Most of us just spent two weeks visiting with the Chinese in Beijing. Tonight before I left the house, what I saw and heard on the NBC Evening News with Brian Williams greatly disturbed me. Did you watch it? Even one female bystander on the report commented that - and I'm paraphrasing - "that it looks like a police state!" She was talking about the images, which are broadcast to the world, of all the cops, swat teams, FBI, Secret Service and myriad of other law enforcement agencies charged with watching over the Democratic convention in Denver. You saw people protesting surrounded by local Denver cops in stark black "fatigue" uniforms and "battle" helmets armed to the hilt with clubs, machine guns and riot gear looking more like the Russian KGB. What an image to portray to the world, 10 weeks before this "free" country elects a new President. Brian Williams commented after seeing the scene outside "I'll think it's safer for me to stay right here in my chair" This is a man who 48 hours ago was supposedly safer and less threatened in Beijing than in Denver, CO! I'm going to continue this analysis over the next few days. Right now I'm in Deland, FL to pick up a load to Crete, Nebraska and it's been a long day and I'll say good night for now. The credit for the photo is http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/25/us/0825SECURITY_3.html
Monday, August 25, 2008
Will the real police state please stand up...
Most of us just spent two weeks visiting with the Chinese in Beijing. Tonight before I left the house, what I saw and heard on the NBC Evening News with Brian Williams greatly disturbed me. Did you watch it? Even one female bystander on the report commented that - and I'm paraphrasing - "that it looks like a police state!" She was talking about the images, which are broadcast to the world, of all the cops, swat teams, FBI, Secret Service and myriad of other law enforcement agencies charged with watching over the Democratic convention in Denver. You saw people protesting surrounded by local Denver cops in stark black "fatigue" uniforms and "battle" helmets armed to the hilt with clubs, machine guns and riot gear looking more like the Russian KGB. What an image to portray to the world, 10 weeks before this "free" country elects a new President. Brian Williams commented after seeing the scene outside "I'll think it's safer for me to stay right here in my chair" This is a man who 48 hours ago was supposedly safer and less threatened in Beijing than in Denver, CO! I'm going to continue this analysis over the next few days. Right now I'm in Deland, FL to pick up a load to Crete, Nebraska and it's been a long day and I'll say good night for now. The credit for the photo is http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/25/us/0825SECURITY_3.html
