REMINDER - Thom Hartmann's Air America on HR 1959 THIS MORNING

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http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29007

Hartmann on HR 1959
Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2007-11-29 02:01. Media

By Barbara Ellis

Those of us following S1959 (the prelimin to locking up all home-grown dissidents) and those unaware of the bill now resting in the Senate Homeland Security committee) may want to tune into Thom Hartmann's Air America show tomorrow morning. Sometime between his 9-noon shift, he's going to do a big segment on his wakeup call about this dangerous, unAmerican bill that sailed through the House Oct. 23 (404-6, 22 not voting; Kucinich/Woolsey voting nay; Conyers a no-vote) after 40-minutes of debate. Obviously, Dems didn't bother to read it, trusting that co-sponsors (good old Jane Harman/Bernie Thompson) would never hopper such a totalitarian-flavored bill. It's likely to do the same in the Senate, though maybe Dems there won't be able to muster the troops against Blue Dog types even though it's co-sponsored by Repugs Susan Collins/Norm Coleman. Especially with folks on that Senate committee mulling over the bill—like Joe Lieberman, Blue Dog frosh John Tester with hope resting only on the super-weak reed of chairman Levin.

Ostensibly, the bill is designed to institute 2 groups (a commission and a "center of excellence") to investigate the origins of "violent" groups (hey, poverty/disrespect??). It has the caveats of Constitutional protections, but with habeas corpus guarantees gone, along with Amendments 1, 4, 6, and 8 (and MTK), whom are the authors kidding?....

So tune in (620 AM)—or the national Hartmann slot on Air America tomorrow morning—in your area. Then, write/call your senators to vote against S 1959. Or urge them to open a real 9/11 investigation.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2362435

[doc03]

1. Gawd Air America sucks, I bought my XM

just to pick it up, aren't there any progressives with any talent. I'm afraid they are going to fail and then we have to hear Rush and all the others gloat about it.

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2. WELCOME TO EQUAL JUSTICE ALLIANCE

http://www.equaljusticealliance.org/

[hlthe2b]

3. So, you don't think Thom Hartman has any talent?

:shrug:

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5. Where else would you hear John Lott?

http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. Thom Hartmann has no talent?

have you been drinking already this morning? :shrug:

[doc03]

6. I should clear that up, it's probably not that they have

no talent, It's just most of the programing just lacks any entertainment value. I did like Al Franken sometimes he injected a little humor into the show. I listen to Mike Malloy he's kind of scary calling everyone bastards and son-of-a-bitches, I think he goes a little overboard. I used to be able to get Jim Hightower locally a couple years ago he had a sense of humor. Back in the old days I even listened to Limbaugh even though I don't agree with him on anything sometimes he lightens things up a little. I see Sirius has a progressive channel, is it any better?

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7. I'm not out to be entertained any more

I've got a silent TV that can do that for me at any time I choose to turn it back on.

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9. Limbaugh even though I don't agree with him on anything sometimes he lightens things up a little

Are you serious? Now you're just funnin' with me, aren't you?

[Zorra]

8. I think Air America rocks. Even my least favorite host on Air America

grinds lying fascist hatemongers like Limbaugh and Savage that host into the dust as far as talent is concerned.

If I want fiction on radio, I can listen to the Green Hornet or the Twilight Zone or some other program on radio classics, instead of listening to some phony RW gasbag that gets paid to spew lies from a corporate propaganda script that came straight out of that fascist cesspool known as the American Enterprise Institute.

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10. coming up next

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11. H.R. 4239 [109th]: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-4239


WHAT IS (AETA) THE ANIMAL ENTERPRISE TERRORISM ACT?
http://www.stopaeta.org/


http://www.noaeta.org/
The Equal Justice Alliance is a coalition of animal protection and other social justice organizations formed in November of 2006 to defend freedom of speech and assembly by defeating the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA).

AETA denies equal protection to social justice activists and restricts our freedom of speech and assembly. It unfairly brands as terrorism any activities that cross a state line and interfere with the operation of an animal enterprise or of any entity that deals with one. Such activities may include website posts, peaceful vigils, nonviolent civil disobedience, undercover investigations, and whistle-blowing.

AETA is excessively broad and vague by covering nearly all enterprises and by implicating individuals who merely attempt or discuss "interference" with their operation. It imposes excessively harsh penalties when compared with other similar federal offenses. It has a chilling effect on social justice advocacy. It deters investigation of federal law violations committed by animal enterprises. It detracts from prosecution of real terrorism against the American people

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12. The AETA sends a chilling message to activists

http://www.earthfirstjournal.org/article.php?id=1

Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Signed into Law
By Will Potter


After a cold and wet morning, politicians and celebrities slogged through the muck of the National Mall on November 13, to pay tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and break ground on the new national memorial in his honor. Democrats and Republicans, Clinton and Bush, Oprah and Jesse were all on hand in muddied wingtips and pumps, clamoring to show their support for the civil rights leader and his once-controversial tactics.

Representative John Lewis of Georgia told PBS NewsHour, "King inspired me and thousands of other Americans to get in the way. He inspired us to get in trouble. But it was good trouble; it was necessary trouble. And that's why we honor Martin Luther King, Jr. today."

But hours later, those who had spent the morning waxing eloquent about dissent and making trouble were nowhere to be found as about half a dozen lawmakers allowed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) to pass the House of Representatives on a voice vote. Already passed by the Senate in September, the AETA was signed into law by President Bush on November 27.

The AETA is essentially an expansion of the existing Animal Enterprise Protection Act (AEPA) of 1992. The punishable offenses included in the AEPA are limited to: causing "physical disruption to the functioning of an animal enterprise" and "economic damage exceeding $10,000"; causing serious bodily injury or death in the course of these acts; or conspiring to do so. The AETA expands these punishable offenses to include: any damage or loss of property associated with animal enterprise, with no minimum dollar amount; placing a "person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury"; or conspiring to do so. It also prescribes harsher, escalating penalties.

The AETA is ostensibly meant to target underground, illegal actions committed in the name of animal rights by groups like the Animal Liberation Front. But underground activists won't lose much sleep over this bill. Their actions are already illegal (and they know it); the government has already labeled them the "number one domestic terrorist threat." And yet these activists continue to demonstrate that heavy-handed police tactics will not deter them. Legal, aboveground activists are the ones who should be most concerned about this vague and overly broad legislation, under which they could be considered "terrorists." The AETA sends a chilling message to activists of all social movements that political opportunists can use the rhetoric and resources of the War on Terrorism against them.

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13. THOUGHT CRIMES