- Daily the TV news (?) presents a picture board of all
the mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husband and wife teams, and father
and son teams, fighting, or rather trying to stay alive in Iraq until their
tour of duty is up. Of course now they don't know when that will ever be
what with retirements canceled in the new," Stop Loss Program,"
instituted by those enjoying the rush of war without any of the blood,
gore, canned food, rancid water, depleted uranium poisoned sand, improper
vehicles, and equipment.
-
- No, none of these moth eaten, bleary eyed, mildewed generals-
dragged out for their "expert" advice with the latest announcements
that dying-wounded soldiers means we're winning, has a clue what this desert
nightmare is about. Orwell couldn't have said it better. War is now a public
relation firm's bonanza, as they write the different scripts for the day;
from the orchestrated strapped testosterone of "Mission Accomplished",
plastic turkey day, or the latest thriller of "We Got Him!"
-
-
-
-
- Search for Today, The Young and The Homeless, Naked Dating,
Car Chases, Super Star Rape, and the latest prostitute arrests, all took
a back seat to this the sequel to Shock and Awe. Popcorn at hand, a cold
Bud, remote ready, we watched as the Butcher of Baghdad, Evil Incarnate,
the man who would destroy Mighty America was dragged from a "spider
hole" and pawed by gloved hands for vermin. Then like a horse being
readied for the glue factory his mouth was examined. This dictator would
not be sent off with his billions to luxurious retirement. One did have
to wonder, with all the doubles the psychotic Saddam had, whether this
wasn't some palace flunkie who lucked out? This certainly wasn't the debonair,
self-assured, leader welcoming Donald Rumsfeld some years ago. The gassing
of the Kurds didn't hinder our continued support and monies for years more?
No sanctions then and UN investigations all coming to naught. Baffling,
how stupid a man with billions, could only afford or prepare for himself
a hole in the ground?
-
-
- One has to wonder how the "news" of the day
is decided. What will distract, up the ratings, or just fill up hour after
hour, while more pressing things which we're too moronic to grasp are taking
place in the world? Such was the third week in Nov of 2003, when the Free
Trade Area of the Americas negotiations were taking place in the Militarized
Zone of Miami (once a retirement haven).
-
- With thousands of citizens; environmental groups, labor
unions, church groups, students and senior citizens, planning a pre-Thanksgiving
break in Miami, little did they know that Fort Miami was ready and waiting.
Being a woman; I'm not sure what it is about a uniform, helmet, bullet
proof vest, tzar guns, shields, clubs, concussion grenades, and cannisters
of gas; that mutates the man next door mowing his lawn, chomping on pork
rinds, slurping down a six pack, watching the 24hr. sports channel, into
a mindless roboton; heaving, grunting, and chanting, as he marches menacingly
towards American citizens, observing their Constitutional right to demonstrate?
-
-
- But regretfully, breaking news, had Americans oblivious
to the terror on Miami streets; absent sun bathers, tourists, or seniors
enjoying their retirement. Instead of a welcome to the Sunshine State with
directions to beaches, alligator wrestling events, water slides or entertainment
Meccas; they were met by Miami Police Chief John Timoney, the South's Terminator,
and his mutant minions of armchair warriors. Legalized terror on American
citizens certainly beat washing the car, picking up a video, and slurping
down a pizza with the works. There's just something about TV action movies
played out in real life, that gives a rush better than sex! Mighty Mouse,
Spider Man, Batman, Captain Marvel, Superman, the Godfather, the Terminator
all rolled into one.
-
-
- Unbeknownst to those who pay the bills (us) eight and
one half million of the newest monies voted for Iraq were allocated to
the Miami front, to protect the power brokers negotiating NAFTA on steroids
in closed door sessions. Citizens were unarmed except for puppets, signs,
journalists with cameras, drums, and seniors clutching their purses. Chief
Timoney was bound and determined that he as Grant, Patton, Marshall, Gavin,
with a dash of Napoleon madness would lead his nameless, faceless troops
to victory. No white trash, knucklehead, punks would observe any Constitutional
rights in his town. He would have his own "Shock and Awe" as
his troops, in full black body armour (better equipped than the real soldiers
in Iraq) set upon citizens with concussion grenades, rubber, wooden and
plastic bullets. Clubs thundering beat the sounds of freedom on shields,
amidst the roar of helicopters overhead and armored personnel carriers
(which our troops in Iraq would envy).
