Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

Hogtied and Abused at Fort Benning
by Kathy Kelly

On Sunday, November 23, I took part in a nonviolent civil disobedience
action at Fort Benning, GA, to protest the U.S. Army´s School of the
Americas (SOA, now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security
Cooperation -- WHISC)

Shortly after more than two dozen of us entered Fort Benning and were
arrested, US Military Police took us to a warehouse on the base for
"processing." I was directed to a station for an initial search, where a
woman soldier began shouting at me to look straight ahead and spread my
legs. I turned to ask her why she was shouting at me and was ordered to keep
my mouth shut, look straight ahead, and spread my legs wider. She then began
an aggressive body search. When ordered to raise one leg a second time, I
temporarily lost my balance while still being roughly searched and, in my
view, 'womanhandled.' I decided that I shouldn't go along with this
dehumanizing action any longer. When I lowered my arms and said, quietly, "I
'm sorry, but I can't any longer cooperate with this," I was instantly
pushed to the floor. Five soldiers squatted around me, one of them referring
to me with an expletive (this f_ _ _ er) and began to cuff my wrists and
ankles and then bind my wrists and ankles together. Then one soldier leaned
on me, with his or her knee in my back. Unable to get a full breath, I
gasped and moaned, "I can't breathe." I repeated this many times and then
began begging for help. When I said, "Please, I've had four lung collapses
before," the pressure on my back eased. Four soldiers then carried me,
hogtied, to the next processing station for interrogation and propped me in
a kneeling position. The soldier standing to my left, who had been assigned
to "escort" me, gently told me that soon the ankle and wrist cuffs, which
were very tight, would be cut off. He politely let me know that he would
have to move my hair, which was hanging in front of my face, so that my
picture could be taken. I told him I'd appreciate that.

I was then carried to the next station. There, one of the soldiers who'd
been part of pushing me to the floor knelt in front of me, and, with his
nose about two inches from mine, told me that because I was combative I
should know that if I didn't do exactly as instructed when they uncuffed one
hand, he would pepper spray me. I asked him to describe how I'd been
combative, but he didn't answer.

After the processing, I was unbound, shackled with wrist and ankle chains,
and led to the section where other peaceful activists, also shackled,
awaited transport to the Muskogee County jail.

At our bond hearing on Monday, Nov. 24, a military prosecutor told the
federal judge that the military was considering an additional charge against
me for resisting arrest. I explained my side of the story to the judge,
grateful that there are at least sevreal witnesses upon whom I could call.

The federal judge determined that most of us were "flight risks" and
increased by 100% the cash bond required before we could be released, from
last year´s $500. to $1000.

Today I have a black eye and the soreness that comes with severe muscle
strain. Mostly, I'm burdened with a serious question, "What are these
soldiers training for?" The soldiers conducting that search must have been
ordered not to tolerate the slightest dissent. They were practicing
intimidation tactics far beyond what would be needed to control an avowedly
nonviolent group of protesters who had never, in thirteen years of previous
actions, caused any disruption during the process of arrest. Bewildered,
most of us in the "tank" inside the Muskogee County jail acknowledged that
during the rough processing we wondered, "What country do we live in?" We
now live in a country where Homeland Security funds pay for exercises which
train military and police units to control and intimidate crowds, detainees,
and arrestees using threat and force.

This morning's aches and pains, along with the memory of being hogtied, give
me a glimpse into the abuses we protest by coming to Fort Benning, GA. As we
explore the further invention of nonviolence in our increasingly volatile
time, it's important that we jointly overcome efforts to deter our
determination to stand together against what Martin Luther King once called,
"the violence of desperate men," -- and women.

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

> Mostly, I'm burdened with a serious question, "What are these
>soldiers training for?" The soldiers conducting that search must have been
>ordered not to tolerate the slightest dissent. They were practicing
>intimidation tactics far beyond what would be needed to control an avowedly
>nonviolent group of protesters who had never, in thirteen years of previous
>actions, caused any disruption during the process of arrest.


Them soldiers are trained to protect their country. While I ain't
particularly Pro-Yank, those silly fuckers who enter a military base
deserve everything they friggin' get. After those 9/11 hijacks, how
in fucks name is anyone supposed to know who is 'harmless' or not ?
Lucky I weren't there, I'd 've stuffed me Charles Bronson up her
arse fer good measure.
---
Alan

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

In article <ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, Zednik
<nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Utter Stupidity at Fort Benning
> by Kathy Kelly
>
>

You appear to be painfully ignorant of many subjects, but rather than
remain silent about them, you persist in making a fool of yourself.

