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October 27, 2003 |
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Subj: Thumbs up a sign of approval? What about middle finger up? In Paul Martin's story "The majority favors coalition" there is the following comment:"Coalition officials are somewhat baffled by the statistics, saying they have noticed a substantial improvement in public attitudes toward their forces. "When we're out in the streets the children and parents typically wave at us and give us the thumbs-up, before we've even had a chance to say hello," said Hilary White, the public affairs officer for the Coalition Provisional Authority in the south-central provinces. " I call it the wave test. Even in Fallujah and Ramadi they're increasingly waving back, which gives us the confidence that things are turning round," she said in an interview. Sen. McConnell and others have also noted the thumbs up as a sign of approval, but my understanding is that in the Middle East it is the equivalent of our middle finger. Robert E.
Reynolds, * * *
Subj: Please forward Defense Dept find from your site to the media!!! Thanks for posting this on BuzzFlash: http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/sss092203.html I have spent the afternoon writing members of the press, encouraging them to ask the questions, "Why did the Defense Dept. post this last month?" "Is the Bush administration planning a draft?" and "When do they plan to tell the American people? After we're stuck with Bush for another four years?" I'm encouraging you and other progressive sites to encourage this also. This story must be reported! Thank you! -E. Calabro Re: The draft Dear BuzzFlash, I really appreciate your daily news alerts. The one on the draft really hit home because I was drafted in 1972. Here is what I just posted on democrats.com, and will contact other sites and people as well. Maybe this will help stop some of the insanity. Many thanks for your news, Just Sam, Colorado * * *
Hey you guys, Thanks for all the timely, impressive work you do! Good on you. Couple of items have caught my attention over the past two days for which I would have like to have seen appropriate response: Yesterday's morning news was all Bush declaiming "I love free speech." before a joint session of the Australian Parliament when faced with protests from the floor. As usual, what the man said is the opposite of truth. Bush and his handlers are well-known to be intolerant of free speech, witness the systematic inclusion of vocal supporters and exclusion of dissent at their public events. Not to mention the ongoing prosecutions of citizens unfortunate enough to have crossed the administration's clearly unconstitutional dictates regarding proximate dissent. This morning brought word that "the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will fault CIA Director George Tenet and other U.S. intelligence officials for exaggerating the pre-war threat of Saddam Hussein's regime." Huh? I could have sworn that Tenet and the CIA were rather publicly adamant against the administration's rather transparent manipulation of information (read fearmongering) during the run-up to war. This would seem to me yet another cynical attempt to divert culpability for this unfolding disaster from the incumbent administration for political gain. Perhaps I missed these items elsewhere. Mark Schueler Dear Buzz, I'm glad you always post Jimmy Breslin's columns where he names the soldiers killed in Iraq. I also emailed him and thanked him. JimmyBreslin@newsday.com is the address if anyone would like to do the same. The ages of most of these soldiers makes it ever the more heartbreaking. No one else seems interested in who they are. I remember after 9/11, the New York Times ran those pieces for months, highlighting each and every person killed in those attacks. Why don't they do the same for the fallen soldiers? Are they not victims too? I guess everyone's just following orders - Cover it all up. How disgraceful. Barbara in NYC Subj: Bush sneaks in the back door Last night bush chose not to confront constituents and sneaked in to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel via a back door as thousands of protestors chanted and held signs at the main entrance. There's a great story here that is being pretty well glossed over by the media who want the world to think Bush had a "warm Hawaiian aloha" greeting. I was there, along with about 2-3,000 others from unions, veterans, military, men, women, children, and reps from about 15-20 different groups who want him out. There was also a small contingent of about two dozen pro-bush supporters saying "we salute Bush and our troops" sent over from the adjacent Hale Koa military hotel. Keith Haugen Subj: Bush out of touch This morning on C-Span Brian Lamb read from an article about Bush's Asian trip. He had a meeting with moderate Muslims in Indonesia. Afterward he asked his staff "Do they really think that we are waging war on Islam?" Or something to that effect. He seemed shock at the worldview of him and America. You should link that article. I don't know where it was from though. Ken