-
- Jeremy Scahill, producer and correspondent for Democracy
Now, a nationally syndicated radio and TV program was in the midst of this
melee. Press credentials meant nothing unless you were an embedded reporter
from the Miami Herald or other favored news groups. These reporters were
outfitted identical to 'General' Timoney except for press badges around
their necks. Jeremy was not afforded a costume that would keep him safe.
-
- Jeremy reports that undercover "troops" were
dressed as protestors with bandanas, slogans on backpacks, some with ski
masks. Their tzar guns gave them away, as they attacked citizens observing
their Constitutional right to freedom of speech. Jeremy reported that troops
fired indiscriminately into the marchers and that thousands were gassed,
shocked, shot with various 120 mph projectiles. Jeremy- a young serious
journalist, told of police stopping him and his colleagues, of citizens
being herded to the less desirable hidden part of Fort Miami where the
homeless and hired help live. He went on to tell of troops surrounding
citizens on four sides and spraying pepper, shooting, and basically assaulting
and terrorizing citizens as if they were the feared Iraqis invading Miami
beaches!
-
-
- Approximately 250 citizens (not Saddam's Royal Guard)
were arrested. Some were hospitalized or needing medical treatment. These
arrests included bewildered, frightened senior citizens, from Michigan
who'd gotten lost trying desperately to get back to their busses. With
clouds of noxious gas one was hard pressed in knowing just where they were?
The Sunshine State or Baghdad? Frankly, I for one, would like to know why
these hordes of armored mercenaries, aren't in Iraq, what with soldiers
tours being extended? Why are hired para-military forces, better equipped
than real soldiers? It must be known that the Spirit of real Americans
is alive and well with citizens singing outside the jail, "We all
live in a failed democracy" (to the tune of yellow submarine).
-
-
-
-
- But, as I pointed out, unless one has a satellite, where
Democracy Now, along with real news from overseas is shown, you wouldn't
have seen any of this contemptible, domestic violence being perpetuated
on citizens, many who have served this country in past wars for the RIGHT
to dissent. Aren't we reminded daily, that that's why our young are losing
their lives, their sight, their limbs for? Freedom? Are middle-age reservists;
farmers, truck drivers, mechanics, teachers, etc., leaving their livelihoods
and families to have their fellow citizens attacked at home? Are mothers,
young women, being sent "INSANELY" into battle, losing their
lives and some their limbs, to protect a Constitution that is being gassed,
clubbed, beat, shot and shredded? Are they? Have we become so passive,
so apathetic, so desensitized that the sight of senior citizens trembling,
terrorized and handcuffed by hired faceless thugs in full body armour as
if they were storming Normandy- doesn't make us tremble with rage and sick
at heart- demanding that our elected officials get off their lazy fat asses
and start doing the jobs they were elected to do, or move out of the way
and let those with some pride in this country do the job they can't, won't,
or are too compromised to accomplish, serving the honchos in Miami who
were negotiating the rest of America's jobs down the tubes.
-
-
- And what pray tell took precedence over all of America
seeing this trampling of their Constitution? Why, conveniently it was the
Specter from Never Never Land, our own resident Phantom of the Opera, and
his latest sexcapdes being investigated. For weeks now this bleached Black
man has been given top billing with every silly asinine thing imaginable.
The once upon a time, respected 60 Minutes, paid him a million dollars
for a hogwash interview. I come cheap, I'd have done it for $50,000! To
date, I have heard no outrage from the stable of candidates backbiting
and ripping and tearing at one another address the trampling of the Constitution
in Miami. A document they took an OATH to uphold!
-
- And what was it that brought seniors, church groups,
students, environmentalists and the workers of America to militarized Fort
Miami? Why the foolishness of it all. Jobs! Their jobs and the jobs of
multitudes. One would be hard pressed, I imagine, to have a meaningful
discussion with a neighbor on the importance of these secret negotiations.
And how could they when murder, rape, car chases, terror alerts, flu shots,
mad cow, and Never Never Land give mind numbed citizens sound byte hysteria
or sensationalism?
-
- Why would there be a discussion on the Trade Promotion
Authority Bill, called the Andean Trade Preference Act which went to vote
on July 26, after (unreported) tremendous opposition by citizen, labor,
environment, religious groups and local governments (those awake that is).
It was pushed through in a marathon session at 3:30am. Who cares? Well
they should since it will have serious implications for all Americans,
but nobody will know just how it happened? Signed into law on Aug 6,03,
by President Bush, the law grants him total control to negotiate international
trade law, restricting the House and Congress input to only voting 'yeah'
or 'nay' on the future of US trade policy. Essentially our elected representatives
have relinquished the ability to represent the people (us) who elected
them.
