This was taken at a local Arabian-owned corner store in the Ghetto of Buffalo, NY

Anti Bush haikus

I found these haiku poems on an anti-bush haiku page.

they inspired me,
I hope they inspire you,
can you haiku too... ?

(sorry I couldnt help it... now I'll try a real one...)

Angela's Haiku-- Waiting and watching

George Bush a liar
The whole world is a-fire
his acts, cowardly

Fuck you, Geneeva
We make our own rules in Texas
Presidentially

Freedon fighters guff
all Iraq is in a HUFF
you cant trick us, pops

Have we seen enough
900 lives are over
and that's just our side

Imagine the ones
still to young now to fight us
their anger will show

The future will allow
time for angry young to awake
find poppa's killer

Do not re-elect
Now make the right decision
find a strong prison

Now for some others:

Disenfranchised youth
this democracy is yours
rock the fucking vote

-- L. Lortsher



A brain in George Bush
is worth two in seaweed;
to insult seaweed.

Hi George, what a coup,
you have out Saddam'd Saddam:
by your God be damned.

Bush, or cunt as Bush
is known in your own cuntry,
means you're a cunt George.

-- Filmmaker Vadim Jean (London)




Too many people
Lives of the rich are worth more
They need more tax cuts

Speak against the war
You must hate America
I'll call John Ashcroft

Corporations rule
Sucking a dirty oil teet
Long Live Amoco

Propping dictators
He may be an SOB
He's our SOB

Democracy can't afford
The truth anymore
Let's build an Empire

-- Victor Solano


So very certain
He knows the way to Heaven
Lies up Daddy's ass

Beware of leaders
Who act with God on their lips
But kill His children

-- Nick Peters


I thought you weren't
but now I'm sure you are, too
A little she-ite

Do you sleep at night?
knowing the life that's been lost?
do you count the cost?

Nine-eleven to
post-afghanistan iraq
is freedom for whom?

To some of the world
the Geneva Convention
is the right to live

We can dress you up
but we cannot take you out
unfortunately

If you steal their oil
they will steal your livelihood
Beat Bush, walk to work

A life for a life
Nine eleven revenge
Iraq revenge?

Middle East becomes
Middle West holocostly
shame, don't you think?

-- Ray Driscoll


Fresh spring acid rain
You love worms like Cheney, dick.
Are you a worm too?

You kind of suck, dude.
No more jobs for us at all.
Autumn, we'll fix it.

-- Jackie Olsen


American Prez
We laugh from our green isle
"No more than a shrub"

-- Jo Scott (Wellington, New Zealand)


I

ABU GHRAIB
It's only abuse,
not torture, Rummy tells us.
Yet there's pain. Much shame.

-- Bill Peltz (Albany, New York, USA)


Bush, have you no shame
Are you yet to realise,
War does not bring peace

-- D. Douglas (Auckland, New Zealand)


Bush is a moron
The Iraq war just means death
Move to Canada

-- Tasha S. (Canada)


Tears in the girl's eyes
Father lies dead beside her
Is this freedom road?

-- Jane Mason



He flew Texas state
And landed in Wash D.C.
So sad for home earth

With name like his Dad's
No brains in his belfry
And with forked tongue to boot

Woe is me, is us
Sad USA, the tyrant
Blood stained, wavering flag

World at peace, no more
George and group at war
Reincarnation? Their HELL

-- S. Robinson (California)


Four more soldiers die
Things are looking up, says Bush
1984?

War is hellish, yes
"I understand," says the Prez
Not a thing changes.

Saddam led torture
Now we are the torturers
How does freedom feel?

The first deaths were hard
Now soldiers die in bunches
When will we rise up?

Bush is not to blame
He's bossed by higher powers
Jesus said he should

-- Michele Kort, (Ms. Magazine)


They live in a place
that has resources we need
why don't we bomb them?

-- Eric O'Connor


Condoleeza Rice
Had a tanker named for her
For a good reason.

Nine aging judges
Three openings likely soon.
Want Bush to fill them?

Bush dreams of giving
Democracy to Iraq;
Taking it from us.

If I had billions
And seats on several boards
I'd vote for Bush, too.

-- Craig Berry



Gnash teeth, rend cloth, wail
Old Testament? guess again
new world (dis)order

-- Dana Lee


Voters have power
You can change the way we live
Get rid of Dubya

-- Kristen Haynes


commander in chimp
banana republican
belongs in the zoo

dubya makes a cost
benefit analysis
more blood for oil

one weekend per month
flyboy taking vacation
above and beyond

administration
never held accountable
admits inaction

no imminent threat?
moron liar no big diff
november bye bye

e-voting machine
democratic terrorist
hijacked election

-- Andy Hill




Who, me, do my job?
That's what I hire other people for.
I'm off to the ranch!

--Jennifer




witless, bored, confused
must prove myself a leader
make the soldiers march

-- Ryan Pierce

The Patriot Act revisited

Overview

This law provides for indefinite imprisonment without trial of non-U.S. citizens whom the Attorney General has determined to be a threat to national security. The government is not required to provide detainees with counsel, nor is it required to make any announcement or statement regarding the arrest. The law allows a wiretap to be issued against an individual instead of a specific telephone number. It permits law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant and search a residence without immediately informing the occupants, if the Attorney General has determined this to be an issue of national security. The act also allows intelligence gathering at religious events. With a few exceptions, provisions of the act are due to expire on December 31, 2005.

