Your Papers, Please

"The more we do to you, the less you seem to believe we are doing it." Joseph Mengele

Change for the masses seems to come by force, either through "blitzkrieg" or insidious gradualism, but either way is still use of force. Blitzkrieg warfare, as Hitler et al. knew, was extremely effective, simplistic and enormous, massively brutal and destructive, but relatively short-lived and unsustainable (Blitzkrieg). The more insidious gradualism is also effective and what we're living in today; it steals the memories of freedom in an attempt to acclimate each successive generation to become more easily programmed and desensitized to accept concepts such as terrorism, that we are living in an unsafe world, and the governments' plans are only to provide protection for all.

Most of us, all around the world, want to live simply; that is, freedom in choices, in making a fair wage to support our families, provide nourishment and a safe home, to aspire, create, achieve, and love. Some active duty military members, veterans and many others experiencing the lives of people and varied cultures around the world say they've discovered most humans have more in common than not, and most desire the same things regardless of religion, government, and what language is spoken.

"You are being programmed to accept the global ID control grid":

The REAL ID program was passed in 2005, hidden in a bill concerning war in Iraq and aid for victims of the 2004 Indonesian tsunami. As James Corbett (The Corbett Report) states the REAL ID program ostensibly created as a nationally cohesive identification system to keep us safe from terrorists, is actually intended to be used as identification for each individual worldwide with databases of personal information, likewise shared globally.

The subject of REAL ID was revisited by Corbett because an 87-year old listener e-mailed she'd recently found her original social security card from the 1940s with the prominently displayed words: "FOR SOCIAL SECURITY PURPOSES", "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION"; similar to Elvis Presley's social security card mentioned by Corbett:

We all know today that our Social Security numbers are used for identification purposes - and our government lied then as it does now.

Therefore, why would anyone believe REAL ID is only meant for our protection against terrorism, along with assurances it's intended only for use in our country and all personal information collected in databases will not be shared globally? (Intergovernmental Cooperation in Worldwide Implementation, a global surveillance matrix which conforms with international standards, Format ICAO 9303 part 3; with "Smart ID cards and data bases" to track population movement). Why would anyone believe the government wouldn't use our personal information in light of the facts revealed by Snowden and other NSA whistleblowers that NSA is spying on us? Further, why would anyone believe those databases are non-hackable?

Corbett also mentions Obama's 2011 national strategies for trusted identities in cyberspace (NSTIC); the goal is to provide "driver's licenses" for internet use - it'll be your way for getting onto the internet. Wonder if anyone really believes this program will also protect us and our freedom of speech...and if the FCC and DHS have plans to couple the internet "driver's licenses" to REAL ID.

Identifying individuals goes yet much further and into "the DNA Control Grid". Corbett tells us that for 40 plus years (1965 onward) the state of Texas has been collecting and keeping blood spots of newborns on record unbeknownst to the parents [not just Texas, but also in the UK, Canada, and Australia (Genetic State Health Services Victoria)], and the private company claims it owns the genetic material. The Rutherford Institute makes a compelling case of "How DNA is Turning Us Into a Nation of Suspects". Chillingly, what was only provocative entertainment seems all too possible (Minority Report, 2002).

Maine leads this time:

"Half the state legislatures in the country passed resolutions objecting to the REAL ID Act or bills outright barring their State from complying." (CATO Institute, pdf "Policy Analysis, REAL ID, A State-by-State Update").

However, the problem with REAL ID is gradualism; there's still no national ID, but Congress has continued funneling money into the program and has spent a quarter billion dollars on the "walking dead" REAL ID. Some state legislature's have reversed opposition (Colorado, Hawaii, Nebraska, South Dakota). Missouri motor vehicle bureaucrats were caught implementing REAL ID terms despite state law (Ibid).

New Hampshire is one of the leading states, along with Maine, in "REAL ID Rebellion". In April 2006, New Hampshire state representative Neal Kurk said:

"I don't believe the people of New Hampshire elected us to help the federal government create a national ID card. We care more about our liberties than to meekly hand over to the federal government the potential to enumerate, track, identify, and eventually control."

Maine became the first state to reject REAL ID in January 2007. Maine largely remained outside the REAL ID track "despite John Baldacci instituting Social Security-number collection as part of state licensing in 2008. In a March 2008 letter to then DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, Baldacci asked for a waiver for Maine due to the state meeting 10 of the 18 benchmarks."

"The (Maine) legislature has stayed hostile to the national ID law. Some Maine state representatives went so far as to repeal some of Baldacci's moves toward REAL ID with a 2011 bill, LD 1068. It was signed by current Governor Paul LePage, in May 2011, and rolled Maine back to only eight points of compliance with DHS's REAL ID benchmarks."

This writer would like to believe Maine has opposed REAL ID primarily because of privacy and identity theft issues, and negative impact on individual's rights. However, because REAL ID was initially passing costs of implementation onto the states, it seems possible program costs were the greatest detraction for participation. Because REAL ID remains a "walking dead" program with money, it also seems likely the federal government has been approaching noncompliance issues piecemeal. "REAL ID spending is hard to track, and it is getting harder...REAL ID grants to states have been folded into the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) which makes outlays more obscure." If given the money, it seems probable most states will end up capitulating to the REAL ID program.

