Did you know Egypt has been under "Emergency Law" for 30 years.?

[dixiegrrrrl]

"Under the Emergency Law, which can be renewed every three years by the president as he sees fit, personal freedoms of citizens are severely curtailed. Article three of the Emergency Law allows the president to place restrictions on personal freedom of assembly, movement, and residence and to arrest suspects or individuals threatening public security and order, making protests such as those currently taking place in Egypt illegal. According to a 2010 Human Rights Watch report, at least 5000 people remain in long-term detention without charge or trial under the Emergency Law; some have been in jail for more than a decade.

The law also gives the government the power to control communications, newspapers and publications, making the recent shutting down of the internet and mobile networks completely legal."

AND
"The 2005 election is widely believed to have been rigged. Following the elections, the main opposition figure, Ayman Nour, was jailed for more than three years on what many believe were trumped-up fraud charges. Elections for the presidency are scheduled once again for September this year."

http://www.theghanaianjournal.com/2011/02/01/until-his-last-breath/

btw, The United States have been in a continuous state of national emergency for over thirty years with regard to the Iran Hostage Crisis and numerous other problems. The government as a whole has not been suspended, making this official "state of emergency" largely a grant of additional powers to the executive branch.
per Wikipedia

[xchrom]

1. and we have homeland security and the patriot act. nt

[jdlh8894]

2. More like 45 - 50 yrs.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. US: state of national emergency from 1950 - 1978.

And since the reform of 1976, 32 national emergencies from that date until 2001. We have been in a state of national emergency since 2001. So basically, an extra-constitutional state of emergency has existed since 1950. That is 60+ years.

[bemildred]

4. Yes, I knew that.

You just cannot have too many "emergencies" these days.

[The Straight Story]

5. What, is chavez ruling there?

:rofl: :hide:

[malaise]

6. But but but

They're still not ready for democracy. :sarcasm:

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Apparently neither are we.

Since our government has the right to revoke most of the Bill of Rights, the parts it has not already revoked.