-
-
- Upon signing, Bush said that he immediately planned to
move trade negotiations out of 'park' and would begin negotiations with
Chile and Central America right away. The FTAA agreement is the proposed
trade agreement that will expand NAFTA (a failure) to the entire western
hemisphere (33 countries excluding Cuba). Why demonstrate? Well maybe because
more than 765,000 jobs have disappeared as a result of NAFTA. Do corporate
plunderers care for the environment? In the maquiladora zones along the
US-Mexico border, the increased pollution and the improper disposal of
chemical wastes have dramatically raised rates of hepatitis and birth defects.
FTAA negotiation have been conducted without citizen input. There is no
real mechanism to incorporate the public's concerns (and so they demonstrate)
into actual negotiations. However, at the same time, hundreds of corporate
representatives are advising US negotiators and have advance access to
the negotiating texts. Corporations are helping to write the rules for
FTAA. Thus corporation move high-paying jobs to countries with lower wages.
This race to the bottom will accelerate under FTAA as corporations pit
exploited workers in Mexico against even more desperate workers in countries
such as Haiti and Guatemala. Mexico is already losing maquilardora jobs
to countries with cheaper wages. In the past two years, some 280,000 jobs
have vanished. And you will hear sold out politicians (who vote their own
raises) still lauding NAFTA!
- Since NAFTA 33,000 small farmers in the US have gone
out of business. In Mexico, the price farmers receive for corn has plummeted
45% in three years as agribusiness giants dump their subsidized corn there.
At least half a million farmers have left their land. FTAA is expected
to force countries to privatize services such as education, health care,
energy and WATER. These privatizations are already occurring, and those
least able to pay for vital services are the ones who suffer most. When
the Bolivian city of Cochabamba privatized its water utility, water rates
increased 200%. This is why the people are demonstrating. They demonstrate
not only for themselves but for the children of the thugs gassing and clubbing
them. Dumb asses-but then they were only ordered to attack American citizens,
not to think.
-
-
- NAFTA's Chapter 11, allows corporations to sue governments
for compensation if they feel that any government action, including the
enforcement of public health and safety laws, cuts into their profits.
FTAA rules will handcuff government's ability to pass public interest laws.
This agreement will enhance corporate power at the expense of citizens
throughout the Americas. FTAA services agreement will include removal of
national licensing standards for medical, legal and other key professionals,
allowing doctors licensed in one country to practice in any country, even
if their level of training or technological sophistication is different.
It will include privatization of public schools and prisons in the US,
opening the door to greater corporate control, corruption and the temptation
to cut critical corners in the interests of profit margins. The UPS challenge
to the existence of the Canadian Postal Service is taking place under the
so-called "investor-to-state" lawsuits established in NAFTA's
Chapter 11. Many of these lawsuits (no not in the news) are now taking
place. To meet FTAA requirements, countries will have to change their laws
governing the obligations placed on business. The FTAA will prevent governments-national,
state, or local (including Florida and MIAMI) from passing regulations
that are "more burdensome than necessary".
-
- Major multinational corporations are eager to make water,
like oil, a commodity you will have to pay dearly for. Water privatization
is already a $400 billion dollar global business (not on the news). Corporations
are hoping to use international trade and investment agreements such as
FTAA to increase their control over the supply of water. Under FTAA, if
a locality (like MIAMI) is charging residents for water-and therefore,
according to the FTAA's definition, offering the service on a "commercial
basis"--any multinational corporation will be able to enter that market
and compete for the water services. Because of the FTAA's "national
treatment" requirements, the local government (including MIAMI) will
not be able to give preference to local service providers who may have
a greater commitment to the area and who it may be easier for the community
to oversee.