When tracking spending it becomes more difficult to find out which states give in and are "bought", but one major component and trackable spending of REAL ID is "mandatory facial image capture". A caveat - this is not just taking a photograph, but rather a step towards machine-readable biometrics. CATO Institute reports REAL ID has been spending taxpayers' dollars on other identification and tracking systems including E-Verify and US-VISIT/the Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) of about $300 to $500 million in spending per year (Ibid, Table 1, page 5).

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempts enforcement of REAL ID, again:

DHS announced on December 20, 2013 a plan for phased enforcement for REAL ID (see pdf: The Risk Management Process for Federal Facilities: An Interagency Security Committee Standard" August 2013). Basically, DHS wants the public to know the phased enforcement plan is in place to ensure safety for the public, by protecting "buildings, grounds, and property that are owned, occupied, leased, or secured by the Federal Government". ("REAL ID Enforcment in Brief"; with Phase 4 by 2016).

Therefore, DHS's push for REAL ID is primarily a concern with its "responsibility for protecting...buildings, grounds, and properties that are owned, occupied, leased, or secured by the Federal government", not people, and further finding ways to deny citizens accessibility to government and taxpayer-owned properties. In the pdf linked above DHS created grids, such as the "Mission Criticality Grid" giving values of risks: "very high value", "high", "medium", and "low". Some of the obvious properties of concern for terrorist activities include The White House, Supreme Court Building, The Smithsonian buildings, etc. Also included are numerous "high-risk symbolic or critical infrastructure", i.e. dams, tunnels, bridges, national monuments, national financial centers, "Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center", transportation hubs, social security administration field offices, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs clinics, readily identifiable U.S. classified locations, small offices in leased commercial buildings, and "as identified" facilities and areas (national parks?).

Hope for the spirit of humanity:

Some have commented on living for the day - meaning, they're not concerned with what's happening as long as they're happy in the moment and can still buy their "bread, beer, gas...and entertainment".

Interestingly, those in control and making the "rules" have tenacity, patience, and flexibility in achieving long-term goals to perpetuate and preserve their own "kingdoms" and corporations. However, perhaps they underestimate the human spirit, while over-estimating their understandings of human nature.

Humans are said to be "sloppy"; meaning unpredictable, because not all will give in to immediate pleasures, nor give in at the expense of others. Some humans also have tenacity and desire in searching for meaning in life, and doing their best to care about future lives of children, grandchildren, and others. We see these people throughout history and even today. Hope isn't in the technology, it's in humanity.

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: The last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."  Viktor E. Frankl

Pick Your Poison - BPA, BPS, Vaccines... And Who Really Thought Ebola Went Away?

"Life was such a wheel that no man could stand upon it for long. And it always, at the end, came round to the same place again."       Stephen King, The Stand

We can protect ourselves from some things, but not everything, and oftentimes the efforts, however well-intentioned, come to naught. For example, it doesn't seem that long ago when the Times Record was publishing editorials about the dangers of BPA (Bisphenol A) and Gov. LePage was the butt of many jokes after making a comment about women and little beards (LePage dismisses BPA dangers; 'worst case is some women may have little beards'").

Bisphenol A has been around since the 1960s; it's clear, tough and used in plastics for such things as water bottles, CDs and DVDs, sports equipment, as a liner for canned food and beverages, and even in thermal paper sales receipts. An industrial chemical, BPA is reported to be estrogenic - an endocrine disruptor acting similarly to the hormone estrogen.

But studies are now showing we've traded one problem for another, and probably a worse one ("BPS is up to 19 times more absorable in the skin than BPA"), in the form of BPA-free products which use BPS instead (some products containing BPS include recycled papers, "...paper currencies, flyers, magazines, newspapers, food contact papers, airplane luggage tags, printing paper, paper towels, and toilet papers."):

"According to the Environmental Science and Technology, bisphenol-S is actually of a “comparable potency” to BPA. Also, it is “less biodegradable, and more heat-stable and photo-resistant” than its predecessor BPA. What does this mean? Well, it has the same estrogen-mimicking qualities and it doesn’t degrade as quickly as BPA, so it can stick around in your body for longer periods of time." (naturalsociety.com)

Tritan is a registered, BPA-free chemical made by the Eastman Chemical Corporation and used to produce CamelBak products, including 3-liter hydration systems for the U.S. armed forces. Some of the symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder have similarities with Tritan chemical effects (Suzanne Posel article); more research is needed:

• Severe dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Excitability
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Vomiting
• Nervousness
• Sleep disorders
• Urinary dysfunction
• Heart palpitations
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Tremors
• Macular disorders

"Earlier this year, George Bittner, founder of CertiChem and professor of neurobiology for the University of Texas at Austin (UTA) published a study that showed 'almost all' plastic sold commercially leach out endocrine disruptors; including products claiming to be BPA-free and use chemical substitutes such as Tritan, Bisphenol 5 (BPS) and others." (Ibid).

Seems mothers are usually right about many things - perhaps not the "if you make that face, it'll freeze like that"; but, using a glass Mason jar for a water container (with a sock cover, clean of course, in case the jar breaks), "life isn't fair", and "between 10 and 3 find a tree"...

And what about vaccines?:
Suffice it to say this writer and all family members have received scheduled vaccinations. However, in looking through some of the web information on vaccines, there's a lot of heated discussions about vaccinations; and likely due to a high-level of distrust - namely people's distrust of the pharmaceutical companies, government, and media.

