Raul Grijalva's Courage

I wish Raul Grijalva was my Representative in the House. If I live a few feet in another direction he would be. He is a courageous advocate for the people of Southern Arizona. The most recent attack on his office came yesterday in the form of a white powder containing, swastika-covered envelope. This is what you have to live with if you are a progressive in Arizona. The Tea Party has been here for decades in the form of an uneducated, bible (in various absolute word of God varieties) thumping state legislature. The violence advocated by Tea Party talking heads encourages radical fringe terrorist groups to act. Thank heavens the FBI has gotten involved. Local law enforcement has issues.

I've reported on how law abiding protesters are ordered onto private property (recruiting offices) by police and then cited for trespassing and how this clearly shows some sort of collusion between cops and military; how cops here show up at your door and terrify your children with threats about arresting their parents (for political protest.) The connections between some of the police and the militia / freepers / tea party wack jobs seems pretty evident when during lawful calls for assistance are not responded to when American flag waving, military uniform wearing "counter" protesters assault, threaten and attempt to intimidate recruitment center protesters with swarming, shoving and verbal intimidation on the main drag here in Tucson. Death threats against peace groups and threats against businesses that have peace groups meeting in them are a matter of public record. There is a right wing terrorist faction here in southern Arizona that needs to be shut down. I hope the FBI does their job. Nazis and skin heads that attended the Kelly / Giffords debate in support of Jesse Kelly might be a place for them to start.

Call the Speaker and protest her "boys" assault on the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr.

I'm trying to find out how the Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. is doing today after being tackled by 6 Capitol Hill cops who decided Rev. Yearwood shouldn't entrer the Patraeus hearings yesterday. He had waited in line with the women of CODEPINK and other progressive folks for hours in order to get in to the hearing. Of course the Washington Post iterates the police propaganda by saying, "Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr., of the D.C.-based Hip Hop Caucus, who allegedly refused to move back after jumping in front of a line of people waiting to get inside the room. "

This so pisses me off! The black man as target of police violence shit has to stop. Non-whites as targets of hate (yes, police can be guilty of hate crimes) is beneath us. The U.S. is still predominantly composed of sensible and generous people, but if we do not collectively step forward and stop the militarization of our protective service forces, insist they live by the laws of our land, we are no better than the creeps who are currently running our country. A peaceful and honorable nation does not allow public servants cleanse our streets of select ethnic groups nor selectively single them out for assault.

Watch the video and join me in outrage and action. Pam's House Blend has the second video (after the police assault) when the medical personnel made the call that Yearwood was injured and needed a wheelchair to be moved.

This is NOT what democracy looks like from firedoglake has the most complete report I've yet found on the bogus charges against Yearwood and verification that the cops broke his leg during their assault on him.

I'm with Siun from FireDogLake:

The Capitol Police work for the Speaker’s Office. I’m calling the Speaker’s office to “discuss” this and I hope you will too. Her office number is:
(202) 225-0100.

This crap has to stop. I've faced off against these same cops doing very similar crap this past February. These tactics are totally bogus and anyone who has spent more than a couple days on The Hill know there is selective enforcement and the "rules" change from day-to-day. They insisted on misdirecting me to the wrong line as I waited to get into a hearing where Condi-LIE-za was to speak. They pulled the same crap but I remained calm and kept repeating, to a storm trooper who didn't deserve the respect, "But sir, may I say something. Sir. Please listen to us. We want to get in to the hearing at which Ms. Rice will speak. I I will move to where you want me to but I would like to ask a question as to how we can get in when we are directed to the wrong line. Sir, please may I speak?" as he was blaring out his orders and not at all assessing the situation. Finally another cop told him to cool the aggression. Yearwood wasn't as fortunate as I was.