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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Whenever Speech is Silenced, Tyranny is Fueled

OFF THE WIRE
A censor is a man who knows more than he thinks you ought to.”- Granville Hicks
Can an individual be justified in using aggression against someone who hasn’t caused any actual harm?

Consider these incidents:

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Rapper Antavio Johnson wrote a song

Antavio Johnson
Antavio Johnson, smiling most-likely as he recognizes the charade called the “criminal justice system”
Johnson felt bullied by those involved with the local criminal outfit so to ”de -stress” he created music. One song, titled “Kill Me A Cop”, drew the ire of those who demanded his obedience.
Soon after individuals wearing “Lakeland Police” badges came and snatched-up Johnson.
Larry Walters, who’s familiar with the situation said “Wanting to kill cops is not a prosecutable offense.”
Yet Johnson pleaded no contest to two counts of “corruption by threat of public servant” in exchange for two years in a cage. One wonders how this might have turned-out differently if Johnson would have had some people around him – to point-out the fact that he’d not harmed anyone and in fact, the actions taken toward him are wrong.
Making such a situation public can really be a game-changer as the transparency can leverage the number of people aware. Especially when coupled with a I’m-not-paying-your-ransom stance in legal land.
Lakeland Police Department
For more: Rapper’s “Kill Me A Cop” Song, Freedom Of Speech Or Voilent Threats? Aug 5th, 2009 by Tech Team at Technorati.com
Related: “When Should You Shoot a Cop” written/narrated by Larken Rose and edited by Pete Eyre at CopBlock.org
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Antonio Buehler said a naughty word

Antonio Buehler was kidnapped and caged after he told Gayle Autry to “go fuck yourself.”
Autry, wore a “Gonzales Police” badge, claimed the Buehler’s statement was tantamount to being “disorderly.”
Gonzales Police Department
Buehler had just existed the Gonzales County courthouse, where he and ten others present to support a friend, were told they could not film by “the authorities.” Sounds like a lack of transparency compounded by overt censorship.
It was because of such arbitrary actions depicted that Buehler last year started Peaceful Streets Project. [Groups in Austin, Houston, Manchester, and Sandusky can be connected with via: CopBlock.org/Groups]
For more: Cussing at cop was free speech Ja.n 4, 2009 by Corey Friedman at IndieRegister.com
The F-bomb isn’t polite or illegal June 13, 2011 by blogs.DenverPost.com
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Dominic Ray Aguilar left a comment on a Facebook thread

Individuals wearing “Manteca [CA] Police” badges drover 75 miles to kidnap Aguilar, a 37-year-old cab driver after he posted: “50 rounds to your dome Moody” in reference to a Manteca police employee that had, according to many people familiar, recently been cleared of murder.
Here’s a video of the incident Manteca had been involved in, that has collectively, been viewed over 2,000,000 times on YouTube:
Aguilar was told he may be caged for making “terrorist threats and resisting arrest.”
Who do you think was in the wrong here?
San Joaquin County Superior Court Manteca branch
For more: Man charged after Facebook post by Jennie Rodriguez-Moore on 2013.01.12 at RecordNet.com
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Vallejo Copwatchers shared the name of a killer on a post

indybay-media-Dustin B. Joseph-vallejo-police-copblock Mario Romero was, according to many, murdered. The aggressors identify – Dustin B. Joseph, who happens to wear a “Vallejo Police” badge – was shared on the Vallejo Copwatch website. Prior complaints filed against Joseph were also posted.
David E. Mastagni sent those who maintain the site – Indybay – a “demand” – to recant the information posted, which was taken for what it was – an idle threat.
The principled statement from the recipients of the “demand”:
The Indybay Collective has no intention of removing the post.
Mastagni (916.491.4219, dmastagni@mastagni.com ) is employed at the Sacramento law firm Mastagni, Holstedt, Amick, Miller & Johnsen, which has worked closely with the Vallejo Police outfit.
For more:Indybay Refuses to Bow to Demand to Remove Vallejo Copwatch Post on 2012.11.22 at IndyBay.org
Vallejo Copwatch and Indybay.org are under attack. (Like Virginia Copblock and Richmond Copwatch) by Indy Media on 2012.11.19 at CopBlock.org
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 YouTubers speech likened to “terroristic threats”

