situation, because Ferguson is already essentially a war zone at this point.
On Wednesday night, police used smoke bombs, tear gas, flash bang grenades, rubber bullets and LRAD sound cannons against protesters. You can see footage of some of the police brutality in the video posted below…And it isn’t just “young punks” that are being brutalized. In an Instagram photo that you can view right here, you can see the gruesome wound that was created when a white female pastor was shot while she was peacefully praying.
There is no excuse for that. The whole world is watching what is going on, and they are absolutely disgusted with us.
Thankfully, the Governor of Missouri is taking charge of the situation. Governor Nixon has put the Missouri State Highway Patrol in charge, and he is promising a change in “tone”. The following comes from a CNN report…Gov. Jay Nixon said he decided to put the Missouri State Highway Patrol in charge of security because “at this particular point, the attitudes weren’t improving, and the blocks towards expression appeared to be a flashpoint.”Lately, the community of Ferguson, which has been the scene of clashes in the wake of a weekend police shooting that left teenager Michael Brown dead, has looked “more like a war zone, and it’s not acceptable,” Nixon said.
Now, authorities — who’ve faced accusations that they’ve used excessive force in response to demonstrations — will be taking a different tack in an effort to calm tensions, officials said Thursday.“We’re all about making sure that we allow peaceful and appropriate protests, that we use force only when necessary, that we step back a little bit and let some of the energy be felt in this region, appropriately,” Nixon said.That sounds good, but what is going to happen if protesters start foolishly throwing Molotov cocktails once again?
Will the police be able to show restraint at that point?
And how will the Department of Justice “protest marshals” change the equation?
Will they calm things down, or will they end up inflaming the situation?
Please feel free to share what you think by posting a comment below…
Related:
The Truth About the Ferguson Riots & Martial Law
This article first appeared here at the American Dream. Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog. Follow him on Twitter here.
Stirring The Pot: DOJ Sends ‘Marshals’ To ‘Coach’ The Protesters In Ferguson
Activist
Fri, 15 Aug 2014 13:19:00 GMT
NH Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over “Spice” Overdoses | Ben Swann Truth In Media
NH Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over “Spice” Overdoses | Ben Swann Truth In Media.
Drug War
Politics
US
By: Annabelle Bamforth Aug 17, 2014
0
See Video here: http://videos.benswann.com/decor/live/transparent.gif
Concord, NH- Governor Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter) declared a state of emergency last Thursday in response to dozens of reported overdoses related to synthetic marijuana, often called “spice”.
The state of emergency will be in effect for 21 days unless an order is made to end the declaration early or to extend it. About 44 people have been reported to experience adverse reactions to the product; around half of those overdoses required hospitalization.
Spice is generally marketed as potpourri or incense on their packaging and often labeled “not for consumption”, but product users commonly smoke it, ingest it or brew it into tea because the products are sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. The synthetic compounds have been claimed to mimic the effects of marijuana, but with more dangerous and intense reactions.
According to the press release, “The declaration of a State of Emergency triggers the Department of Health and Human Services public health powers under RSA 21-P:53 or any other applicable statute to investigate, isolate or quarantine and require the destruction of the commodity in question.” The overdoses have mainly been reported in the Manchester area, and a few have been documented in Concord.
“These spice products can be treated with a variety of things, some of them are showing up with controlled substances that make them illegal, but we don’t know that that’s true for all of them,”said Hassan.
Although spice has been legal to sell, police and health officials are now searching for the “Smacked” brand of spice in bubblegum flavor. The state of emergency declaration allows for the bubblegum “Smacked” spice to be pulled from store shelves. There are several other brands and flavors of spice, but “Smacked” is the brand that officials are claiming caused the overdoses.
Manchester Police Sgt. Brian O’Keefe said that Chief David Mara is discussing with city officials the possibility of a spice ban within Manchester.
Matt Simon, New England Political Director of Marijuana Policy Project, said “It’s very important for people to understand that these drugs are not ‘synthetic marijuana.’ That’s about as accurate as calling methamphetamine ‘synthetic coffee.’ If adults could legally choose to use marijuana, it’s hard to imagine that there would be much demand for these dangerous substitutes.”
“This is just another reason to end marijuana prohibition,” said Simon.
Police in New Hampshire cities including Nashua and Manchester are checking convenience stores and gas stations for the product. A store owner in Pelham was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of felony drug sales for selling the substance. Three stores in Manchester have been shut down after police said those stores were selling the product.
Drug War
Politics
US
By: Annabelle Bamforth Aug 17, 2014
0
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Concord, NH- Governor Maggie Hassan (D-Exeter) declared a state of emergency last Thursday in response to dozens of reported overdoses related to synthetic marijuana, often called “spice”.
The state of emergency will be in effect for 21 days unless an order is made to end the declaration early or to extend it. About 44 people have been reported to experience adverse reactions to the product; around half of those overdoses required hospitalization.
Spice is generally marketed as potpourri or incense on their packaging and often labeled “not for consumption”, but product users commonly smoke it, ingest it or brew it into tea because the products are sprayed with synthetic cannabinoids. The synthetic compounds have been claimed to mimic the effects of marijuana, but with more dangerous and intense reactions.
According to the press release, “The declaration of a State of Emergency triggers the Department of Health and Human Services public health powers under RSA 21-P:53 or any other applicable statute to investigate, isolate or quarantine and require the destruction of the commodity in question.” The overdoses have mainly been reported in the Manchester area, and a few have been documented in Concord.
“These spice products can be treated with a variety of things, some of them are showing up with controlled substances that make them illegal, but we don’t know that that’s true for all of them,”said Hassan.
Although spice has been legal to sell, police and health officials are now searching for the “Smacked” brand of spice in bubblegum flavor. The state of emergency declaration allows for the bubblegum “Smacked” spice to be pulled from store shelves. There are several other brands and flavors of spice, but “Smacked” is the brand that officials are claiming caused the overdoses.
Manchester Police Sgt. Brian O’Keefe said that Chief David Mara is discussing with city officials the possibility of a spice ban within Manchester.
Matt Simon, New England Political Director of Marijuana Policy Project, said “It’s very important for people to understand that these drugs are not ‘synthetic marijuana.’ That’s about as accurate as calling methamphetamine ‘synthetic coffee.’ If adults could legally choose to use marijuana, it’s hard to imagine that there would be much demand for these dangerous substitutes.”
“This is just another reason to end marijuana prohibition,” said Simon.
Police in New Hampshire cities including Nashua and Manchester are checking convenience stores and gas stations for the product. A store owner in Pelham was arrested on Friday and charged with two counts of felony drug sales for selling the substance. Three stores in Manchester have been shut down after police said those stores were selling the product.
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