Pinheads such as your pal "Kathy" are professional protesters who do
stupid things and then complain about the consequences. The usual
scenario is that the "protesters" gather at the gate and are met by
Military Police. They are informed that they may protest to their
hearts content, sing their little songs, wave their little signs and
otherwise make themselves obnoxious, but if they cross the white line
on the pavement and tresspass on the installation, they will be
arrested. They usually make a lot of noise and disrupt traffic, but
they are summarily ignored because this is a free country and they have
an absolute right to protest whatever they please. At some point they
get tired of being ignored and a dozen or so symbolically step across
the line and are placed under arrest. In many of the countries that
these people support, they would be shot dead on the spot, but in a
civilized country like the USA, they are taken into custody and
afforded the due process of law that they hate so much. They have the
right to remain silent, the right to a free attorney, the right to a
fair trial and the right to a comfortable cell and three meals a day
upon conviction.

If "Kathy" did not wish to be arrested, she shoold not have stepped
across the line. Stupid behavior has consequences.

Speaking of stupid behavior, stop making a fool of yourself by
commenting on things which you clearly do not understand.

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

What am I having trouble in understanding oh wise one? That the land of the
free is just becoming another thug state! You don't appear to be capable of
understanding what you are throwing away.


"John?] "
<jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:261120032004168709%jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink. net...
> In article <ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, Zednik
> <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Utter Stupidity at Fort Benning
> > by Kathy Kelly
> >
> >
>
> You appear to be painfully ignorant of many subjects, but rather than
> remain silent about them, you persist in making a fool of yourself.
>
> Pinheads such as your pal "Kathy" are professional protesters who do
> stupid things and then complain about the consequences. The usual
> scenario is that the "protesters" gather at the gate and are met by
> Military Police. They are informed that they may protest to their
> hearts content, sing their little songs, wave their little signs and
> otherwise make themselves obnoxious, but if they cross the white line
> on the pavement and tresspass on the installation, they will be
> arrested. They usually make a lot of noise and disrupt traffic, but
> they are summarily ignored because this is a free country and they have
> an absolute right to protest whatever they please. At some point they
> get tired of being ignored and a dozen or so symbolically step across
> the line and are placed under arrest. In many of the countries that
> these people support, they would be shot dead on the spot, but in a
> civilized country like the USA, they are taken into custody and
> afforded the due process of law that they hate so much. They have the
> right to remain silent, the right to a free attorney, the right to a
> fair trial and the right to a comfortable cell and three meals a day
> upon conviction.
>
> If "Kathy" did not wish to be arrested, she shoold not have stepped
> across the line. Stupid behavior has consequences.
>
> Speaking of stupid behavior, stop making a fool of yourself by
> commenting on things which you clearly do not understand.

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

Thanks ever so much for proving my point. Is English a second language
for you?

Can you say "clueless"?




In article <RDdxb.59$zW.2365@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, Zednik
<nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote:

> What am I having trouble in understanding oh wise one? That the land of the
> free is just becoming another thug state! You don't appear to be capable of
> understanding what you are throwing away.
>
>
> "John?] "
> <jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:261120032004168709%jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink. net...
> > In article <ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, Zednik
> > <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Utter Stupidity at Fort Benning
> > > by Kathy Kelly
> > >
> > >
> >
> > You appear to be painfully ignorant of many subjects, but rather than
> > remain silent about them, you persist in making a fool of yourself.
> >
> > Pinheads such as your pal "Kathy" are professional protesters who do
> > stupid things and then complain about the consequences. The usual
> > scenario is that the "protesters" gather at the gate and are met by
> > Military Police. They are informed that they may protest to their
> > hearts content, sing their little songs, wave their little signs and
> > otherwise make themselves obnoxious, but if they cross the white line
> > on the pavement and tresspass on the installation, they will be
> > arrested. They usually make a lot of noise and disrupt traffic, but
> > they are summarily ignored because this is a free country and they have
> > an absolute right to protest whatever they please. At some point they
> > get tired of being ignored and a dozen or so symbolically step across
> > the line and are placed under arrest. In many of the countries that
> > these people support, they would be shot dead on the spot, but in a
> > civilized country like the USA, they are taken into custody and
> > afforded the due process of law that they hate so much. They have the
> > right to remain silent, the right to a free attorney, the right to a
> > fair trial and the right to a comfortable cell and three meals a day
> > upon conviction.
> >
> > If "Kathy" did not wish to be arrested, she shoold not have stepped
> > across the line. Stupid behavior has consequences.
> >
> > Speaking of stupid behavior, stop making a fool of yourself by
> > commenting on things which you clearly do not understand.