-
-
- When you're about building a global plantation; you have
Masters, managers, overseerers and serfs to see to your timber, oil drilling,
gas, crops, minerals, manufacturing, etc. Now all aren't losers on this
plantation called "Sweet Insatiable Greed". Corporations, wealthy
business owners from all participating countries who help write the plantation
rules--stand to gain quite handsomely from a system that puts their interests
above all others. Politicians, voting the needed relinquishment of elected
oversight, if co-operative, often own or have large sums of money invested
in corporations and therefore profit personally, along with family members
strategically positioned in key positions or lobbying firms. The losers
are the peoples of all nations having their lands raped, plundered, poisoned,
and destroyed. Citizens will exist not live. In a race to the bottom, all
not in the circled coven of largesse are out of luck, along with their
children. Meantime, while the plantation is being readied, and the hucksters
are vying for favored positions/contracts, the "human resources"
will be encouraged through the corporate owned media, to check the color
of fear days, stock up on duct tape, plastic sheeting, a jug of water and
a flashlight. They'll be encouraged to demand restitution for slavery,
rage over a confederate flag, school vouchers, abortion, gay marriages,
welfare cheats, drunk drivers (one beer will do it), smokers, immigrants,
curfews, domestic abuse, dead beat dads, etc. Videos, 5000 TV channels,
check points, road blocks, drug testing, and the need to work two or three
jobs to exist should keep them further distracted and uninformed. As long
as people can be kept ripping and tearing at one another, no need to worry
over explaining NAFTA, GATT, FTAA, the World Bank, the International Monetary
Fund nor Economic Summits. They'll learn soon enough.
-
- The few who are literate, studied, informed, and concerned
for the state of the planet, will be maligned, labeled, ridiculed, and
held up as unpatriotic rabble rousers. Never, will you see the main line
media have an open discourse or show the true reasons for people's protests.
No matter that they be peaceful, agent provocateurs- masked and violent,
will make the news announcing the mayhem and chaos of the trouble makers.
Hell, you have to show some need for eight and one half million dollars
worth of military equipment. Stands to reason, if one is about setting
up a global plantation, every avenue must be seen to. Hired thugs, American
or foreign, who is that masked man? will see to putting down all dissent,
all questions, all insistence for a seat at the table. Give a man a club
and a uniform with legal authority to assault others and you've got it
made. Yes it's true, power, even this perverted minuscule power, over hapless
citizens, gives the illusion of the all powerful, able to leap tall buildings
in a single bound...why its Super Robocop, meting out freedom the American
way! "Oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain........."
-
-
- Listen, the drum beat goes on. Truth's blood, even if
massacred will not be silenced. Another will take up the song in Canada,
Australia, China, Africa, Russia, England, the Philippines, Japan, Israel,
Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Korea, Turkey, Holland, France, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil,
Chili, Bolivia, Argentina, Guatemala, forever and ever in every land, for
men will not be slaves.
-
- Jeremy, of Democracy Now, tells of a reporter (obviously
embedded) reporting on a young unarmed woman in Fort Miami, shot in the
stomach, by a man in armour, with one of those 120 mph wooden-or plastic
bullets. "She took a bullet in the stomach. She must have done something.
You wanna play-you gotta pay." No Ida Tarbell this piss poor excuse
for journalism. Listen. Do you hear the drumbeat?
-
-
-
- Comment
- From Marjorie Jones
-
- My God, what an awesome article!
-
- Ms. Moriarity,
-
- I am stunned at what you wrote (You Wanna Play...) on
Rense.com. And the incredible way you write! We do not hear, or read,
about the things you said. We knew there were riots in Miami... protests...
but the gist of why and the consequences of the FTAA agreement were never
discussed pro and con in the public media.
-
- I am forwarding your article to everyone I know, and
I am keeping a copy along with my aged, yellowed, copy of the Declaration
of Independence that I picked up in DC years ago. Your warning... oh God,
I hope it is heard. Yes, you are telling us after the fact, but there
is an election coming up... we can always change the congress.
-
- I am grateful to be so informed, by your article. But
I am still stunned. Please be careful crossing streets.
-
- From David Brandt
- 1-4-4
-
- Judith - For the dozens of letters I have sent off to
newspapers and politicians which have mostly fallen on deaf ears, or should
I say intentionally blinded eyes, your article (You wanna play-You gotta
Pay) was excellent. I'm no psychic, but follow the natural progression
of this, and I need not describe what will happen; I know, all of us who
are aware know. My brother, who was in Nam, practically screamed in a
letter to me to stay away when I was younger. He survived, some of him
anyway; and he learned very quickly what he was doing there. He is terribly
scarred inside, only the psychotic could emerge intact. I was a single
parent for many years, about to become a grandparent. I have two children,
a son who is autistic, and a daughter. My son still lives with me. As
I have lived most of my life, I am not terribly concerned with the remainder.
I am concerned about the world we leave our children and theirs. Your
article about video games was right on the mark as well, I have pointed
this out to many for a long time. I fear that despite our best efforts,
this battle will be waged by future generations, or in the alternate there
will be none. Should our fight be by example, showing love that is scorned
as weakness by many? I honestly don't know.
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