Kevin,

Democracy Now has recently run features about destruction of video imaging equipment and still cameras at several confrontations. In the USA. Bloggers haven’t been specific targets per se, word, audio or video. But it is coming.

A State Department already involved in demonizing international communication between environmental, anti-war, humanitarian and other organizations can’t be far from attempting to roll up a very activist blog site/network. Here, not Egypt.

I doubt you’re holding your breath waiting for the media & gov reactions to the Egyptian activists’ plight.

Kevin Hayden @ 108

Speaking of Da Bloggers, the Rodney King video was a seminal moment in the pre-blog era.

Now in places like Egypt, vidbloggers fight against state-sanctioned torture, and are facing reactionary repression from their Feds.

Which raises the questions: can a state succeed in shutting down a burgeoning phenomenom? And can we press our State Dept to register complaints if they do?

Deep in EPU territory here, guys, but -

Yes, a state can.

And here in the US, fifty states did.

The US DOJ tried six non-violent activists for their web site – and sent them to Federal prison.

For years.

They’re still there.

And perhaps the US media will notice -

one of these years ……….. of their sentences.

The Federal criminal convictions for their speech on their website.

[The SHAC 7] are a group of activists who were never charged with breaking into a fur farm, spray-painting slogans, or breaking windows. The SHAC 7 simply made a point of vocally supporting those who did.

SHAC never tried to be in the “with us” camp. They vigorously defended direct action, even as many national groups condemned underground activists as extremists, and even terrorists, to win cheap political points.

You are the rightful descendents of Swift, Pope, Dryden, and Boswell!

I’d say Addison and Steele, or the Levellers and Diggers (though Swift and Pope did some pamphleting in their time). But that’s your point of reference.

When was the last time Joe ‘I-pulled-it-out-of-my-ass’ Klein quoted Trollope? Fukin’ never is when.

Onward to a brighter, more erudite Left Blogistan!

In the NYT we have Stacy Schiff on the wonders of caffeine (speaking of addictions, I’m starting to get addicted to her stuff…)

http://mgpaquin.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Marion. I particularly liked this

Coffee makes everything crystal-clear, which makes me certain that I am right. What happens to a society in which everyone feels lucid, infallible and empowered? I believe Fox News would be your answer.

Ha!

And here’s a thought for everyone.

A simple fact; ’nuff said.

One more DC site to see – National Museum of the American Indian – slideshow

I was there a few years ago and found it disappointing; I did not think it was that interesting nor providing a good insight into the lives of the American Indians. The smaller provincial museum in Victoria, BC does a better job depicting the lives of indigenous people.