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

"Zednik" <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
> Hogtied and Abused at Fort Benning
> by Kathy Kelly
>
> On Sunday, November 23, I took part in a nonviolent civil disobedience
> action at Fort Benning, GA, to protest the U.S. Army´s School of the
> Americas (SOA, now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security
> Cooperation -- WHISC)
>
> Shortly after more than two dozen of us entered Fort Benning and were
> arrested, US Military Police took us to a warehouse on the base for
> "processing."

To coin an old saying by a bloke who might soon be doing time soon too.

"If ya can't do the time
Don't do the crime"

Brooks

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

I think were throwing away stupid fools who can't understand what "No
Trespassing" means

--
Nigel Brooks


"Zednik" <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:RDdxb.59$zW.2365@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
>
> What am I having trouble in understanding oh wise one? That the land of
the
> free is just becoming another thug state! You don't appear to be capable
of
> understanding what you are throwing away.
>
>
> "John?] "
> <jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:261120032004168709%jmerk06@Invalid.earthlink. net...
> > In article <ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au>, Zednik
> > <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Utter Stupidity at Fort Benning
> > > by Kathy Kelly
> > >
> > >
> >
> > You appear to be painfully ignorant of many subjects, but rather than
> > remain silent about them, you persist in making a fool of yourself.
> >
> > Pinheads such as your pal "Kathy" are professional protesters who do
> > stupid things and then complain about the consequences. The usual
> > scenario is that the "protesters" gather at the gate and are met by
> > Military Police. They are informed that they may protest to their
> > hearts content, sing their little songs, wave their little signs and
> > otherwise make themselves obnoxious, but if they cross the white line
> > on the pavement and tresspass on the installation, they will be
> > arrested. They usually make a lot of noise and disrupt traffic, but
> > they are summarily ignored because this is a free country and they have
> > an absolute right to protest whatever they please. At some point they
> > get tired of being ignored and a dozen or so symbolically step across
> > the line and are placed under arrest. In many of the countries that
> > these people support, they would be shot dead on the spot, but in a
> > civilized country like the USA, they are taken into custody and
> > afforded the due process of law that they hate so much. They have the
> > right to remain silent, the right to a free attorney, the right to a
> > fair trial and the right to a comfortable cell and three meals a day
> > upon conviction.
> >
> > If "Kathy" did not wish to be arrested, she shoold not have stepped
> > across the line. Stupid behavior has consequences.
> >
> > Speaking of stupid behavior, stop making a fool of yourself by
> > commenting on things which you clearly do not understand.
>
>

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

<snicker, snicker, choke, fart, get new keyboard>

"Zednik" <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ozcxb.42$zW.1579@nnrp1.ozemail.com.au...
> Hogtied and Abused at Fort Benning
> by Kathy Kelly
>
> On Sunday, November 23, I took part in a nonviolent civil disobedience
> action at Fort Benning, GA, to protest the U.S. Army´s School of the
> Americas (SOA, now called the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security
> Cooperation -- WHISC)
>
> Shortly after more than two dozen of us entered Fort Benning and were
> arrested, US Military Police took us to a warehouse on the base for
> "processing." I was directed to a station for an initial search, where a
> woman soldier began shouting at me to look straight ahead and spread my
> legs. I turned to ask her why she was shouting at me and was ordered to keep
> my mouth shut, look straight ahead, and spread my legs wider. She then began
> an aggressive body search. When ordered to raise one leg a second time, I
> temporarily lost my balance while still being roughly searched and, in my
> view, 'womanhandled.' I decided that I shouldn't go along with this
> dehumanizing action any longer.

chickenshit

> When I lowered my arms and said, quietly, "I
> 'm sorry, but I can't any longer cooperate with this," I was instantly
> pushed to the floor. Five soldiers squatted around me, one of them referring
> to me with an expletive (this f_ _ _ er) and began to cuff my wrists and
> ankles and then bind my wrists and ankles together.

dumbshit

> Then one soldier leaned
> on me, with his or her knee in my back. Unable to get a full breath, I
> gasped and moaned, "I can't breathe." I repeated this many times and then
> began begging for help. When I said, "Please, I've had four lung collapses
> before," the pressure on my back eased.

