meta-roj

and so, now the vanishings can begin….

our first honorary member of the democracy security association is none other than “MKEbound” who was asked to check his opinion at the airport security checkpoint in wisconsin at the general mitchell international airport.

the opinion in question:

“Kip Hawley is an Idiot”

and so, to you, mkebound, a salute from your fellow insurgents at the democracy security association.

this is a great compilation of great recommendations for your musical travels.

an interesting project emerging from the university of leicester – studying “demographic predictors of musical style preferences.”

to participate, visit this page

and remind eme to come back to this for the results.

guitar

in a stated effort to keep our schools safe (which is much, much more important than keeping them well-funded and working, it would seem), we find H.R.5295, the Student and Teacher Safety Act of 2006, which provides for warrantless searches of persons and property in all educational institutions that accept federal money:

A search referred to in subsection (a) is a search by a full-time teacher or school official, acting on any colorable suspicion based on professional experience and judgment, of any minor student on the grounds of any public school, if the search is conducted to ensure that classrooms, school buildings, and school property remain free of all weapons, dangerous materials, or illegal narcotics.

so it seems that this congress is more interested in teaching our students that they have no functional rights in the united states of america, that there is no judicial process, that they are less than full citizens, and that authority figures can demand, and execute any search at any time so long as they are doing it to “protect us.”

on the other hand, we could could teach out students that this country is founded on a document known as the constitution of the united states, which includes a series of amendments, one of which reads thus:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

perhaps, i’ve just lost touch with what is reasonable…

at least when they are detained and searched randomly as adults, they’ll be more comfortable…

i’m guessing he couldn’t be bothered with reading past that first bit that was quoted. these parts seem to have escaped his attention and/or comprehension:

Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

you can check the rest here.

in the meantime, this president, in particular, has some serious balls quoting this document, in particular, after his 6-year record of violating the letter and spirit of the universal declaration of human rights.

purporting to document corruption, beyond delay has a list of the “13 most corrupt members of congress.” i don’t know the organization (citizens for responsibility and ethics in washington), but it’s interesting to see what people in congress prioritize…

detained for five months without charge or process, bilal hussein.

U.S. holds AP photographer in Iraq 5 mos [ap via seattle post intelligencer, 2006.09.18]

“We want the rule of law to prevail. He either needs to be charged or released. Indefinite detention is not acceptable,” said Tom Curley, AP’s president and chief executive officer. “We’ve come to the conclusion that this is unacceptable under Iraqi law, or Geneva Conventions, or any military procedure.”

i wonder how many bombs it takes to deliver the rule of law?