Hayes Subj: Janice Brown http://www.blackcommentator.com/61/61_cover_rogers.html The Republicans had to do something to make Janice Rogers Brown appear a sympathetic figure. The California state judge "has such an atrocious civil rights record she makes Clarence Thomas look like Thurgood Marshall," said Rep. Diane Watson (D-CA) at a Congressional Black Caucus press conference, last week. "She's cut from the same cloth as Clarence Thomas," declared Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District Should her nomination fail, Janice Brown will henceforth be remembered as Clarence Thomas in a fright wig. She can thank Orrin Hatch for that. A BuzzFlash Reader Dear BuzzFlash, I sent letters to the LA Times, NY Times and Wash Post questioning their failure to prominently report the Democratic Policy Committee's amazing discussion with high profile, former CIA officials over Bush admin/CIA/Iraq Intel/Plame leak. Cant believe these major papers didn't have the story front and center by now. Its MIA, in fact. Thank god for Cspan which broadcast it live (this Friday morning, 10/24/03). The session was very revealing. These key former CIA officials -- all Republicans -- are most definitely NOT amused by the dangerous, outrageous behaviors of this administration and they want to get out the message. They were highly critical and concerned. So what's up with the silence by the 3 major papers? What is happening to our PRESS in our much-touted Democracy???!!! BuzzFlash Reader ------------------------------------- Letter to papers:
No. 11 for "The Official Guide to Being a Good Republican - The Talking Points": Democrats hate America. Blessings, Joanne Rodasta Wilshin Subj: Bush- El Supremo I am so tired of this fascist Administration and its dim leader. I came here from a true democracy some 50 years ago. I walked right into the McCarthy era. And I became concerned with my rash move. Now I am even more concerned with the current situation brought about by the bellicose attitudes and imperialistic desires of the cabal in the White House. What has happened to the freedoms we boast of? Where is the compassionate conservatism? How long will we be able to keep the minimal social programs? What we need is a good Parliamentary system-with a weekly Question Time in the Congress where we could hold Bush's feet to the fire and demand answers, and not have to rely on a sycophantic press and a propaganda machine (Fox News) to find out what is going on in the country and the world. Wake up America before you lose completely your freedoms and your country. There must be some way to get rid of this regime and its leaders. I guess impeachment is virtually impossible but can we sustain this country from a free fall into disaster for 13 more months! A. Leslie Palmer, Mill Valley Calif. Subj: Cheney Hasn't Changed BuzzFlash, In a new book about the Vietnam era (They March into Sunlight - David Maraniss), Dick Cheney is quoted about his reaction to Vietnam protesters while he was a student at the University of Madison:
Cheney hasn't changed. Soldiers dying in Vietnam weren't important to him then, just like soldiers dying in Iraq aren't important to him now. Then he didn't want his studies disrupted. Now he doesn't want his oil fields disrupted. BuzzFlash Reader MSNBC runs: US denies alleged CIA ''subversion'' in Venezuela 10/25 Ah, the irony. Rosamond Subj: "Aloha" Means "Good-Bye" ... Dear BuzzFlash: Thought you'd enjoy this story from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, recounting how Dubya ducked in the back door to his Waikiki fundraiser to avoid the crowds of demonstrators at the entrance to the Hilton Hawaiian Village: http://starbulletin.com/2003/10/24/news/story7.html There's a great photo in this article documenting Hawaii citizens' true feelings about the White house Squatter. There were over 1,000 crowding the narrow street fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village, demonstrating that "Aloha" can also mean "good-bye" ... Donald R. Koelper Subj: the rush limbaugh weight loss program To all, It seems like the entire world is coming down on poor Rush. From what you read you would think this man had never accomplished anything meaningful. Well I'm here to let you know that the Rush Limbaugh weight loss program might well be his most enduring legacy. You want to know how a "Big, fat idiot" became a small, thin moron, I'll tell you. It's called the hydrocodone slip and slide. I know wherefore I speak, as I too am a recovering addict. What you do is this. Wake up and before you eat a thing take forty or fifty blue's. Having fasted in your sleep you will wake with an empty stomach. You might want to wash down those pills with a pot of coffee. The caffeine seems to boost the hit. As soon as the warm comfortable prelude to your high kicks in, eat as much as you can. It won't be much because repeated incidents of drug use have shrunken your stomach. When you are full, stop eating and wait another 8-10 hours and repeat the process. Watch the weight fall off and listen to your friends who tell you you have never looked better. They are probably right as by this point your nearly embalmed. Watch when Rush gets out. If he once again becomes a big, fat idiot you can pretty much be sure that he has cleaned up. If he maintains his svelte, girl like figure you can take it to the bank that he's still out there. One of the prerequisites of getting clean is getting honest. I would say that Rush has an uphill battle. Anyways, as much as I would like to lose a boot up his fat ass, I know that I am required to pray for the addict still suffering, so I will. Who knows? Maybe Rush will become a left wing radical and renounce his belief in George W. Bush, who by the way has been on a twenty year, dry drunk. That could explain a lot about what's going on in America today. Thanks, Love, peace & justice, George (Mitch) Mitchell Re: National Security and Obstruction of Justice Waiting for a Special Prosecutor. . . Well, George, it looks like you are setting yourself up to go down in history as the biggest fool who ever inhabited the White House. Do you really think your countrymen are stupid enough to believe that you don't know who leaked the Valerie Plume story? Novak knows, Rove knows, but the President of the USA doesn't? Give us a break, Georgie-boy!!! If you really wanted to get that info, you would just pretend that Novak was Saddam or Osama, and have someone pull a few fingernails out. Right? We all know that you already know who it was, and you are just setting yourself up as an even bigger ASSHOLE by pretending you'll never catch the leaker. At least 70% of your public knows it. I believe that this act was treason, and anyone aiding someone to commit treason, as it appears you are doing through your inaction, should get the same sentence as the perpetrator. ( I like that way of spelling that word, don't you? ) In my opinion, this demonstrates what a weakling you actually are, spiritually and physically, personally and as a President. How will you ever be able to stand up to a real man, like Clark, when you act like such a coward? The damage you fundamentalist bozos have done to your country will be talked about for centuries- provided that the USA doesn't dissolve into a civil war first, and everything goes the way of the USSR. I write this letter not because I believe you give a shit about what happens to your country, but more to vent the vitriol that fills my soul when I watch how you are ruining one of the greatest countries in the history of the planet. Make no mistake, George, you are fucking up a good thing, and you and any of your descendents will suffer the karmic results. I heard that President Johnson spent the remainder of his days driving around his ranch in his Cadillac convertible, drinking beer and feeling remorseful for his stupidity. Grew his hair down to his ass, like some old Texas hippie. Remember Ebenezer Scrooge, George, - you still have time to clean up your act!! I trust that God will give you the ass kicking that you deserve if you don't. God Bless your country, it has never needed it as much as it does today. P.S. Did it ever occur to you that people might be using that goofy George Bush, war hero, doll for Voodoo purposes? If it was me, I'd have them all recalled. Just a suggestion. Still looking for a response to my messages...... You CAN read, can't you? If so, check out the attachment [Attached]. R. Jackson Subj: Feel That Draft! Selective Service is advertising for draft board members - let's all sign up so we can send the children of the rich off as cannon fodder units! Sure! I'll sign up!!!
A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: A whole lotta gates Beginning with Watergate. the infamous scandal that brought down the Nixon White House, we have had a number of "Gates." "Gate" has become "Americanese" for political scandal. The scandals of the Bush administration have the potential for mushrooming into a number of "gates" before this is all over. We already have "treason gate" or "intimigate." Since this administration seems to have the criminal talent to keep us all very busy several years, I suggest that we refer to the entire administration and everything it have done from stealing the 2000 election to lying to, and sometimes even deceiving, the American people about simply everything from compassionate conservatism to WMD in Iraq as 'Uhinged Gate." Each new criminal act by this administration could be considered a slat in the "Unhinged gate," kinda like planks in political party platforms. The word "Unhinged" seems to sum up this administration about as well as any other word I have heard, and it fits so well with 'gate." Peace Dot Dedman Subj: BBC NEWS World South Asia Saudi terror plot 'in final stages' [LINK] Someone should alert the White House! Obviously Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and al Qaeda have infiltrated one of our best allies and are planning a terrorist attack. We're assured that none of the bin Laden family members, and others, who were whisked out of the US on September 13, 2001, are among these people. Right. They can't simply have an attack, they must have a terrorist attack. It must be a part of the terrorist protocol in a manual some place. When these "terrorists