People want to know what's in the vaccines (What's really in vaccines? Proof of MSG, formaldehyde, aluminum, mercury), and people want truthful research. Much of that information is hidden from the public and also falsified as evidenced by the following:

"The company (Merck) now faces federal fraud charges. The whistleblowers' court documents state that Merck:

'...failed to disclose that its mumps vaccine was not as effective as Merck represented, (ii) used improper testing techniques, (iii) manipulated testing methodology, (iv) abandoned undesirable test results, (v) falsified test data, (vi) failed to adequately investigate and report the diminished efficacy of its mumps vaccine, (vii) falsely verified that each manufacturing lot of mumps vaccine would be as effective as identified in the labeling, (viii) falsely certified the accuracy of applications filed with the FDA, (ix) falsely certified compliance with the terms of the CDC purchase contract, (x) engaged in the fraud and concealment describe herein for the purpose of illegally monopolizing the U.S. market for mumps vaccine, (xi) mislabeled, misbranded, and falsely certified its mumps vaccine, and (xii) engaged in the other acts described herein to conceal the diminished efficacy of the vaccine the government was purchasing.'"

Ethically, it's wrong to keep information from us by closing down information sources; but that's what has been happening in mainstream media for quite some time now about various subjects, including vaccines. (See U.S. Media Blackout: Italian Courts Rule Vaccines Cause Autism.)

Measles vaccine is effective - but not perfect:
Some policymakers are considering mandatory vaccinations; as a result there's anger, much unnecessary blame, and even ridicule when people defend their rights to choose. Notwithstanding harmful chemicals found in vaccines per the article above, the bottom line is genetic make-up has great bearing on how each of us responds to vaccinations, including ability to make immunities (the desired outcome of vaccinations).

Researcher Gregory Poland (editor in chief of the scientific journal Vaccine; founder and head of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN), has been researching how genetics influence ways a person's body may respond to vaccines.

According to Poland's research, anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of measles outbreak cases occurred in people who had received one or two measles vaccines. And most measles cases were going to occur in highly immunized populations - therefore, in those who were vaccinated.

Based on Poland's findings rates of primary and secondary failures of the vaccine accounted for the measles infections. Primary failure occurs when the person's immune system doesn't respond to the vaccine to make immunities. Secondary failures occur when the body makes the antibodies, but they fail over time.

A titer test is a laboratory test which can be done on blood samples to measure the amount of immunity (antibodies) present in a person. Schools and colleges are usually asking for a record of immunizations, and not titers. Therefore, up to 5% of the population, showing required vaccination records for school entry, actually may not have antibodies against measles (Ibid).

Research also needs to be done to determine if genetics predisposes individuals in developing adverse side effects from vaccines, including autism. We have the capabilities now for individualized treatment, instead of a one size fits all method. If parents had the information they'd be better able to make decisions regarding vaccinations. If their only option, in light of the fact of abundant and blatant fraud, is to choose not to vaccinate, we need to understand their positions with empathy not fear and accusations.

If the goal is truly to create a better understanding about vaccinations, all of the information needs to be made available, whether it's deemed desirable or undesirable, profitable or not profitable. Education is key, not strong-armed, dictatorial and punitive measures. If a company like Merck is going to such lengths of fraud, then it leads several to believe, and rightly so, that these corporations are only interested in profits - not people. Our government has been in-line and in bed with corporations for too long. (See article, North Carolina rules it's legal for sex between lobbyists and politicians.)

"Whitehouse.gov caught freezing vaccine choice petition to prevent signatures from reaching 100,000 threshold":
Petitioning the government is a way to be heard and represented. Wonder who decided to freeze petition signatures. Since President Obama has promised to consider any/all petitions reaching the 100,000 threshold, the freezing of signatures puts him in more of a negative light.

From the USA article it's reported 92% of the public surveyed are pro-choice in vaccinations:

 
"USA Today, the same publication that ran an article authored by a mentally deranged vaccine fanatic who called for the arrest and imprisonment of "anti-vaxxers," recently conducted an online survey that asked Americans whether they support the arrest and imprisonment of people who rejected vaccines. The results of that survey reveal that 92% of Americans support vaccine choice and reject government coercion for forced vaccinations."

One has to also wonder if a push by the government and pharmaceutical corporations to cover-up Americans' support of vaccine choice is also an effort to enforce mandatory Ebola vaccinations down the road.

No doubt, some will think the possibility of mandatory Ebola vaccinations as a far-fetched prediction; but perhaps skepticism will change when given information.

Vaccines used for covert sterilization in underdeveloped countries:
WHO/UNICEF developed and used tetanus vaccinations on women from ages 14 to 49 years of age which contained an additional sterilization hormone.

From: "Catholic Doctors Speak: Tetanus Vaccination Campaign is All About Population Control":

"Our concern and the subject of this discussion is the WHO/UNICEF sponsored tetanus immunization campaign launched last year in October ostensibly to eradicate neonatal tetanus. It is targeted at girls and women between the ages of 14 – 49 (child bearing age) and in 60 specific districts spread all around the country. The tetanus vaccine being used in this campaign has been imported into the country specifically for this purpose and bears a different batch number from the regular TT. So far, 3 doses have been given – the first in October 2013, the second in March 2014 and the third in October 2014. It is highly possible that there are two more doses to go.

Giving five doses of tetanus vaccination every 6 months is not usual or the recommended regime for tetanus vaccination. The only time tetanus vaccine has been given in five doses is when it is used as a carrier in fertility regulating vaccines laced with the pregnancy hormone - Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) developed by WHO in 1992.

When tetanus is laced with HCG and administered in five doses every 6 months, the woman develops antibodies against both the tetanus and the HCG in 2 – 3 years after the last injection. Once a mother develops antibodies against HCG, she rejects any pregnancy as soon as it starts growing in her womb thus causing repeated abortions and subsequent sterility."

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation et al. and Population Control:

The Gates Foundation proposes to decrease the world's 6.8 billion population by 10 or 15 percent through "new vaccines, health care, and reproductive healthcare services"; and its focus is on Africa and other underdeveloped countries.

Some additional information about the Gates Foundation and others from the same article:

• the Gates Foundation is a founding member of GAVI Alliance (Global Alliance for Vaccinations and Immunization) in partnership with the World Bank, WHO, and the vaccine industry. The goal is to have vaccination of every newborn child,
• third world countries are dumping grounds for unwanted vaccines (including those for the H1N1 "pandemic" that never happened),
• Bill Gates' friend, David Rockefeller and the Rockefeller Foundation worked with WHO in 1972 to develop another "new vaccine",
• the Rockefeller Foundation funded eugenics research in Germany in the 1920s and into the Third Reich,
• John D. Rockefeller III funded the tax-free private Population Council in New York beginning in the 1950s to initiate population decrease,
• the Gates Foundation, David Rockefeller and the Rockefeller Foundation are creators of GMO biotechnology financing for "The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) headed by former U.N. chief, Kofi Annan,
• Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, Syngenta and other major GMO agribusiness giants are reported at the heart of AGRA and using GMO corn "that make anti-sperm antibodies",
• the "Good Club" includes Bill Gates, David Rockefeller, Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, Eli Broad (real estate billionaire), Michael Bloomberg, Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) head Peter G. Peterson, etc. and the group's priority focus is birth control and decreasing global population

Mainstream media isn't reporting on Ebola but it's still a major concern globally:

A Bangor Daily News (BDN) commenter to one of the many articles about Ebola and Kaci Hickox (CDC) recommended The Hot Zone (1995) by Richard Preston; and it was an excellent recommendation. The book is well-written, explicitly descriptive, and factual. If more had read the book, perhaps BDN would've had better informed commenters to their Ebola articles. Ebola has been here before the case of Thomas Duncan in Texas. Ebola virus was in the U.S. (November 1989) in the form of Ebola Reston strain, named after the area discovered, Reston, Virginia - a monkey house near Washington, D.C. from monkeys shipped from the Phillipines traveling via Amsterdam and New York. The monkeys were to be used in laboratories across the country. The Hot Zone covers the incident in detail.

The Ebola Reston was airborne, primate to primate, not transmitted to humans; and it's not the same strain currently infecting humans in West Africa. Ebola Zaire was originally thought to be the current strain in West Africa, however, researchers are saying it's not Ebola Zaire, but a new strain and the virus is mutating.

There are distinct differences, as evidenced by articles, research and methodology, between the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID, "you-SAM-rid") and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Methods of approach and level of concern about the Ebola virus include its ability to mutate, routes of transmission, how long Ebola virus lives on surfaces, and why Ebola is different from the AIDS virus (AIDS virus mutates rapidly, too. That's the reason there's no vaccination for the AIDS virus. However, contrary to the Ebola virus, the AIDS virus has not been found in human lung tissue).(USAMRIID "Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook", 7th edition) USAMRIID and CDC are at odds with each other, and a systemic issue for the two different governmental entities seems to include "who's in control".

Notwithstanding the stifle on mainstream media in the U.S. about Ebola, the virus hasn't died and "burned out". And also contrary to some of the scant news in few mainstream media sources declaring Ebola cases and deaths have dropped, Ebola levels are on the rise in Guinea, and Sierra Leone ("Ebola levels on the rise in Guinea, Sierra Leone", Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, March 4, 2015). WHO's report updating West Africa's numbers are at approximately 23,924 cases, and 9,792 dead now from Ebola virus.

Problems hampering identification of transmission chains and number of Ebola detections is partly due to risks of violent attacks on aid workers, community resistance, continued unsafe burial practices, and withholding of reports of death by Ebola. Mortality rate remains high, at about 50%.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) president Joanne Liu, MD said many communities will resist public health messages regarding Ebola, and sending in armed guards could backfire and increase fears and suspicions. Additionally, Dr. Liu said the problem is even one undetected case can lead to a surge of infections.

A very basic issue in Ebola care and containment in West Africa, then, is a high level of distrust. Given the numbers of people treated as guinea pigs and covert forced sterilization program, among other reasons, it's no wonder.

Here in the U.S. what initially began as only 4 Ebola treatment centers has increased to 55 (as of Feb. 18, 2015). There are now biocontainment units at Emory University Hospital (Atlanta, Georgia), National Institutes of Health Clinical Centers (Bethesda, Maryland), and Nebraska Medical Center (Omaha, Nebraska).

The CDC's next tier of plan involves increasing focus on Ebola identification, evaluating for Ebola assessment hospitals which are prepared to admit, isolate, and care for suspected cases of Ebola and care for the patient up to 96 hours until he/she can be transferred to one of the treatment facilities.
There will also be a set-up of 10 regional centers (1 for each region of the U.S.) designated for Ebola or other highly infectious diseases.