like i said, dumbshit

> Four soldiers then carried me,
> hogtied, to the next processing station for interrogation and propped me in
> a kneeling position. The soldier standing to my left, who had been assigned
> to "escort" me, gently told me that soon the ankle and wrist cuffs, which
> were very tight, would be cut off. He politely let me know that he would
> have to move my hair, which was hanging in front of my face, so that my
> picture could be taken. I told him I'd appreciate that.
>
> I was then carried to the next station. There, one of the soldiers who'd
> been part of pushing me to the floor knelt in front of me, and, with his
> nose about two inches from mine, told me that because I was combative I
> should know that if I didn't do exactly as instructed when they uncuffed one
> hand, he would pepper spray me. I asked him to describe how I'd been
> combative, but he didn't answer.
>
> After the processing, I was unbound, shackled with wrist and ankle chains,
> and led to the section where other peaceful activists, also shackled,
> awaited transport to the Muskogee County jail.
>
> At our bond hearing on Monday, Nov. 24, a military prosecutor told the
> federal judge that the military was considering an additional charge against
> me for resisting arrest. I explained my side of the story to the judge,
> grateful that there are at least sevreal witnesses upon whom I could call.
>
> The federal judge determined that most of us were "flight risks" and
> increased by 100% the cash bond required before we could be released, from
> last year´s $500. to $1000.
>
> Today I have a black eye and the soreness that comes with severe muscle
> strain. Mostly, I'm burdened with a serious question, "What are these
> soldiers training for?"

Soldiers are generally trained for war. Urban combat, too. Maybe they
got their training in Iraq, but I think they treated you to well for that to be true.

> The soldiers conducting that search must have been
> ordered not to tolerate the slightest dissent. They were practicing
> intimidation tactics far beyond what would be needed to control an avowedly
> nonviolent group of protesters who had never, in thirteen years of previous
> actions, caused any disruption during the process of arrest. Bewildered,
> most of us in the "tank" inside the Muskogee County jail acknowledged that
> during the rough processing we wondered, "What country do we live in?" We
> now live in a country where Homeland Security funds pay for exercises which
> train military and police units to control and intimidate crowds, detainees,
> and arrestees using threat and force.

You bet your sweet ass on that.
>
> This morning's aches and pains, along with the memory of being hogtied, give
> me a glimpse into the abuses we protest by coming to Fort Benning, GA. As we
> explore the further invention of nonviolence in our increasingly volatile
> time, it's important that we jointly overcome efforts to deter our
> determination to stand together against what Martin Luther King once called,
> "the violence of desperate men," -- and women.
>

No, not desperate men and women, well trained men and women. You forget that you
entered a military facility and I'm sure you were ordered to stop. When you didn't
you were treated accordingly. Well actually, I would have just shot your sorry ass
and removed the possibility of your genes spreading. I'm kinda like that.

Engineer

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

"Zednik" <nikzed@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> What am I having trouble in understanding oh wise one? That the land of
the
> free is just becoming another thug state! You don't appear to be capable
of
> understanding what you are throwing away.

This is a representative democracy.
That automatically means that some governmental decisions
are not ones that we (or you!) as an individual support.
Having 'rights' as a citizen, also implies having responsibilities.
Most citizens, and most readers of this newsgroup, have worked
hard to keep (not throw away) our freedoms.

The 'School of the Americas' has some very valid goals
that has been supported for many years by the broad
spectrum of our democratically elected leaders
(Democrat majorities in House & Senate, then
Republican majorities in House & Senate, Democrats
in the Presidency ((Carter & Clinton)) and Republicans
((Reagan, Bush, & Bush)) alike.
So you do not like the results of our democracy,
and are willing to break the laws and be obstructive.

And you think we are throwing something away?

Re: Demokracy in Action - US Style
 

"Alan" <babuoy@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:o1masvs5bodatb43m295446s2ti6g6g4m4@4ax.com...
> > Mostly, I'm burdened with a serious question, "What are these
> >soldiers training for?" The soldiers conducting that search must have been
> >ordered not to tolerate the slightest dissent. They were practicing
> >intimidation tactics far beyond what would be needed to control an avowedly
> >nonviolent group of protesters who had never, in thirteen years of previous
> >actions, caused any disruption during the process of arrest.
>
>
> Them soldiers are trained to protect their country. While I ain't
> particularly Pro-Yank, those silly fuckers who enter a military base
> deserve everything they friggin' get. After those 9/11 hijacks, how
> in fucks name is anyone supposed to know who is 'harmless' or not ?
> Lucky I weren't there, I'd 've stuffed me Charles Bronson up her
> arse fer good measure.
> ---
> Alan

I always loved Diana Alan, but these Troops were very tolerant.
They gave us 3 Rounds for our M-14 to put a stop to the Ft. Dix
Stockade riot. Not a shot was fired. Now that's discipline !
These so called Rioters are lucky they can protest on any Military
Base and live.
Hell, thought I'd get my CIB a bit early.....