meet, do they refer to themselves as terrorists? "Quiet! The neighborhood meeting of the Tikrit cell of Terrorism will please come to order! Will the terrorist secretary please read the minutes of our last meeting?" etc. etc. etc. As ever, Neb Subj: Terror Feeding Frenzy by Fox Good Day Mr. Buchanan, During the broadcast of the fifth game seventh inning stretch of the World Series, I noticed that Fox zeroed into the stands and left the camera trained on a poster of a fan that made a reference to September 11 during the singing of God Bless America. In a stadium that hosted over 65,000 fans, with many of them holding signs, I find it difficult to believe that the image was a random one and not a staged one. I think it worthwhile to find out who this fan is, and who he works for. It certainly looks to me like someone is working overtime to keep the public in a state of terror, and is using every opportunity to do so. If somehow this "patriotic american" could be identified and exposed as a Fox propaganda tool, it would indeed help the American public to become aware of the shameless manipulation of their patriotic feelings, and would certainly punch a hole in their "keep them scared" scheme. I have cc'd this letter to some real patriots hoping that one of them would take interest in this observation and can follow up on it. May God continue to bless you all, and give you strength to continue in your struggle to rescue the nation. Isaac Rivera Subj: A new political party - PIGS UNITED Our illustrious, well educated, trusting and honest members of OUR Congress and Senate this week approved another Pay Increase for Themselves. When will the Citizens of this country awake and realize that our government is controlled by deceiving, dishonest and corrupt individuals in both majority parties?? As an American Citizen you should be furious that they have increased their wages in the past 12 years from approximately 70,000 per year to 150,000 per year with the benefit packages comparable to that of a Kings! They create laws that charge our wounded servicemen and women for their food, cut federal funding to our states, accept political contributions for letting the rich and powerful to stay overnight at OUR WHITE HOUSE, promote and encourage lying to the American public to invade a sovereign country, hire private guards to protect them at our expense, have totally free medical services available to themselves and their families, dictate to our newspapers that news of our continuing dying and wounded servicemen in Iraq be put in the back pages in small print as this type of news "IS NOT GOOD FOR THE AMERICAN CITIZEN TO HEAR, use statements such as "Bring It On", Americans must screw up their courage", bring our dead veterans home from France, create the largest deficit in our HISTORY, campaign around our country drumming up MILLIONS of dollars in campaign funds for THEIR re-election at OUR expense and ON AND ON! Now, do you not think these parasites calling themselves the representatives of OUR country should belong to the new "PIGS UNITED PARTY'? Walter Subj: Farewell, America The Guardian reports (10/23) that 17 detainees from the "liberation" of Grenada two decades ago rot in prison to this day. They had their summary trial, without legal counsel or access to exculpatory evidence, and were shut away. Was democracy well served? Will it be well served by similar secret military trials of Guantanamo detainees? For my part, I would feel tremendous pride in my country if every prisoner at Guantanamo were allowed to appear here in open court with the full protection of the Constitution. Nothing could show more dramatically our commitment to constitutional rights and protections than to grant them to those we call our enemies. Just as nothing could show more pointedly that our commitment is mere lip-service than to take those same rights away from our own citizens to "protect their freedom." It should be obvious that to set these protections aside (always " temporarily," of course) because we are in a "new kind of war" means that we have already lost that war. The "Patriot" Act gave away what no external enemy could ever take from us. But however constitutional rights and protections are lost, when they are gone the country they defined is gone too. Albert Clark, NY Subj: Documenting military deaths in Iraq. Dear BuzzFlash, The local Spokane, WA newspaper (www.spokesmanreview.com) is the main source of news from the Idaho Panhandle to central Washington. Many small, rural towns have a number of citizens in the military and Spokane has Fairchild Air Force Base. Fatalities in Iraq can sometimes tear up these often conservative communities, causing confusion thoughts about patriotism and the necessity of using the military as a means of employment, career and education. I'm sure you're getting accurate counts, but I think the Spokesman provides additional evidence and could certainly be used as a reference. Linda Langness * * *
