Future Shock: Evidence of Plans to Torture US Demonstrators

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/future-shock-evidence-o_b_29911.html
Article by RJ Eskow
Future Shock: Evidence of Plans to Torture US Demonstrators

Remember this story from last week? "The Air Force secretary says nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before they are used on the battlefield." It's worse than we heard ... much worse. These weapons, which cause "intolerable pain" and have been condemned by scientists as mass torture devices, may be coming soon to a demonstration near you. And there are stranger and more lethal weapons where these came from.

snip

These revelations about mass "torture technology," and the Secretary's remarks, need to be viewed in the context of our collective "future shock." This Administration - which illegally uses the military to spy on Quaker peace demonstrators, violates laws and the Constitution with impunity, and degrades its country through torture - is literally capable of anything.

The idea of subjecting demonstrating Americans to group torture may seem unthinkable today. Yet a few years ago we couldn't have imagined that our government woul ban public demonstrations by forcing protesters into "Free Speech Zones" behind fences, miles away from other Americans. The unimaginable has now become real. This is only the next logical step, and it could happen soon.

Welcome to the Brave New America. Be careful out there.

Well-written and scary article. How have we become so degraded so quickly in our group ethos? At least the Hungarians had the capacity for outrage when they found out their leader was lying to them - that got them into the streets. We just sit by placidly and watch the Constitution and the Magna Carta and countless other moral and civil mores get flushed down the toilet.

[malaise]

1. What have Dems said about this? n/t

[Jeanette in FL]

3. Not a word so far

When I contacted my Senators and Congresswoman regarding this on the day the Secretary of the Air Force made his remarks, not one of them knew what I was talking about. I had to read the article to them

Mel Martinez'(R) office thought that I was reading an OpEd and tried to tell me that this was someone's opinion on what the Air Force might do. I had to re-read the article to them, stating Wynne's quotes.

I asked for each of them to answer me in writing on what they plan to do about this and thus far, nothing.

[malaise]

6. They need to say something

urgently. This is huge.

[Liberal Dose]

7. #1 on Mel's agenda is a free Cuba, so I doubt if he'll pay much attention

to anything going on here. :argh:

[mom cat]

11. I just sent the whole article to Kennedy, Kerry and my rep and asked

for a reply. I will send one to Dean also. This is frightening.

[tuvor]

14. Slightly OT: Democrats have used Free Speech Zones themselves.

At the Democratic Convention two years ago.

http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2004/07/why_the_free_si.html

[zeemike]

2. Amazing is it not?

How we have changed and allowed the sociopaths to take charge,
K&R

[Lerkfish]

8. I"m sure that's what normal people were saying to themselves when the

nazis took over germany.

[vickitulsa]

10. Precisely. So many parallels it makes me shudder.

Doing my research this morning, I came across this:

(Hitler's policies) were half-baked, racist clap-trap... but among the jumble of hysterical ideas Hitler showed a sure sense of how to appeal to the lowest instincts of frightened masses.

Tony Howarth, a modern historian.

The more thoughtful Germans were appalled to see what was happening in their country and found it very hard to believe that such obvious manipulations would work on their fellow citizens. Not only were they wrong then, to their great horror, but people in America who have thought the same thing for too long have allowed the same sort of takeover to occur here.

It's a done deal already; now the criminals in power just have to find ways to maintain their hold.

[screembloodymurder]

4. Call your Congressmen.

Any military officer advocating the use of weapons against American citizens should be imprisoned. It's a violation of military oath.

[PaganPreacher]

16. "Violation of military oath"? Bullshit.

Why don't you go do your homework, read the Commissioning oaths for military officers (here is the Army oath: http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/oaths.htm ), and get back to us?

You will find a little phrase in there about "all enemies, foreign and domestic".

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[screembloodymurder]

26. You read it.

Unlike enlisted men, officers are sworn to uphold the Constitution. Last time I checked protesters weren't the enemy and political dissent was a right they are sworn to protect. Now about that apology.

[Bucky]

27. I'll bet you don't get that apology. Because the larger point here is that

words are highly bendable to the leaders who misserve us today. It's the only pretzel Bush doesn't choke on. "Constitution, shmonstitution" is their unspoken oath. You're right that we should call our MCs and raise holy hell, but don't tell us the fix isn't in on this one.

