Mark my words, this article is nothing but Reporters Without Borders issued “throw them off the trail” Propaganda - they have been getting into hot water over their copius and nasty anti-Olympics protests.

Why in their ENTIRE “2008 Annual Report: Freedom of the Press Worldwide” (http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=736) did they, in the section for the United States, do little but plug the “Freedom of Information Act” (a law popular by the Right and used for raping public institutions like public school districts) and stick up a defense for a single, ummm blogger (not reporter!), Josh Wolf?

As to our massive war in Irag and all the press rights violations there? RWB listed only ONE jailed Iraqi - Sami al-Haj.

This is bull___, and Truthdig needs to exercise more care with ANYTHING coming from this bogus group.

Oh - did Reporters Without Borders (the self-titled “worldwide press freedom organisation") add THIS one to their assualts on “Press Freedom” and crimes towards journalists??

Like HELL they did!!

This group, a paid puppet of the U.S. State Department, only points the finger away the sands of America’s coasts.

Look at this ridiculous article: The plight of journalists in 98 countries reviewed http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25484

(hmmm, why the U.S. is missing from this list, how surprising)

WHO is paying this obviously substantially-endowed so-called “human-rights” group??

Our system of government has succeeded in
deregulating ITSELF. The egulating bodies of Congress and the Judiciary with Executive oversight have been rendered impotent. The President has proclaimed that he may ignore any law of his choosing if only he recites the words “Executive Privilege.” He may furthermore alter any law passed by Congress due to a little known Executive perk referred to as the “Signing Statement.”

“If this were a dictatorship, it’d be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I’m the dictator.”
—George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000
(http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushdumbquo tes2.htm)

“I’ll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office.”
—George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 12, 2008
(http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushisms.htm)

Let us also not forget that (thanks to The Patriot Act) the government may now spy on you at will. It has, in addition, been empowered to detain you without charge or with benefit of trial so long as it labels you a “terrorist. “ The official definition of “terrorist” is rather loose and has come to include language that suggests “anti-government” activity which would not, as it is, preclude peaceful dissent. Thus your local “fusion center” (fusion of local police department and federal intelligence agencies) may effectively alleviate you of your right to petition the government, to the freedom of speech, to freedom of the press, and the right to peaceably assemble. In other words: Adios First Amendment to the Constitution! Almost.

You may still practice a religion of choice so long as it jives with “Judeo-Christian values.” Whew! We were worried there for a minute that we might not be able to invoke the name of God in every conceivable political discussion. The latest: “Terrorist Watch List Hits One Million Names”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barry-steinhardt/terrori st-watch-list-hits_b_112596.html.

By Outraged, August 22 at 1:51 am

“… am followed wherever I go....NO, I’m not making this up...over to the grocery store or the gas station...I don’t “go” all that many places.  I have had 6’4” goons attempt to intimidate me in the grocery store,..”

~~~

Oh shit outraged! This is AWFUL! And, I know you aren’t making it up, because it has happened to me, on and off, for the past several years (and in earlier decades)

And the reason?

You have it right here..

“Is there a FACTION of our government attempting by humiliation or otherwise to quelch the truth...?  YOU BETCHA!”

Humiliation might not be the best word. It’s more to intimidate, harass, and TERRORIZE. Being subjected to that for an extended period of time is intended to make you crazy, and yes..to SQUELCH the TRUTH!!

So how many American’s are being harassed like this? We never really know, and wouldn’t know anything, if not for the Internet. Which is why they’re trying to squash it, and probably why the wiretapping is being allowed, even though there’s nothing for them to ‘find out’. (at least not with me).

But it continues.

And, considering the number of Iraqis that the US has locked up in newly built prisons, IN IRAQ, this isn’t even a surprise that they would do the same to us here.

I’m telling you, Mexico is looking better and better.

I can fathom and understand that a journalist working for foreign news agencies, in his occupied homeland, could be suspected, detained and possibly killed by the Iraqi resistance movement, but that he’s been suspected and jailed by the occupation force itself is indeed beyond comprehension!

If this is indicative of anything, then it’s that occupation forces live in constant fear and suspicion of any native who wants to have a normal life to earn a livelihood through the dignity of work, even if this work means working for foreigners who are perceived by other natives as being part of the enemy camp.

And if there is a lesson in this for the native Iraqis, it would be that they should unite and kick out the asses of their hated marauders occupiers, by all means possible, and the sooner the better!

Personally, I would assert that this situation to be even more egregious than that.  Which is ridiculous.  Take my experience.

I am followed wherever I go....NO, I’m not making this up...over to the grocery store or the gas station...I don’t “go” all that many places.  I have had 6’4” goons attempt to intimidate me in the grocery store, my children have been hounded and “pulled over” while driving for questionable reasons.  I myself, was almost arrested for a “noise disturbance” which according to local ordinances is NOT an arrestable “offense”.

Certainly makes one wonder who’s running the show doesn’t it..?

Is there a FACTION of our government attempting by humiliation or otherwise to quelch the truth...?  YOU BETCHA!