Subj: (non) investigation of CIA agent disclosure I will once again try to direct BuzzFlash's attention to a much-overlooked fact: It is perfectly simply to find out Bob Novak's "confidential sources", and surely both the major media and the Justice Department know exactly how to do it. In a famous 1972 decision of the Supreme Court (BRANZBURG V. HAYES, 408 U.S. 665), the Court clearly held that a grand jury can require a reporter to identify "confidential sources" with knowledge of a crime. The Court in BRANZBURG flatly rejected a First Amendment "freedom of the press" argument, and further rejected an argument that a grand jury must first exhaust other ways of getting its information before requiring a reporter to reveal his sources. In the months since Novak's July article was published, the Government could easily have hauled Mr. Novak before a federal grand jury, demanded that he identify the "high administration officials" cited in his story, offered him immunity if he claimed his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination, and had the supervising federal court put Mr. Novak in jail for contempt until he obeyed the supreme law of the land. My question is, why hasn't Mr. Novak either been required to identify the leakers of Ms. Plame's secret CIA status or put in jail until he does so? This is not rocket science; any competent prosecutor knows about the BRANZBURG decision (which has never been overruled or seriously questioned by the Supreme Court), and so certainly do the lawyers for the New York Times, Washington Post, etc.. Is the bigger story here the apparent conspiracy of silence between the Government and the press? Richard Young, Esq., Albuquerque, New Mexico. Subj: a suggestion on civil liberty issues I keep reading about how the Rs intend to use "gay marriage" against Ds and Dean in particular (see e.g. LINK). I agree with Dean's position, but it is complicated and not easily packaged into a ready-made sound bite. And, there is an even broader point that Ds need to make on all these civil liberty issues. To win this debate, Ds need to get people to vote based on the things that actually affect their own lives, instead of worrying about trying to control everyone else's morality and lives. So here are a couple of ideas on framing the bottom line issue: 1. We need to convince people that you should vote in an election based on your own life needs. Let other people worry about their own lifestyles. (i.e., gay marriage, abortion, all the "religious right" issues.) 2. Ask voters what is the most important thing government does that affects their lives? I say its the economy, security, an even-handed legal system to enforce laws, and the freedom to make our own choices about how to live, where to go, what to do, etc. You should vote based on who is going to give you a good economy, physical security and safety, a fair legal system and the freedom to live your own life. All the Democratic issues play to these things; all the Republican issues play against them. 3. If we want government to give us the freedom to make our own choices, we have to be willing to extend the same freedom to others. For example, if we want to be free to choose our own religion and morality, we have to give other people the same right to choose what to believe. If you don't want government controlling your personal choices, you shouldn't ask it to control other people's choices. I'm sure people can add to this list. But this is the basic idea that Clinton used when he was confronted with the Flowers accusations in 1992. He said to people, you have to decide what's important in a president and I contend it's someone who is going to make your own life better. That's what Democrats do. Republicans play to fear and prejudice and differences. Democrats say, I want to make your life better than it is right now. A BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Illegal Spamming Hello, BuzzFlash, I haven't received any spams about cigarettes or gambling, but I do get a lot of spams from people who are worried about their teeny weenie weenies, and are promoting cures for same. I have always thought those spams are probably from right-wingers. What do you think? Barbara at The Doghouse Subj: Teacher bashing on BuzzFlash: Rush would love this propaganda! Dear BuzzFlash, Because I have so much respect for BuzzFlash, I will try to keep a civil tone as I write this, but it won't be easy. I am literally shaking with anger. When I clicked onto Failing Teachers, I expected to see an article about how society and especially politicians, such as Dubya with his Leave No Child Behind bull****, is failing teachers, and of course, students. What did I find instead? A litany of teacher bashing worthy of the pigboy and drug addicted hypocrite, Rush Limbaugh. My first hint of a problem was when the author referred to those speaking out as being afraid of the the "teacher's union". I am sure that BuzzFlash is aware that demonizing the teachers' union is a staple of the right-wing attack machine. The American people are supposed to fear and loathe the teachers' union above all else, according to the wingnuts. Pigboy Limbaugh does this regularly, and, seriously, will quote this article to damage public education as soon as he is released from rehab. You see, selfish, evil, overpaid, lazy