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talkpoliticsSo, I'm relatively certain of what I am about to tell you, but go ahead and disagree with me:
The US govt will, at some level, scan this post and it's contents to see if it's harmless or harmful based upon the fact that I am going to talk about freedom of speech and use a phrase which, I believe, will be picked up on some filter and be observed.
In 1989 the band known as "The Offspring" made a 12 song album, the last song of which was Kill The President
[it was a pretty dark album, overall; other songs include "Beheaded" and "Out on Patrol" and "Tehran" {originally titled "Baghdad" interestingly enough}
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you're saving
Will always be yours
Kill the president
Voice the reason
Unify with that single line
Stop the man with the power
Of the government
A leader's not the center
Of democracy
In a world without leaders
Who'd make people starve?
The world that we're saving
Will always be ours
Everyone says
Well maybe I'll make a difference
Thinking they've got plenty of time
But you're squeezed
A little tighter everyday
Punished before you commit a crime
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you’re saving
Will always be yours
Kill the president
Voice the reason
Unify that single line
Stop the man with the power
Of the government
A leader's not the center
Of democracy
America
All of your enemies
Come from within
But you lash out so
It is seen
Like some frightened child
In an angry world
Or the fall of Rome
Your demise comes
From your own hands
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you’re saving
Will always be yours
In a world without leaders
We might have a chance
But we'll never see it
As long as there's
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president now!
Now, they weren't a big name band when the album/song came out, and didn't hit it big till the 90's. There was, to my knowledge, no hullabaloo about it. And maybe I'm making mountains out of molehills by even talking about it.
But, let's not ignore what is right in front of our noses. A band was able to produce and sell their music, despite it's being...well, anti-establishment [for lack of a better term]
Now, let's be clear: *I am not inciting violence with this and I don't think the band was either. I am against the violent overthrow of our government/violent intimidation of our government officials*
This speech is protected by the first amendment and, I don't think, anybody would suggest such speech should be banned. (any takers?) I mean, if you look at the album, it's clearly social/political criticism [and *NOT* a call to action--although debate that if you wish] and that, to my knowledge, is clearly protected by the 1st amendment.
So, final points:
A) Do you think this post will be watched/screened by the govt?
B) Do you think this post *should be* watched/screened by the govt?
C) What do you think of the statement made in the song: "A leader is not the center of a democracy"
D) What do you think of the statement made in the song that begins at: "America, all your enemies come from within..." and ends with "your demise comes from your own hands"
E) What do you think of the song overall?
F) Should such a song be protected under the first amendment/freedom of speech?
and for my own safety/peace of mind:
G) Let me repeat how clear I wish to be: I want no harm to come to Obama/Bush/Clinton/Bush/Carter [we got any other living presidents?] nor do I want harm to come to any of our elected officials, regardless of how much I may disagree with their politics
edit:
if the first few responses are an indication, most people will tell me I need not be afraid
but C/D/F are just as interesting to me as A/B, which, I'm not that concerned with, but better safe than sorry, ja?
The US govt will, at some level, scan this post and it's contents to see if it's harmless or harmful based upon the fact that I am going to talk about freedom of speech and use a phrase which, I believe, will be picked up on some filter and be observed.
In 1989 the band known as "The Offspring" made a 12 song album, the last song of which was Kill The President
[it was a pretty dark album, overall; other songs include "Beheaded" and "Out on Patrol" and "Tehran" {originally titled "Baghdad" interestingly enough}
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you're saving
Will always be yours
Kill the president
Voice the reason
Unify with that single line
Stop the man with the power
Of the government
A leader's not the center
Of democracy
In a world without leaders
Who'd make people starve?
The world that we're saving
Will always be ours
Everyone says
Well maybe I'll make a difference
Thinking they've got plenty of time
But you're squeezed
A little tighter everyday
Punished before you commit a crime
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you’re saving
Will always be yours
Kill the president
Voice the reason
Unify that single line
Stop the man with the power
Of the government
A leader's not the center
Of democracy
America
All of your enemies
Come from within
But you lash out so
It is seen
Like some frightened child
In an angry world
Or the fall of Rome
Your demise comes
From your own hands
In a world without leaders
Who'd start all the wars?
The world that you’re saving
Will always be yours
In a world without leaders
We might have a chance
But we'll never see it
As long as there's
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president
Kill the president now!
Now, they weren't a big name band when the album/song came out, and didn't hit it big till the 90's. There was, to my knowledge, no hullabaloo about it. And maybe I'm making mountains out of molehills by even talking about it.