In central New Jersey, local officials, planning for redevelopment after Fort Monmouth was closed in 2011, weren't even made aware there were plans to convert the currently operating state psychiatric hospital into an Ebola quaratine center (article dated February 4, 2015). They found out only after fire officials had arrived to conduct inspections. The mayor of Eatontown, Dennis Connolly, said there were plans to sell the Fort Monmouth property. The Department of Human Services had requested plans for the Ebola quarantine center not be made public; apparently, that included town officials.

It doesn't seem reasonable all these preparations are taking place if there were no longer any concerns in the U.S. about the possible spread of Ebola in this country (see cdc.gov).

Post-Ebola Syndromes (PES), Long-term Effects for Ebola Survivors:
"Ebola Nurse Suit Against Texas Health Highlights Systemic Dangers" (Suzanne Posel article). Texas Nurse Nina Pham is suing Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital (THPH), saying the corporation was negligent and lied to Congress about its preparedness in caring for Ebola patient, Thomas Duncan. THPH said it was following guidelines, including for personal protective equipment, as mandated by the CDC. Pham survived infection with the Ebola virus, but not without problems; she's experiencing after effects which include hair loss, body aches, and insomnia. Similarly, Nancy Writebol, an Ebola survivor, is experiencing nerve pain and joint aches ("What are the long term effects of Ebola?").

Post-Ebola Syndrome "PES" includes body aches, memory loss, hair loss, headaches, anxiety attacks, extreme fatigue, vision problems (some patients become blind), mental illness, women stop menstruating. Dr. Dan Kelly of Wellbody Alliance is a specialist of infectious diseases and says some Ebola after-effects appear to be linked to the infection over-stimulating the immune system which then attacks the body's own tissues.

At the end of the day, the best we can do is become informed. One of the biggest excuses for not giving information to the public is a claim that knowledge causes fear and panic. Yet research doesn't support this viewpoint (NPR article).

Too many government officials, on all levels, equate learning, and a desire to become knowledgeable with fear. To that, this writer says they've got an agenda. Any entity unwilling to be forthright, including President Obama and his hiring of an "Ebola Czar", who begins by shutting down access to information in the U.S., is manipulative. Those patterns usually are more indicative of a desire for control - and money.

"Was Ebola foretold in Stephen King's, The Stand?" Who knows...perhaps he's just really good at noticing the patterns.

"The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want for nothing. He makes me lie down in the green pastures. He greases up my head with oil. He gives me kung-fu in the face of my enemies. Amen."

Stephen King, The Stand (1978)

Homelessness: Some Police Officers are Henchmen, and What About the People Making the "Rules"?

"If you have life, you have purpose." Caroline Myss

This was a post that caught my attention:

"I’m sorry, but I have to get this off of my chest. My heart breaks after seeing this video.

After seeing this video, my views on America have been reaffirmed. 6 police officers are unable to restrain one homeless person with a mental disability and shoot him in cold blood. This is murder.

America’s history is murder. America’s history is imperialism. America’s history is savagery. All citizens are held hostage to the police, and countries around the world are held hostage by the military.

The 1033 program and other corporate initiatives that have militarized the police, in addition to the general subhuman nature of violent cops does two things: (1) It ruins the image of good, hardworking cops and (2) destroys the trust between the people and those we have delegated powers to protect us. They stopped protecting us a long time ago.

You cannot convince me that this country has one more year left before civil war breaks out. The people have had enough. This whole thing is orchestrated courtesy of the American fascist government and its shareholders in the Open Society, Goldman Sachs and other racketeers of global dictatorship.

It is also the product of Natural Law: how you begin something is the same way that you finish it. If your government comes about from slavery, jingoism, and elitist cruelty, then that’s the way it’s gonna finish. The big fish eating the little fish. Unless something fundamentally changes within the nature and hearts of Americans, you can forget about your elections next year."
-H.N.-

(Hanuel Na'avi - is one of the founders, writers, and radio hosts for the blog “The Last Defense”. He has studied his BA and MA in English Literature, and while living in China and South Korea for the last six years, he briefly studied Middle East and African Politics at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, South Korea, and Chinese at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.)

"Africa" was one of many homeless people in the U.S.A.:

The video Na'avi is referring to is the recent brutal killing of a homeless man, known to friends by his street name "Africa", by LAPD police officers. Africa's real name hasn't yet been released pending notification of family of his death. But he has a name, as do all of the homeless people.

An excerpt from Names of the Homeless blogspot:

"Names Of The Homeless exists to promote and publish the stories of the people who live on the streets. These are people who once had hopes and dreams much like yourself... until something happened. They made a bad decision, they got caught up in drugs or alcohol, they could never get past that gambling addiction, or life just dealt them a bad hand.

Some of them have college educations; some have lost their white-collar jobs; some were never able to recover after the death of a loved one. There are homeless people who are truly lazy, and others who have rejected any place in regular society because they would rather shirk responsibility, but that doesn't mean they are any less worthy of common respect or decency. Even the lazy ones have interesting things to say. The Homeless are people with names and stories just like everyone else; Names Of The Homeless is here to share them with the world."

Africa has a life story, too.

So many things are horrifying in watching the police shooting Africa; yet the LAPD says nothing about being sorry for his death. We've just seen excuses. If 6 officers were on hand to subdue an unarmed homeless man, then why did the one officer keep repeating, "Get off my gun!" but we never see him back away? Clearly, that was an available option of behavior the officer didn't choose.

The U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported in December 2014 a Point-in-Time estimate of the numbers of homeless people on a given night in January 2014 was approximately 578,424. Further, HUD reports a 71% increase, of surveyed cities, for people needing emergency food assistance.

With 62% of all Americans living paycheck to paycheck, almost anyone can become homeless; even families with children. Child homelessness is the highest in the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and California; and about one out of 30, or 2.5 million children were homeless in the U.S. at some point in 2013. Although some people are employed, low wages make it difficult to pay for the high cost of rent.

Other facts regarding the homeless are that 40% are male veterans, although veterans comprise only 34% of the general male population. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports homeless veterans include women; and veterans with disabilities including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are likely to become homeless. A higher number of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq having these characteristics. The majority of single veterans come from poor, disadvantaged communities; 45% suffer from mental illness and 50% have substance abuse problems.

No doubt, some will not want to even consider what Russell Brand is saying, but Brand is observant, often the "Lampooner", and some of his messages in the following YouTube video include:

• "...there are sections of societies or members of human community whose life doesn't have value...it is endemic and indicative of a much broader problem..."
• "The police that enforce that society have to clear up the 'human detritus'...and every so often that becomes unbearable..."
• "...In America there are 600,000 homeless people on any given night...I find that particularly galling... [Brand says it's no different in Britain re a 'whooped-up fervor' (towards war, and movies like 'American Sniper')]...once people have been spent through military service they are meaningless...there's no meaningful ongoing programs to take care of them". If there were, you wouldn't see about 48,000 people (in 2013) that fought in Iraq and Afghanistan on the streets..."You support your troops."
• More shocking statistics...more people have been killed by police in America than troops killed abroad in the Iraq war...and "Americans are eight times more likely to be killed by a local police officer than a terrorist..."

Criminalizing homeless people:

City councilor, Cameron Runyan, of Columbia, South Carolina said they've had a homeless problem that has "plagued us a generation and a half at least". He voted with the rest of the council to create a "stop-gap" measure giving homeless people an option to relocate or be arrested. Relocation meant shuttling homeless people to an off-site 240-bed shelter guarded by police. The shelter isn't even large enough for the numbers in need. People wouldn't be able to leave without a permit and need to use the shuttle bus to get back into town. John Celock of Huffington Post said. "... Let's look at the root cause of homelessness, not criminalize the fact someone doesn't have a home, doesn't have money..."; and he also questioned if this is really a shelter or prison for the homeless.

The Huffington Post further reported on the city of Tampa, Florida also criminalizing the homeless. Critics of the laws against homeless people included Amanda Mole, editor of the Tampa Epoch; Ola Abiose, student at Washington University, St. Louis; and Benjamin Waxman, volunteer attorney for the Miami ACLU.

Aloise said the key issue is de-humanizing the homeless when we need to look at the solutions - are they motivated by compassion or stigmatizing people? Aloise pointed out the result of punitive actions against homeless people is a criminal record which is not advantageous for anyone seeking a job, and it's condescending.

Mole says the laws against homeless people are not preventative measures; there are no jobs available paying a sustainable living wage. Mole also noted that most people in the community appear to want the ordinance, but are uneducated about the causes of homelessness; people cannot pay rent with a minimum wage job. Further, the costs to taxpayers are about $50/day to incarcerate a homeless person; and $6.6 million a year has been paid by Hillsborough County alone.

According to attorney Waxman, as an example, the city of Miami was targeting homeless people, and making trumped-up charges, for which the people would be re-cycled through the system once charges were dismissed by the prosecutors. The ACLU was successful in filing a class action lawsuit on behalf of the homeless people because they were being arrested for such things as sleeping in public, being in the park after curfew, eating on the sidewalk, obstructing the sidewalk, loitering, prowling - "nuisance misdemeanor ordinances".

Criminalizing people for feeding the homeless people: 

A 90-year old man, Arnold Abbott, who has run Love Thy Neighbor since 1991, a charity feeding homeless people, was arrested in Fort Lauderdale, Florida along with pastor Dwayne Black, and priest, Mark Sims. An ordinance was passed October 22, 2014 by the City Commission making it a crime to feed homeless people (fines are $500 and up to 60 days in jail). Abbott said the police couldn't stop him, and Abbott was arrested multiple times. Mayor Jack Seiler said feeding homeless people keeps them in a cycle on the street and is not productive.

“I know that I will be arrested again, and I am prepared for that. I am my brother’s keeper, and what they are doing is just heartless,” said Abbott.

The "hacktivist" group called Anonymous shut down Ft. Lauderdale's website after threatening to do so if the feeding of the homeless people ban was not lifted.

The ban has not been lifted. And Mayor Seiler won his re-election in February (with 3% turn-out).

The five ways America is abusing the homeless through local government ordinances:

• sit/lie bans, bans on storing stuff in public
• anti-panhandling measures
• crimes against feeding a hungry person
• emergency homeless response (such as Columbia, South Carolina's method above; additionally, people may be banned from downtown, and in some cities police patrol for the homeless and set-up hot lines for people to report the homeless to the police
• police picking up homeless people, and dropping them off in locations far away

The hot lines sound like the Department of Homeland Security's campaign "If You See Something, Say Something". What is happening in our country - we're expected to report to police on homeless people so they can be kidnapped and left somewhere else, essentially disposed of? Even elementary school children have more compassion and are asking, "But where will they go?"

Apparently, Detroit police officers have been picking up homeless people, taking them far outside of the city, dumping them in unfamiliar places (sometimes in the middle of the night), and some officers are taking money the person has on them, leaving the homeless absolutely penniless and stranded.

"How the Homeless are Treated in Canada vs. America (Social Experiment)":

"They Gave a Homeless Man a Pizza What He Did With It Broke Me Down":

Some solutions:

Recall those CDBG funds? HUD began the Community Development Block Grants in 1974 to help those at poverty or moderate income levels, to provide affordable housing, clean-up blight, and to address urgent health and safety needs in communities ("Prisons for Profits, and Kids for Cash", February 23, 2015).

As Rep.Tom McClintock, California said, the CDBG Program has degenerated into a $3.4 billion slush fund; it's a program replete with dubious projects which benefit private businesses, waste, and fraud. McClintock says there are cases where six figure amounts have made it into the pockets of those conning the system, and over 150 applications were falsified in an attempt to receive grants. Some of the money has gone to such things as a doggy day-care business, and renovating Victorian cottages.

These CDBG funds were meant to address the very issues we're seeing now and for helping the homeless people. Communities not applying for CDBG funds to create affordable housing and programs to benefit the homeless and poor are contributing to the homelessness issues. CDBG funds are not meant to fund private businesses. Therefore, any of those in local government agreeing to funnel money into private businesses including dubious projects such as a doggy day-care business are turning their backs on human beings either willfully or through ignorance.

The Rule-makers and their enforcers:

The patterns in history remain; the fact so many of our local communities have leaders making the "rules", including criminalizing homeless people and those wanting to feed them, is indicative of a downward slide and a loss of humanity. The most basics needs we have as human beings are for food, shelter, and safety which are being willfully denied by those who have the power to act with compassion when making laws.

This writer also doesn't buy into the excuses leaders sometimes make about the homeless: that communities don't have the money to help the homeless, and that publicly feeding homeless people could make them sick from food-borne illnesses.

Further, you'll also see no buy-in by this writer that community leaders and police are just doing their jobs and they need a paycheck; a means of livelihood to support their families. Anyone in a job in which they're expected to behave unethically and in ways they know is wrong always has a choice, including a choice to pick up their bed and move on.

"There is no such thing as a simple act of compassion or an inconsequential act of service. Everything we do for another person has infinite consequences."

Caroline Myss

While NH to Consider Rejecting Military Surplus Equipment, Will Brunswick PD "BEATNU"?

"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

Despite FBI data showing Maine is the safest state in the union, apparently in a beautiful, small college town like Brunswick, the Police Department effectively sells fear, as evidenced by the Times Record's report "Brunswick to acquire armored vehicle".

Contrary to data and history (from the FBI and "Crime rate in Brunswick, Maine") former Brunswick police officer, collector of firearms, and town councilor David Watson made the following sweeping statements:

"Times are getting less sane...This vehicle does not only protect police officers. It protects citizens...We had a bank robbery here a short time ago. Things are happening in Brunswick that never happened before...Watson said he would vote "to protect my brothers and sisters" [apparently referring to law enforcement officers (LEO), not the public].

Perhaps Watson meant Brunswick is getting less sane and, therefore, he knows peddling fear is an easy method of achieving militarized police forces in Maine.

Accounting for population, and yet being the safest state in the union, Maine ranks near the top in the country in 1033 Program acquisitions and use of more military surplus equipment and weapons. And the $64 question is: Why?

Councilor Suzan Wilson said, "Do we need this? My judgment says probably not, but they (the police) don't ask for a heck of a lot from us."

Interestingly, The Times Record (aka "The Ostrich" by Mr. Poppycock of The Other Side of Brunswick blogspot, and "The Mullet Wrap" by others) doesn't focus on the fact Chief Rizzo has already been collecting about $120,000 worth of 1033 Program surplus military equipment and weapons for approximately seven years without informing the town council as required by state law. Wonder if Councilor Wilson took that particular fact into account in her judgment, too.

When it comes to those voicing opposition to the militarization of the police, it's obviously clear the position of the Times Record; invariably it sides with the Brunswick Police Department. Albeit fact concerning low crime rates in Brunswick, one citizen and former town councilor, Karen Klatt, was described by The Mullet Wrap as "acerbic" when she said the town of Brunswick, Maine is not L.A., California.

In additional opposition, Joe Ciarrocca verbalized his distrust of the Brunswick Police Department: "I would be frightened to see some of these people in or out of uniform." As well we should be. The Mullet Wrap fails to report Brunswick Police misconduct and police brutality; nor, as is this writer's understanding, has it ever attempted to request information through the FOIA from multiple sources, including the state, as evidenced by the fact we don't see these kinds of articles in their newspapers.

Looking at information in the web, there are too many LEO and police departments across the nation not abiding by their own mission statements, nor the laws, and citizens' Constitutional rights. And as retired USMC Colonel Pete Martino of Concord, New Hampshire (who has several friends employed as LEO) says regarding the militarization of domestic police forces: "I can't believe people aren't seeing it...is everybody blind?"

When referring to the death of Brunswick Police Officer, Jim D. Swint (former Marine), in a 1990 car crash from hitting a utility pole while in pursuit of a suspect, seemingly Richard Fisco was attempting to point out the data doesn't support the position Chief Rizzo and Cmdr. Hagan make about projected alleged armed suspects and prolific danger to Brunswick police and/or the public.