[acmejack]

5. All of my elected officials claimed ignorance too.

I don't buy it for a second. I too am awaiting a response.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. proof positive that some of our Dems need a new job.

Here is a simple, clear and effective issue - and our reps and senators refuse to even consider it!

Their response is no less outrageous than the underlying issue.

[paparush]

12. They are gearing up for Nov 2006 and Nov 2008...

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PaganPreacher]

18. Wow! Your America is very different from most people's.

In your America, military coups and the assassination of the Attorney General are "decent".

I'm glad I don't live in your America.

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. k & r

[zbdent]

17. Remember, Rod Paige called the teachers terrorists ...

just prepping the mindset, you know ...

[Vitruvius]

19. Note that microwave exposure can cause cataracts --

if the power density is high enough to cause a "stinging" sensation, it's high enough to induce cataracts if you do not get out of the beam immediately. At the "intolerable pain" level, microwave exposure WILL cause cataracts upon the briefest of exposures.

But blinding U.S. citizens exercising their constitutional rights is no problem for our Rethugnican masters.

[file83]

20. It's almost like these bastards WANT a Revolution.

It seems like they are just pushing and pushing and pushing...

They have already gotten away with so much, now this. They destroyed the rights of all foreigners, now they are turning on us, the American Public. Why?

They don't need to - we are a passive society. So a demonstration here, domonstration there - never really accomplishes much - recent history has proven that.

But why are they pushing us? It's as if they WANT a reactionary society, like they want an uprising as an excuse to wage war with it's very own citizens.

It seems like their goal is to destroy America.

[philly_bob]

21. Election Fraud Demo Crowd Control /nt

[intheflow]

22. Been seeing this one coming for a while.

K&R to remind everyone exactly what it is we're working towards here at DU: the re-establishment of a free, democratic United States.
:patriot:

[NMMNG]

23. Goodbye First Amendment

Goodbye Freedom of Speech
Goodbye Right to Peaceful Assembly

Hello police state. :-(

[AlienGirl]

24. "Be careful out there." The writer echoes my sentiment...

Sept. 12, 2006 thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=2121439

Wonder if the article is by a DUer?

Tucker

[symbolman]

25. Don't forget to bring a roll of tinfoil

when you demonstrate - grab the end of the roll and let the box fall to your feet, unravelling it while holding it in front of you. the Foil will reflect the microwaves back, while offering you some cover (tho it may get hot), and if enough people do it, it can screw up the machine generating the waves.

New Techniques in practicing your constitutional rights :)

These were announced some time ago, people should have been thinking about this already, funny, a tin foil hat in the future might just save your life, keep your brain from boiling...

[Disturbed]

28. Demonstration gear.

Gas mask, gloves, padded clothing, tinfoil. Anything else?

[symbolman]

29. Cameras, LOTS of them

video especially, other than that any camera, digital, photos will document REALITY for future lawsuits or media lies

LOTS OF CAMERAS :)

[Jcrowley]

30. From article

As for the microwave beam, New Scientist reported that when it was tested, "experimenters banned glasses and contact lenses to prevent possible eye damage to the subjects, and in the second and third tests removed any metallic objects such as coins and keys to stop hot spots being created on the skin. They also checked the volunteers' clothes for certain seams, buttons and zips which might also cause hot spots."

In other words, this beam doesn't only inflict agony on its targets. If you can't move out of the way quickly enough it can cause serious burns and potentially even fuse contact lenses onto their wearers' eyeballs.

Goyette stayed on this story long enough for me to realize that I had missed its real significance. He's understandably struck by how quickly the Secretary's remarks seem to have been forgotten. I am, too, but I think I understand. This government is dismantling the world as we know it at an unprecendented rate. The suspension of civil liberties and the codifying of torture into law are only two examples. It's becoming increasingly difficult for many people to keep up with the pace of change while its happening, either psychologically or cognitively.

[countryjake]

31. And this explains those strange burns to victims in Lebanon, I'll bet!

However, it ain't gonna stop me from hitting the streets. Nothing our government has done has ever surprised me, except maybe for my very first rude political awakening, many years ago. It is, after all, the nature of the system.

Broken noses and fractured jaws in the Chicago of 1968 vs. high-intensity zapping and cataract-inducing blows now...ain't much difference 'tween the two, we're still all fighting the same people, for the same reasons.

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose...