This Thursday representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R., WI) is coming to town to hold a public meeting on immigration. I'm not sure why the meeting is open to the public, seeing how all public input is to be stifled. Sensenbrenner's road show will include three preselected speakers: a minuteman from California and two other republicans.
Perhaps you remember representative Sensenbrenner from June of last year when, as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee debating the Patriot Act's renewal, he suddenly ordered all transcriptions of the meeting be halted, cameras shut down and the meeting be halted. He then stormed out.
Seems Sensenbrenner got upset at democrats who raised concern over human rights violations at Guantanamo and in Iraq. Accusing democrats of violating house rules in that they kept presenting witnesses in support of their allegations, Sensenbrenner's sudden adjournment of the hearing was a violation itself of House parliamentary rules. Apparently for Sensenbrenner, democracy is 'shut the fuck up, I don't want to hear what you have to say.'
This coming Thursday continues this tradition and El Pasoans will get a close-up chance to witness Sensenbrenner's democracy in action. It should be a great civics lesson in passive participatory fascism. (Authority speaks, subjects listen.)
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According to the flyer handed my wife announcing his hearing, Sensenbrenner can claim the following credits:
- Author of HR-4437 which makes felons of anyone caught assisting undocumented immigrants (to include church groups).
- "Voted against increasing the federal minimum wage by a dollar."
- "Voted against public housing as well as lowering interest rates on student loans.
- "Voted against giving grants to Afro-American and Latino students.
- "Voted against the investigation and development of gasoline alternatives"
10 comments:
wow...I remember that hearing...and I also would be very interested in hearing how Sensebrenner's Meeting with the locals goes...
oh yes, that horrible moment when Sensenbrenner huffed out the door, leaving Conyers remarking "I said 'point of order'" just before the mikes went dead. And then I had to spot Dan Lundgren (asshole from calif) holding the door open for his bulk, patting him on the back in the well-done-sir manner. Another fine democratic moment.
Good editorial RKRIDER. Yes, between tax cuts for the wealthy & pouring billions down the iraq-hole, we simply can't afford meaningful security (or much else).
dada, I hope sensible ElPasoeans will show that pig-sensenbastard some karmic justice & cut his mike, shut the lights & walk out on him! D.K.
keep us updated...
Should be interesting; although I can't for the life of me remember which part of Wisconsin borders Mexico.
e4e: Yes, I may accompany my wife down to the Chamizal Thursday morning to take part in the game of charades being conducted there.
But I may leave her outside protesting and try to enter into the hearings to get a better feel for the new America...that is, if I can pass security.
If so, I'll let you know. If not, I'll let you know.
rk: thanks for sharing your newspaper with us today. Enjoyed the op-ed.
I keep reading how we're in the majority. Only 36% (or less) approve of this administration, yet the minority continues to slaughter the nation. I guess that's because these extremists are so drunk with their stolen power, they're still outshouting those of us detached, pathetic, or more civil.
Time to toss civility out the window...followed closely by these skanky assed neocon impostors.
Thanks again for the link.
Mel: If I remember correctly, the part of Wisconsin that borders Mexico I believe (since NAFTA, at least) is--Ta Dah!--Canada!!
DK: Wow....I don't know if I'll be allowed inside Thursday's hearing, but if so, maybe I can stand up in the middle of it and cry out, "Point of order! Point of order!"
And then, as they're carrying me out (the Chamizal is a national park and I'd be committing a federal offense), in true fashion of one of my heroes--Medea Benjamin--I could started yelling out the illustrious accomplishments of representative Sensenbrenner's support for tax cuts for the rich, benefit cuts for the poor, etc.
Once the seasons change, it gets cooler and hurricanes pass, I'm sure I'll acclimate to my new home in Gitmo.
Let's face it: I'm no Medea Benjamin.
"Point of Order" !!! Oh, that would be beautiful, dada. you might even make the news, with a little subtitle scroll identifying you as a "troublemaking leftist blogger". I'd feel terrible if you ended up in Gitmo, though. Eventually Raul (castro's bro) may nationalize it & free the prisoners with an offer of 40-acres & a mule to anyone who stays & helps rebuild cuba (don't hold your breath).
But, I don't understand, you implied free speech is a federal offense in a national park? Has it really come to that? How will I scare the bears away if I can't swear (loudly) at them? D.K.
don't worry, DK; you'll be fine in national parks if you only yell at the blue bears...just don't run into a red one!
Personally I wonder if all the bears aren't reds, as in communist. They seem throughly committed to the idea that you share the land, you share your food. I do think the critters are smarter than us!
Dada, you make a good point...I myself live in Baja Canada!
Viva la peeps!
D.K. said..."But, I don't understand, you implied free speech is a federal offense in a national park? Has it really come to that?"
D.K. - I think the answer to that is "Not entirely." (Not yet anyway.)
From my experience in said park (Chamizal, here in El Paso) Memorial Day 2005, the local peace group got permission to set up luminarias (one for each US soldier killed in Iraq --at that time around 1400 if memory serves) and read the names of each aloud over a microphone.
I assumed it would be done over the outdoor stage the Nat'l Park service has in its most promininent area but was surprised they would only be allowed to read the list of those names in a remote corner of the park which is over a grassy knoll and more removed from public sight.
So within the park it would appear free speech areas still exist. And depending what you want to speak about, well, some are just more secluded and out of public view than others.
I thought these anti-war activists might have that same problem again this past May, but fortunately by then, the list of names of US soldiers killed had grown so long, there wasn't enough time to complete that memorial in a days time. Which is probably good because it was gonna be difficult finding enough readers anyway, not to mention it would have run into the following weekend which would have conflicted with other groups wanting a forum in a distant corner of the park, far, far from the madding crowd.
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