But as a ploy to get their armored vehicle, Rizzo and Hagan exaggerate fears to the public, town manager, and town council without supplying supporting data, while minimizing the "Peacekeeper/MRAP" vehicle. Any precursor or prototype of today's tank is still a tank.

An ominous warning to councilors voting to accept the "specially-designed armored superstructure" Peacekeeper/MRAP: Chief Rizzo will want a bigger and better one down the road. Rizzo had already hidden from the town's citizens his cache of military surplus equipment and weapons, and yet the Councilors still gave him additional means of procurement and militarizing of a domestic police force for Brunswick.

Showing dissent to the oppositional statements and speaking out of order following Fisco's comment about the Swint Memorial, former Marine Jason Coombs had also made a statement that the town ought to do "anything to protect our police officers".

It is fact, and contrary to Coombs' statement, a number of former and active duty Marines would first say they honor their oaths to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

In part the Marine oath is: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same." Suffice it to say, Jason Coombs may have no idea about "Posse Comitatus" and what it means to the safety of all American citizens (See "But Chief Rizzo Wants an MRAP for Brunswick, Too", February 28, 2015).

A reminder: Over 1,000 people had been killed by cops in 2014; and 50 officers died by firearms in the same year (the highest number of officers killed in a given year was 1930, and numbered 300). It is this writer's understanding that no Brunswick police officer has been killed by firearms used by suspects in the Town of Brunswick.

Lastly, it seems Councilor John Richardson's nickname as "Johnny Protocols" by Mr. Poppycock is fitting, as would be "Johnny Redflags". Richardson stated at the Town Council Meeting that, sitting there with the councilors, he'd just read the post: "But Chief Rizzo Also Wants an MRAP for Brunswick, Too" which included multiple article links, and that he did so as Councilor Perreault was speaking. Johnny Redflags appears to lack a close association with the truth, because there's no reasonable way he'd read the information including all the links as Councilor Perreault spoke (and why wasn't he giving Perreault the courtesy of his undivided attention during the meeting?). Further, Richardson went on to say:

"If the chief says he has a need I'm going to accept that...I know this department is one of the most educated department in the state...We have a great department here. I trust their judgment."

Perhaps the biggest red flag associated with anyone, including Councilor Richardson, is the desire and efforts made to keep information from people. Therefore, it sounds like Councilor Richardson is an easy sell; he's easily manipulated, doesn't do his homework, does his best to keep information from people, and wants to be part of the good 'ol boys' club. Why?

New Hampshire considers rejecting 1033 Program military surplus equipment and weapons and prohibiting its domestic police departments from using them:

On the other hand, it seems New Hampshire citizens are not so easily swayed. The state's motto, "Live Free or Die", appears apt. Wonder what happened to Maine (Dirigo..."I Lead").

New Hampshire House Bill 407 (HB 407) was introduced by Rep. J. R. Hoell, the "Police Equipment and Community Engagement Act" which "would have banned state and local government from obtaining (and using) military hardware that is not readily available on an open national market", including armored personnel carriers. A vote of 204-134 sent the bill for further investigation. Aspects of the DoD's 1033 Program and other federal grants have been viewed as dangerous to state sovereignty and citizens. The state's counties and cities received over $6 million in surplus military equipment, including 400 military grade rifles, an armored truck and grenade launcher. ("N.H. House Turns Bill to Reject Federal Militarization of Local Police Into Study Committee").

Hopefully, for New Hampshire citizens, the study committee isn't tantamount to a death knell but rather an honest look at how best to implement the bill. "At the end of the day, we have a law enforcement that is more militarized than we intended," said Hoell.

According to the ACLU nearly 80% of SWAT team deployments utilizing paramilitary tactics were used for reasons such as serving warrants usually related to drug crimes, and innocent people have been killed and injured in the process. (Ibid. Also see "Police State: To Protect and Serve, February 11, 2015). It seems the state of New Hampshire is willing to address the very real safety issues of all its citizens in communities facing police departments with militarized police mentalities.

The possible repercussions of militarization of domestic police forces across the nation - Kicking Out Cops:

It's possible communities are beginning to react not only to the militarization of police forces, but the costs associated with maintaining police departments in their towns including liability, and perhaps also from being just plain fed-up with the continued police misconduct, unethical behaviors, corruption, operations under the color of law, and police brutality cases.

Reaction may be spreading in the form of towns and cities dismissing their police departments and hiring private firms. Such is the case occurring in Texas. SEAL Security Solutions was hired in 2012 in Sharpstown, Texas, a community of approximately 66,000 located just south of Houston. In just 20 months the town of Sharpstown saw a 61% drop in crime ("Texas Town Sees 61% Drop in Crime After Kicking Out Cops" ).

SEAL Security Solutions operates differently by utilizing continuous and directed patrols, and being proactive versus the typical LEO model of reactive policing. Contracts are 70/30 or 80/20 meaning 70 or 80 percent on patrol time, and 30 or 20 percent of time running calls and writing reports. Besides a 61% drop in crime, the town also benefits from a $200,000 savings and an increase in patrol officers. Seventy communities in Harris County, Texas have contracts with SEAL Security Solutions.

With such benefits to communities it's conceivable the idea will be spreading across the nation. And with town budgets which continually ask for increases of taxpayer revenues year after year, ditching police departments may even occur in Maine.

"I know there are many good policemen who died doing their duty. Some of the cops were even friends of ours. But a cop can go both ways."

Martin Scorsese