teachers are ruining America. They have a lot to learn from the pigboy, and should be more like him. Yes, I am a teacher, I am a member of the dreaded TEACHERS" UNION. Over the years, I have experienced many indignities, such as not being able to afford a home of my own until I was in my late thirties, and equally troubling, being asked by my parents why teachers don't teach spelling anymore. I was puzzled by the question, since I had just finished typing up the spelling homework for the following week. But then all was explained. Pigboy had told his listeners that teachers don't teach spelling anymore. So I suppose that it was not spelling homework that I was typing up every weekend, but what could it be? I e-mailed Rush,the great educator, to find out, but alas, he never responded. If only we could bring Rush and the right wingers into our schools, and the teachers' unions out, all would be well. As I recall it, Limbaugh based his no-spelling story on anonymous sources, scared to death of the scary teachers' union, just as Herbert is doing in this disgusting article. Here is what is so troubling about this article: It is based on anonymous sources, who, obviously, will be free with their comments if they don't have to prove them, or face the person they are demonizing. The comments are very harsh, and in my experience as a public school teacher in the second poorest school district in the state of California for twenty years, totally unbelievable. I have been in many schools such as the ones described in the article, in fact, one could say that I have made them my entire adult professional life. I have never seen what is described in the article, nor heard such comments from teachers. Did Herbert enter the classrooms in question to document these stories? Did he interview the teachers under attack, or the students? I think we know the answer. This is teacher bashing and union bashing. That's all it is. I am angry and disappointed that BuzzFlash has printed this. You are joining the proud ranks of the wingnuts who want to destroy public education and unions. You know, after all these years of feeding the public stories about the evil teachers' unions, they have made little progress. Teachers still rank in surveys as one of the most trusted professions in the United States, and politicians regularly try to "play teacher," a favorite trick of Dubya's, by reading to kids in their campaign commercials. They know that the public loves and respects teachers. But, how much longer, when even BuzzFlash has jumped on the anti-teacher bandwagon? In great sorrow, Karen Subj: intergerty and charater BuzzFlash; It is sickening to hear Republicans say that "even though Bush lied to the American people about the war in Iraq and the economy is the worst in recent memory," they would still vote for him because he brought back character and integrity to the White House. Clinton lied about a private and consensual sexual affair and based on the Republican assessment he lost his character and integrity. Sounds like hypocrisy and a double standard to me. Isn't it strange that parents like Bill and Hillary Clinton produces a daughter like Chelsea, a Rhode scholar and a graduate of Oxford University and George W. and Laura Bush daughters are barely staying out of jail and rehab center!! I guess the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree! It's much easier to talk about high morals than to practice them. Lets face it, the Republicans and the Media vilified Clinton because he stood up for common and ordinary people. The Bush administration primarily promotes the interest of big corporations and the wealthy and I cannot understand why the middle class white males cannot recognize where their best interest lies. One other interesting fact is that since Bush and his cronies have been in power, all the extreme right wing zealots such as the Neo-Nazi, Ku Klux Klan, Skin Heads, Aryan Nation and others have been silent and of the pages of media coverage. Is it because they have found the party that best represent their views?? We might think that the civil war ended in 1865, but the southern strategy is primarily based on the confederate ideology. The battle might have been won, but the war is still raging. James Epperson Subj: Name for Republicans Hey: I noticed you used "repuglicans" in the story line for an article. Seems a cruel aspersion towards a very amiable canine. How bout "rethuglicans"? Matt Smith Subj: CIA as Scapegoat BuzzFlash, The Oct 9 Frontline provides strong evidence that the administration totally ignored both the CIA and the State Department in compiling its arguments for invading Iraq. The latest Bush pys-ops, blaming the CIA for any misstatements about Iraq's capabilities, while STILL profusely using the very same misstatements goes beyond doublespeak: perhaps this should be called triplespeak. BuzzFlash Reader Subj: Rush Limbaugh - "Conspiracy to engage in trafficking" In response to Aprille Terzieff's letter, "Treat Rush Like The Rest of Us" - October 23, 2003: http://www.BuzzFlash.com/contributors/03/10/con03233.html -------------------------------- Barry E.
