It is time to face the reality that something is very rotten in the U.S.A.. That something is the administrative forces of power and control that have destroyed American democracy in the USA stripping the people of their democratic and constitutional rights and protections. The Katrina disaster is proof that all the antiterrorism hype since 9/11 has been a smokescreen to deliver regime change in the USA from democracy to a police state.
Under the guise of security, in the U.S.A and in Canada, laws have been created that destabilize the social order. Before their full application, one can ignore and deny the profound effect. It is only upon the full application of a bad law that the impact is realized. So long as it is not being applied to us individually, we do not experience it and hence it is no problem.
In the USA large sums of money and incredible hype delivered “Homeland Security” but divested Americans of their freedom. This administrative and political vehicle failed disastrously to protect thousands and thousands of the most vulnerable Americans subject to Katrina. They have had no homeland security from Katrina. If the massive resources of the department of homeland security cannot, will not, be mobilized and utilized to protect and preserve Americans in their own homeland from a natural disaster, it begs the question of what is its point.
As the victims struggle for life and death in survival mode, Homeland Security and FEMA, implement the language of the law to treat the victims as criminals. The security system provokes disorder. Instead of rescue of those struggling to stay alive, orders to shoot to kill become the modus operandi. Martial law is imposed. There is something very, very wrong with this picture!
In Canada, Stephen Owen, the Parliamentarian responsible for ushering in our version of the Patriot Act said, on challenge by this writer, that it was not the intention to use this act to subvert liberty even if the language might conceivably appear to pave the road for that. He further astonishingly proclaimed that it is the citizens’ duty to be monitoring these laws to ensure they are not abused or applied in unintended ways.
What clearer picture can there be than scenes of gun-toting police and military guarding buildings while people are drowning; of poor black victims kept at gunpoint in compounds and treated as criminals rather than delivered to safety and security; of shoot to kill orders of people in survival mode; of FEMA, The Federal Emergency Maintenance Administration preventing rescue operations and preventing the delivery of food and water, medical supplies and personnel; of the water supply deliberately having being turned off to force evacuation of people who have no means to leave, rather than the deployment of military and civilian vehicles- ships, trucks, busses to transport the people out before the storm struck; the separation of families- children from parents, husbands from wives in the initial marshaling of people into stadiums and ultimately now in transport to concentration camp-like compounds under heavy guard.
As the victims are being criminalized, the police state is being implemented in Louisiana. The full force of the draconian laws written into place by stupid men and women who were whipped by the power of evil is being unleashed.
The government and administration of Canada since Mulroney have strapped Canada to the US lead entering crippling financial agreements, and since 9/11 creating comparable police state powers in Canada. It is insane to have created laws that transfer dictatorial powers into the hands of a few cabinet ministers.
Katrina illustrates the horror of such inordinate power concentrated in the hands of FEMA which is the instrument that turned America against Americans. It is time to say “NO MORE”. It is time to confront and end the evil and injustice.
In Canada it is time to be honest about the hypocrisy of the “anti terrorism” laws. Revoke them now! Return Habeas Corpus! Restore the full right of assembly and free speech and the right to dissent! Revoke the dictatorial powers of a few cabinet ministers! Cease further liberty stripping laws like internet and e -mail invasion, like mandatory fingerprinting and eyeprinting, like no-fly lists! There can be no reason for such laws except to impose a police state. Every Canadian should demand that his/her Member of Parliament end it now while we still can.
Canadians have the right to be that beacon of hope, support, and sanctuary to all those Americans struggling to restore democracy in their own land. But first we must clean up our own!
Connie Fogal is Leader of the Canadian Action Party/ Parti Action Canadienne
pending Police State:
