Monthly Archives: September 2013

Kansas rejects marijuana advocacy group’s bid to adopt a highway

"State officials say that it’s not their beliefs that the state finds problematic, but the fact that what they advocate directly contravenes state law. The possession, distribution and consumption of marijuana is illegal in Kansas. 'We don’t want to advertise for that because their name is gonna be on our signs and I don’t think that’s acceptable,' said Benny Tarverdi of the Kansas Department of Transportation. The Department also told Eyewitness News 12 that this is only the second application it’s denied in the past decade. The first was from the KKK." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKansas rejects marijuana advocacy group’s bid to adopt a highway

Citing Racial Disparities, Rand Paul Favors Restoration Of Felon Voting Rights

"Acknowledging racial disparities in U.S. drug and sentencing laws, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is calling for the restoration of felon voting rights in state and federal laws. The Tea Party favorite also says the consequence of those punitive measures is the chief culprit behind voter disenfranchisement in African-American communities. 'The biggest impediment to voting rights, right now, are convicted felons. One in three young black males has been convicted of a felony and they’ve lost their voting rights. I think it dwarfs all other (election-related) issues,' says Paul." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCiting Racial Disparities, Rand Paul Favors Restoration Of Felon Voting Rights

Don’t Cage My Speech! A Student Schools His College

"When Chris Morbitzer and his University of Cincinnati (UC) chapter of Young Americans for Liberty sought permission to gather signatures across UC's campus for a time-sensitive, statewide ballot initiative, their request was denied. Morbitzer was told that if he and his group were seen gathering signatures outside of the school's tiny and restrictive 'free speech zone,' campus security would be called and they could be arrested. Dismayed that he might not be able to gather many signatures if he was confined to a free speech zone that comprised just 0.1% of campus, Morbitzer took a bold step: He sued his university." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDon’t Cage My Speech! A Student Schools His College

Law Aimed at Sex Offenders Feeds into the Growing Surveillance State

"ACLU attorney Michael Risher opened his argument by evoking the compelling image of a registrant who wishes to make an anonymous critical comment about his local police department on the online comment section of his local newspaper, 'His speech will be chilled knowing that the police has his online identities down at the station.' There are signs that restricting registrants' access to the Internet, in particular social media, is a growing trend. North Carolina has banned registrants from social networks like Facebook and other chat rooms, and Pennsylvania is considering similar legislation. Earlier this year, a similar ban in Indiana was struck down by a court of appeals." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingLaw Aimed at Sex Offenders Feeds into the Growing Surveillance State

Do-Nothing Congress? Americans Think Congress Passes Too Many Laws

"Asked if 'Congress passes too many laws,' 56 percent of Americans said Congress passes too many laws, while 40 percent disagreed. When Congress does take action, Americans don’t like the resulting laws. Over two-thirds, 67 percent, said Congress passes 'the wrong kinds of laws.' Still, despite their disappointment in the volume and types of legislation Congress passes, the public wants lawmakers to get something done. Sixty-seven percent of Americans told Reason-Rupe they want members of Congress to 'work together and compromise more, even if I do not like the resulting laws.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDo-Nothing Congress? Americans Think Congress Passes Too Many Laws

Public school students being tracked continually

"Because of her religious beliefs, Andrea Hernandez was expelled – yes, expelled from John Jay High School in January 2013! Next week: Victory! Andrea Hernandez has been readmitted to that school and, because she would not abandon her American right to religious freedom, that school district has stopped using the RFID badges tracking program. I will delightedly show you how all this happened, setting a legal precedent that other American students wielding the Constitution may follow. In view of John Whitehead’s continuous teaching of what the Constitution actually says, I wish he were running for president in 2016." Continue reading →

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Continuity of Operations – Wikipedia

"The George W. Bush administration put the Continuity of Operations plan into effect for the first time directly following the September 11 attacks. The Bush administration did not acknowledge the implementation of the COG plan until March 1, 2002. On July 18, 2007, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), a member of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, requested the classified and more detailed version of the government's continuity of government plan in a letter signed by him and the chairperson of the House Homeland Committee, which is supposed to have access to confidential government information. The president refused to provide the information." Continue reading →

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Obama quietly extends post-9/11 state of national emergency

"Twelve years after the worst terrorist attack in American history, President Obama yet again extended his predecessor’s Declaration of National Emergency for another year. The declaration, which was originally put into place on September 14, 2001, was renewed on Tuesday. Shortly after he renewed the declaration of a national emergency, President Obama obliquely hinted at the gradual accumulation of executive power in his speech on the Syria crisis. The past decade, he said, 'put more and more war-making power in the hands of the president.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingObama quietly extends post-9/11 state of national emergency

Homeland Security to Test Face Scanning Cameras at Hockey Game

"The Department of Homeland Security is set to test new facial recognition technology at the the Tri-Cities Americans home opener at Toyota Center in Kennewick next weekend as part of its long term mission 'to identify terrorists and criminals in public areas.' The DHS will work with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to run the test during a portion of a game on September 21. PNNL staff members will participate in the test, which will attempt to match their identities with photographs as they move around the stadium. The staffers will wear ankle bracelets which will send a signal to the cameras when they are close enough to be photographed and matched with the still shots." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHomeland Security to Test Face Scanning Cameras at Hockey Game

Know your rights, read the Constitution

"Is the government spying on Americans legal and lawful under the Constitution? Perhaps you’ve delegated that decision to the 'experts', but my advice is go check it yourself. See the Amendments that cover being secure in your papers and effects. The Constitution isn’t a hard read, although there are many that want to pretend words don’t mean what they obviously mean. You are naïve to expect some politician or bureaucrat will protect your ownership interests, also known as rights. It’s truly up to you to carefully read the contract between you and the government and to verify that the government is living up to its part of the bargain. If you don’t know how to run your government it will run you." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKnow your rights, read the Constitution