If secret spying by the NSA, defense department, and FBI isn’t reason enough, how about the NYPD too?
The New York Times yesterday reported on videotapes revealing
undercover police infiltrating anti-war protests. Often the undercover
officers would provoke confrontations and arrests, seek to distort the
message of protests, and videotape protesters. In 2003, a federal judge
gave the NYPD greater authority to investigate political, social, and
religious groups, citing the “war on terrorism” as the reason for such
authority. All this overturns what was accomplished in a 1971 lawsuit
known as the Hanschu settlement, where NYPD spying and disruption of
political groups was exposed and deemed illegal.
This latest clear exposure on videotape of NYPD spying on
Constitutionally protected free speech is all part of the police state
measures which have recently come to light with Bush’s secret executive
order allowing the NSA to conduct warrantless spying on Americans. Many
are calling out this illegal (and impeachable) offense, and this kind
of talk has even made it into Congress. Yet at the same time, the
Patriot has been extended another month, and the Bush regime continues
building a police state with the complicity of the Democratic
leadership. The tearing up of the rule of law and its replacement with
unrestrained power of the executive branch is giving rise to intense
conflict, including within the halls of power. But without a massive
upsurge from below, with millions demanding “Bush: step down, and take
your program with you”, the Bush regime will most likely continue
radically remaking society, in a fascist direction, and for generations
to come.
Mobilize
to drown out Bush’s lies during his state of the union address Jan. 31,
and demand “Bush: step down” in Washington, DC Feb. 4.