my-free-speech-is-not-negotiable-copblockIn late 2012 two guys in Pittsburgh – Rashee Beasley Garfield and Jamal Knox posted a video rap video, that has since been removed that got on the radar of the local crime outfits.
Why? Because it’s claimed that Garfield and Knox, who rapped under the names Solja Beaz and Mayhem Mal, dared not defer to the sanctity of  their associates.
Before long, individuals wearing “Pittsburgh Police”, “FBI” and “US Marshals” badges claimed that Garfield and Knox deserved to be caged for “making terroristic threats, intimidation of witnesses, retaliation against witnesses and conspiracy.”
If no harm has been caused to any person or property why exactly are Garfield and Knox being targeted? Sure, one may not agree with the way some ideas are communicated, but that doesn’t justify that person be caged.
Pittsburgh Police Department
Read more:
FBI, Pittsburgh police investigate YouTube video that threatened Zone 5 officers by Liz Navratil, Molly Born and Moriah Balingit on 2012.11.16 at Post-Gazette.com
U.S. Marshals arrest second rapper in connection with video threatening police by Lexi Belculfine on 2013.01.08 at Post-Gazette.com
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Journalists targeted for sharing a link

Super-activist Nathan Cox
Nate Cox, targeted by those who claim to work for him for linking-to information they generated
Information about Richmond police employee activities, much of it not too interesting, was put online. Nate Cox shared a link to the content from Virginia Cop Block. Mo Karnage did the same from RVA Wingnut.
Both Cox and Karnage were visited by individuals wearing “Richmond Police” badges who sought to intimidate them into censoring the information. Vague rationales for the demands were pointed-to.
Richmond Police Department
http://www.richmondgov.com/police/
301 South Meadow Street
Richmond, VA
(804) 646-1412

Those who signed the “Order”
Travis A. Sabelwski and Justin M. Sizemore (804) 344-3400
Illegible “circuit court judge”
B.M. Dean
Read more:
Individuals Wearing “Richmond PD” Badges Threaten Nate Cox, Free Speech by Pete Eyre on 2013.11.17 on CopBlock.org
Anonymous LEAK: Richmond PD Internal Information Published Online by Nate Cox on 2012.11.14 on VirginiaCopBlock.org

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Videographer caged for recording attempt to get transparency

After Ademo Freeman learned of an incident at West High School in Manchester, NH that involved Darren Murphy, an adult, man-handling Frank Harrington, a student, he called those who, at least per their job descriptions, should be investigating.
Instead, Freeman was targeted and later caged after his efforts made clear the double-standards afforded to Murphy, who had on a “Manchester Police” badge when he assaulted Harrington.
Freeman still has years of “good behavior” hanging over his head despite the fact it was he who acted in the right.
Freeman sought to bring to light the misdeeds done and covered-up by the very individuals who claim the right to steal your money to “protect” you, and to the strangers who claim the right to steal your money to “educate” your children from the top-down.
It’s no surprise Freeman was pursued so aggressively. His peaceful actions trying to gain accountability rightly delegitimatized the Manchester Police Department and West High School bureaucracy.
jennifer-harrington-darren-murphy-manchester-copblockManchester Police Department
  • 603.668.8711
  • 351 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH 03101-2294
Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office
  • 603.627.5605
  • 300 Chestnut Street, Manchester, NH 03101
West High School
  • 603.624.6384
  • 9 Notre Dame Ave, Manchester, NH 03102

Related: Want to End Police Brutality? Focus on the Institution [9min video] posted on 2012.12.25 at YouTube.com/TheCopBlock