I support terrorists?
I do drugs, I fund crime, I help terrorism. Well, because there’s a war on drugs, my money goes to criminals, druglords and terrorists.
If drugs were not illegal, my money would go to legitimate sources. I do drugs, my government has declared war on me.
The war on drugs is part of the war against terrorism, nothing to do with people who think differently, who want to lead their lives differently, who don’t want to be oppressed by capitalism’s whims.
The following is a public service message for Human Rights Day, received by Resistance in Brooklyn from political prisoner Jaan Laaman.
Human Rights During Wartime
By Jaan Laaman, Ohio 7 anti-imperialist political prisonerThe struggle for Human, civil and legal rights is always so important, but particularly now in this time of war and increasing repression. Even as they expand this ridiculous war in Afghanistan, Bush and his government are laying plans to spread imperialist war to other countries. Iraq, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan have all been singled out. Threats have been made against Liberation movements in Columbia, the Philippines and Nepal, as well as against popular leaders and governments of Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine and Libya. With no sense of shame or even irony, Bush threatens war against countries who may have some weapons of mass destruction. This from a country that without question has the largest stockpile of every form of weapon of mass destruction known to modern civilization, and a long historic record of using them against civilian populations around the world!
Domestically, with this so-called Homeland Defense, creepy and fascist sounding as that is, we’ve seen the corporate media totally cave, becoming the new cheerleaders for each new police state law and measure. The recent quickly passed federal anti-terror legislation, allowing seven-day police detention and other repressive measures, is almost certainly unconstitutional. Even more dangerous are the slew of executive branch orders enacted by Bush, Ashcroft and Ridge. Secret military tribunals, over 1100 people from across the country (including citizens and legal residents, not just overseas visitors), snatched up and detained incommunicado in federal custody, countless roadblocks and searches of vehicles, Muslim men across America being profiled and harassed, government agents and soldiers all over the place, etc., etc. Congress has NOT declared a State of War. There is no state of martial law existing anywhere in the U.S. As powerful as the presidency is, Bush and his executive department people have authority only under the Constitution and federal laws. Secret tribunals, disappearing people, warrentless searches, etc., are gross violations of American law. The corporate press may be silent about all this, but the people should not.
It isn’t overblown rhetoric to say that there is a more massive assault on Human and civil rights happening in the U.S. today than anytime since the founding of Human Rights Day over fifty years ago. Under a blizzard of waving flags, frequent “terror” and anthrax alerts to keep the public panicky, and an expanding war, a real police state apparatus is being laid down in the United States today.
Under the rubric of 9/11 and safety for the American people, rights are being stripped away across the board. For example, here in Massachusetts prisons, a new legal mail policy was just established, “due to recent national events.” Previously and based on court rulings, all legal mail was only opened in front of the prisoner, checked for contraband but not read. Now under the new policy, all legal mail is delivered to us already opened and censored, along with our regular mail. Various government agencies are jumping on the bandwagon to enact measures not even remotely related to 9/11.
As often happens, many political prisoners have been singled out and further victimized since September 11. Just hours after the plane attacks, most political prisoners in the federal system were snatched from their work assignments and thrown into extreme segregation. Many were held incommunicado for weeks and only recently have been able to contact their lawyers. People like Sundiata Acoli, Marilyn Buck, Father Phil Berrigan, Carlos Alberto Torres and Richard Williams; people who have been in captivity since the 70’s and 80’s and who don’t share bin Laden’s politics or have any connections with him, were opportunistically locked down. Some, like my comrade Richard Williams, are still in segregation in Lompoc penitentiary.
The need to powerfully proclaim support for Human Rights for all of us, in and out of prisons here in the U.S., as well as Human Rights for Afghani mothers and children and men, along with all the people of this planet is crucial. Probably most critical is the need to support all those people and nations under physical and verbal attack by the U.S. government. I wholeheartedly join with you in this, as well as salute you and your work. The struggle for Human Rights is never easy, but always so necessary.
For Peace and Justice!
12/10/01
Jaan Laaman (W41514)
Box 100
South Walpole, MA 02071
Anonymous access to porn or illegal activities are unintended kinks to work out. Cashalias isn’t about adult entertainment. Or drugs, or fencing stolen goods.
Being able to conduct private financial transactions online is about much more indulging a disreputable alter ego. It’s about civil liberty. About having access to information. Certainly the majority of people don’t aspire to need such information, they’re after forbidden fruit, but let’s not discount the freedom to pursue such fancies. In fact pornography could pay the bills for implementing Cash alias and obscure its real potential.
The internet has brought us to a place where your boss can know if you buy a job-hunting book. That’s the silliest example, but don’t you know what I mean? We’re heading toward a big brother who can oversee so much worse.
Let’s say you work at Walmart. What if you wanted to learn about forming a union? It’s not far fetched to imagine that the local sheriff, upholder of the status quo, could be keeping an eye out for you going one mile over the speed limit because you were on an “intellectuals” watch list. A troublemaker could be worn down by tax audits, utitility company errors, telemarketers.
Insurance companies already do this profiling.
That’s what Cashalias is about and I wouldn’t doubt there would be attempts to make something like it illegal. The service would be cash-up-front. You’d go to a participating bookstore, give them $100 for example. Give them a fictitious name. They’d start an account for you, give you a password, that’s it. Then you would have $100 to spend online. So you’d have PSEUDOCASH, PHONYMONEY, FUNNYMONEY. Those were the other possible concept names. You’d buy something through a browser plugin, the item would ship to that store, and you’d eventually saunter by with your password.