But, let's not ignore what is right in front of our noses. A band was able to produce and sell their music, despite it's being...well, anti-establishment [for lack of a better term]
Now, let's be clear: *I am not inciting violence with this and I don't think the band was either. I am against the violent overthrow of our government/violent intimidation of our government officials*
This speech is protected by the first amendment and, I don't think, anybody would suggest such speech should be banned. (any takers?) I mean, if you look at the album, it's clearly social/political criticism [and *NOT* a call to action--although debate that if you wish] and that, to my knowledge, is clearly protected by the 1st amendment.
So, final points:
A) Do you think this post will be watched/screened by the govt?
B) Do you think this post *should be* watched/screened by the govt?
C) What do you think of the statement made in the song: "A leader is not the center of a democracy"
D) What do you think of the statement made in the song that begins at: "America, all your enemies come from within..." and ends with "your demise comes from your own hands"
E) What do you think of the song overall?
F) Should such a song be protected under the first amendment/freedom of speech?
and for my own safety/peace of mind:
G) Let me repeat how clear I wish to be: I want no harm to come to Obama/Bush/Clinton/Bush/Carter [we got any other living presidents?] nor do I want harm to come to any of our elected officials, regardless of how much I may disagree with their politics
edit:
if the first few responses are an indication, most people will tell me I need not be afraid
but C/D/F are just as interesting to me as A/B, which, I'm not that concerned with, but better safe than sorry, ja?
(no subject)
Date: 19/7/10 21:51 (UTC)It's funny when the rest of the country is outraged on behalf of us when we ourselves aren't outraged.
Climate change is a serious concern whether or not a particular poll shows that 50%+ of Americans are worried about it. People can be ignorant; I should hope the president listens to scientists on this matter and not popular opinion of laymen.
It's perfectly normal for a person (president or not) to defend their friend when they are accused of something. Also, if Obama knew that Gates was *in his own house* then yeah, I'd assume the police acted stupidly too. You gonna try and call me a racist for that?
I checked the link you gave me; nowhere do I see "small affair" said. So I don't understand what you mean when you say: "Again, his support staff said it was going to be a small affair, the people who represent him."
What I do see said in the article is:
The Presidential Inaugural Committee has limited individual contributions to $50,000. There is no law restricting the size of donations, but in the past, inaugural committees have set contribution limits as high as $250,000.
(no subject)
Date: 20/7/10 02:53 (UTC)It's funny when the rest of the country is outraged on behalf of us when we ourselves aren't outraged.
I don't know where this KSM thing comes from, but I've made my position known time and again that, according to the Constitution, he has to be tried in federal court and not through a court martial. (Note: Does anyone here bother to even look at the blogs of the people who post comments here? I do.)
Climate change is a serious concern whether or not a particular poll shows that 50%+ of Americans are worried about it. People can be ignorant; I should hope the president listens to scientists on this matter and not popular opinion of laymen.
You said 50+% of Americans are concerned with it, yet when I present you with information refuting your claim, you say "people are ignorant"?
Also, if Obama knew that Gates was *in his own house* then yeah, I'd assume the police acted stupidly too. You gonna try and call me a racist for that?
Not going to call you a racist, but I'll direct you to the police report for the incident (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0723092gates1.html), in which Gates, instead of cooperating, immediately calls the officer a racist and continues to be belligerent instead of letting the officer do his job. If you'd like, you can pull the "question authority" card and say you don't believe an official police report, but that's your choice. The bottom line is that Gates never filed any lawsuit against the police department, no officers were ever dismissed or even suspended due to any sort-of investigation, so clearly both parties were truthful in their accounts, including the police department document.
I checked the link you gave me; nowhere do I see "small affair" said. So I don't understand what you mean when you say: "Again, his support staff said it was going to be a small affair, the people who represent him."
It's a shame that you don't understand the concept of paraphrasing. Once again, I didn't know I had to spell out every single little bitty teeny weeny detail out for you. Here:
"The inaugural committee for Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make sure the ceremony underscores the incoming administration's 'commitment to change business as usual in Washington.'" That's from the CNN article. I also found one from MSNBC: "Douglass said the campaign sought to keep costs down by having the same decorations at each of the 10 balls, eliminating floral arrangements and negotiating prices on food.
'Those at the Obama administration are trying to be reflective of the climate,' McDermott's spokesman, Mike DeCeasar, said Saturday." [source (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28707475/)] Obviously not if the final cost ended up being around $170 million.
Anything else?