Krischer October 26, 2003 Re: Rush Limbaugh - "Conspiracy to engage in trafficking" Dear Mr. Krischer: I, along with thousands of others, am absolutely shocked at learning that Rush Limbaugh "will not be prosecuted" for his blatantly obvious repeated criminal activities. I am referring to his illegal purchase, possession, distribution, and use of, controlled substances. I ask you, "Why not?" What sets Mr. Limbaugh apart from any other person in the same situation? Why is Mr. Limbaugh "above the law"? Despite the fact that Law Enforcement Officials did not see fit to catch Mr. Limbaugh red-handed during one of his many purchases of illegal drugs, nor did they see fit to raid Mr. Limbaugh's home or office to obtain "hard evidence" of his possession of illegal contraband, it appears to me that Florida law is quite clear in this regard, and that individuals who are involved in "conspiracy to engage in trafficking" "commits a felony of the first degree and is punishable as if he or she had actually committed such prohibited act". I see nothing in the Florida statutes that excludes "celebrities, talk show hosts, friends of those in high places, nor those who publicly admit to addiction and seek voluntary rehabilitation" from these laws. I draw your attention to the Florida statutes that are available at this website: [LINK] Specifically: 893.135 Trafficking; mandatory sentences; suspension or reduction of sentences; conspiracy to engage in trafficking.-- (c)1. Any person who knowingly sells, purchases, manufactures, delivers, or brings into this state, or who is knowingly in actual or constructive possession of, 4 grams or more of oxycodone, or 4 grams or more of any mixture containing any such substance, but less than 30 kilograms of such substance or mixture, commits a felony of the first degree, which felony shall be known as "trafficking in illegal drugs," punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. (5) Any person who agrees, conspires, combines, or confederates with another person to commit any act prohibited by subsection (1) commits a felony of the first degree and is punishable as if he or she had actually committed such prohibited act. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit separate convictions and sentences for a violation of this subsection and any violation of subsection (1). I seriously doubt that you would have any difficulty whatsoever in obtaining the evidence required, if that evidence is not already at your disposal, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Limbaugh did indeed "conspire to engage in trafficking" of controlled substances. His public admission of addiction would be a good starting point. I implore you to uphold your Oath of Office, your sworn duty, to cause action to fully and promptly enforce these laws upon Mr. Limbaugh at the earliest possible time, by placing him under arrest, charging him with the offenses that are clearly drawn in Florida statutes, and prosecuting him to the fullest extent of those laws. Failing to do that, you will be sending a clear message that the laws are a farce, and are in place only to be used against those of lesser stature, that The War on Drugs is a cruel, outrageously expensive hoax, along with the fact that you are clearly ignoring and violating the sworn duties of your Office. If I am wrong in any of the above assumptions I would greatly appreciate an explanation as to where I am unclear. Your response is eagerly awaited. Thank you, Ken Walters cc: All other Law Enforcement Officials that may have authority in this matter ----------------------- I would hope that posting this on your site would encourage others to express their disgust and contempt of this appalling situation. Only through an overwhelming public outcry can we ever hope that Justice might be done. Subj: Lack of Coverage Hey Buzz: Here's a letter I just sent to the Washington Post:
And another news item that's made my jaw drop from lack of coverage (I heard about it on "Living on Earth," which airs at 7 a.m. on Sunday mornings on my local NPR station): the EPA is illegally using taxpayer dollars to fund advertising aimed at Hispanics, urging them to support Bush's heinous "Clear Skies" legislation. As Congressman Henry Waxman has pointed out, such use of public money violates at least two laws. How many laws have the Bushies broken at this point?? The tally is staggering, and the media is complicit in the administration's getting away with these crimes because editors don't bring these travesties front and center to the American people. A disgusted BuzzFlash Reader BuzzFlash, A joke currently making its way around the net:
Heh heh. Joey Martin, Chicago Subj: Controlled Media We were recently wondering why we have seen nothing in our local newspaper lately for or against Bush. Well, I think I got my answer today. Our local newspaper is "The Port St. Lucie News" in Florida. They say they get so many letters that they can only do "news of local interest letters now." Wonder if they got the word from Scripps-Howard to lay off as Bush's numbers are falling daily? Sandra Subj: Mr. President, we're not your court stenographers! Dear Buzz, I was shocked to see the editor of the Statesman make a public stand for the integrity of the US press. I guess after years of being Bush's valet, they can see how they're treated when they stray from the script.... See the last two lines:
Chris BuzzFlash, You don't need the Republicans when the DNC is so readily sabotaging real democracy After making numerous requests and suggestions in the past two years, after complaining more times than I can count in the past year, the DNC to this day does NOT understand that not everyone has cable. These people are so out of touch. How can one watch the debates if they are not also broadcast on network television. The stupidity of this is beyond exasperating. No wonder no one knows or cares who the candidates are and what they stand for. All day yesterday and today, the local Fox-owned television station - Channel 2 in Detroit - advertised the fact that the debate would be tonight and that even one of the anchors from FOX television Channel 2 would be a moderator, etc. When the time came - no debate. I telephoned the station to only find out then, that they were referring to the cable station. Convenient of them not to mention that fact. I can't imagine why FOX won't air a Democratic Presidential Candidate Debate in the metropolitan Detroit area on network television - Detroit being the city where the debate is actually being held and where many are unemployed, barely able to afford food, let alone cable. Signed House and Senate will be hearing from me first thing tomorrow. Stake your life on it. Sorry - I just needed to vent. Thank goodness that I at least have a semi-functioning computer - on its last legs - but still going. Where would one like me be without the net and BuzzFlash for info. Subj: Prozac Nation Dear Buzz, I remembered reading on BuzzFlash not long after 9/11 that the Pentagon wanted to experiment with sedating "the enemy" with Valium. (The original article is at LINK.) Ever since, I'd wondered if the bizarrely "zoned-out" behavior of half the American population in the face of the administration's atrocities could possibly be the result of something similar being done here. Then I read today the Chicago Tribune article you posted about Prozac found in fish in a Texas lake. (LINK) I'm no scientist, but it seems pretty unlikely that enough Prozac is being excreted in the urine or flushed down the toilets of this town's residents to account for the presence of the drug in fish in a lake-sized body of water. Somebody needs to do some national testing. A BuzzFlash
reader not on Prozac (to my knowledge) Subj: Apparent treason by a neo-conservative Gentlemen, Please take notice of a report that was on Keith Olbermann's program on Thursday Oct.23 on Msnbc.It featured John Loftus, a former federal prosecutor. He talked about the connection between Grover Norquist and Karl Rove and how Norquist has apparently protected suspected terrorist Alamoudi, who was arrested by the justice department on Wednesday Oct.22,2003. This might be something worth posting on BuzzFlash. Link www.msnbc.com/news/984616.asp Thanks Tony Zurawski Hi BuzzFlash, I sent you this story on Friday--GOP in Louisville is sending 59 people to the west end, predominately black precincts to "challenge" voters in areas far from their home, people they do not know. All nine Democrats running press issued a statement condemning this action. This blatant act of discrimination has been repudiated by people across the city. In the very close and crucial race for Kentucky governor, this is a way to gain advantage for the GOP through intimidation and threats. Please post this story and explanation as a way to draw support from across the country. We need to hold this Senate seat, now occupied by Democrat Paul Patton. The Republican candidate, Ernie Fletcher is Mitch McConnell clone. "Fletcher is Kentucky's Bush" Thanks for all your help to get rid of him Judy Munro-Leighton Subj: Lack of medical care to injured Iraq War veterans? Hello -- Have you seen this? Wonder how many are from what states? Or what towns and cities? Delayed care and charging $10 a day for more comfortable hospital accommodations! What in hell is going on? Is this a roll-over attitude from big corporate types -- you know, we give ourselves outlandishly high salaries and perks; let the workers get by the best they can? Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz and their boss get the best of everything, but the citizen sloggers and grunts and swabbies get bunkbeds and outhouses? While they are sick or injured or wounded? This can't be the sacrifices that the president called for, can it? Much hell and much publicity needs to be raised about this, if it is true -- and this appears to be a legitimate story. If it's legit, it's a major scandal! Joe Burgess
Subj: cher on c-span Cher called into C-Span's Washington Journal this morning blasting the administration. She apparently was at Walter Reed hospital over the weekend and is very pissed off at whistle ass hiding the injured from the public. She comes on roughly 20 minutes or so into the program. The host, Peter, guessed her identity after much prodding. It would be great if you could provide a link so everyone could hear her! Frederique P.S. I love my bumper stickers and I have sent my Bush lied-soldiers died cards to many rethuglicans on the hill! Subj: Holy Mars Bars! Dear BuzzFlash, Bush told Hearst-Argyle, "I'm mindful of the filter through which some news travels, and somehow you just got to go over the heads of the filter and speak directly to the people." Wow, was that a slap at the media or what?!!!! Bush's comment was biting the hand that feeds him. You don't bite the hand that feeds you, especially since the same hand has been rocking you like a newborn king in a cradle. We know that the media can also make the lives of presidents miserable. It will be interesting to watch the media treatment of Bush after those remarks. It may be coincidence, but last week and weekend news didn't seem to say much about Bush. In fact, much of the electronic media were dragging out news tidbits from the archives. I got the impression Bush could have moved to another planet. Holy Mars Bars, could the electromagnetic sun spots caused a blackout on Fawning Style Bush news, or are media noses out of joint? ~ Cathy |
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