There has been strong criticism of the act on the grounds that parts of it violate the Constitution and endanger civil liberties. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) alleges that its search and detention provisions violate the Fourth Amendment. Some say that the act's secret warrants resemble the general warrants which were one reason the colonists fought the American Revolutionary War.

Critics also say the law was passed without serious review in a climate of fear, and that it represents a reactionary agenda that has little to do with the 9/11 attacks. They note that there were unsuccessful attempts to pass similar laws, such as the Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act of 2000, long before 9/11.

Supporters of the law argue that terrorist acts may result in the loss of thousands or millions of lives, so waiting until after the fact to hunt the perpetrators down would be a deadly mistake. They admit that the law may result in some rights abuses, but argue that the most basic civil right is the right to live without perpetual fear. They further argue that, unless the Supreme Court rules otherwise, the law is constitutional. However, since the Supreme Court does not seek out laws to countermand, the constitutionality of the Patriot Act must remain a question until someone brings the dispute before the court.

All of the candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. presidential election, 2004 have criticized Attorney General John Ashcroft's use of the act. Among them, Ohio Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich voted against its passage in the House of Representatives.

Four states (Hawaii, Alaska, Maine and Vermont) and 331 cities (including New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Eugene, Oregon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cambridge, Massachusetts) have passed resolutions condemning the USA PATRIOT Act for attacking civil liberties. Arcata, California is the first city to pass an ordinance that bars city employees (including police and librarians) from assisting or cooperating with any federal investigations under the USA PATRIOT Act that would violate civil liberties. The Bill of Rights Defense Committee is helping coordinate local efforts to pass resolutions. Pundits question the validity of these ordinances, noting that under the Constitution's supremacy clause, federal law overrides state and local laws.

The act is 342 pages long and amends over fifteen statutes. The following summarizes the new powers granted by the law:

* Sec. 104: Allows the Department of Defense to share information with the Department of Justice during "emergency situations" that involve "weapons of mass destruction."

* Sec. 106: Allows the President of the United States to seize property belonging to foreign nationals connected with terrorism. If the seizure is based on classified evidence, then the judge reviewing the case cannot share that evidence with the defense attorneys.




* Sec. 203: Allows information collected by the police or presented to a Federal grand jury to be shared with intelligence agencies. This information sharing is limited to evidence of terrorist activities. (Section 203(a)&(b) doesn't sunset/expire).

* Sec. 206: Allows a wiretap to be granted against an individual, instead of a particular phone. Previously, for example, if a person had a cell phone, a home phone, and an office phone, the government had to obtain separate warrants on each.

* Sec. 207: Increases the duration of a wiretap "permitted for non-U.S. persons who are agents of a foreign power."

* Sec. 208: Increases (from seven to 11) the number of district court judges designated to hear applications for and grant orders approving electronic surveillance. (Section 208 doesn't sunset/expire).

* Sec. 209: Permits the seizure of voice-mail messages under a warrant.

* Sec. 213: Allows FBI agents to conduct a search of a business or a place without notifying the owner that the search has been conducted until later. The agents still need a warrant, and only a Federal district court judge can issue this type of warrant. Further, this type of warrant may only be issued if notifying the owner of the search would result in "adverse consequences." (Section 213 doesn't sunset/expire).

* Sec. 216: "PEN/Trap Authority." Allows law-enforcement in ordinary criminal cases to get a warrant to track which websites a person visits and collect general information about the emails a person sends and receives. Law-enforcement doesn't have to prove the need; the judge only has to determine that law-enforcement has "certified" that this relates to an ongoing investigation. In other words, the judge cannot reject an application based on the merits. Furthermore, people not-named in the warrant can be subject to the warrant if law-enforcement "certifies" that the warrant was meant to apply to those unnamed people. (Section 216 doesn't sunset/expire).

* Sec. 217: Allows the government to intercept the electronic communication of a computer trespasser, i.e., a hacker, without a court order in certain circumstances if the owner of the hacked computer consents.

* Sec. 402: Triples the number of Border Patrol, Customs Service, and INS personnel stationed along the U.S. borders.

* Sec. 411: Expands the definition of a terrorist for the purpose of the act. Summary of Sec. 411 of the USA PATRIOT Act.

* Before passage, only members of the groups designated as terrorist organizations by the State Department could be denied entry to or deported from the United States
* The law extends those actions to any foreigner who publicly endorses terrorist activity, belongs to a group that does, or provides support to a group that does.
* The definition of "terrorist activity" is extended to include any foreigner who uses "dangerous devices" or raises money for a terrorist group, if that person knows or reasonably should have known that the group is engaged in terrorism


* Sec. 412: Extends the power of the attorney general to detain aliens.

* The attorney general can order the detention of any aliens if he certifies that he has "reasonable grounds to believe" involvement in terrorism or activity that poses a danger to national security. He does not need to explain his reasoning or show evidence.
* Criminal or immigration violation charges have to be brought against such people within seven days, but they can be held indefinitely.
* However, they retain their right to petition the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, or any district court with jurisdiction to entertain a habeas corpus petition.


* Sec. 416: Directs the Attorney General to implement fully and expand the foreign student monitoring program to include other approved educational institutions like air flight, language training, or vocational schools.

* Sec. 503: Requires DNA samples of convicted terrorists to be collected and added to a DNA database of violent convicts.

* Sec. 805(a)(2): Expands the definition of 'material support' to foreign terrorist organizations to include 'expert advice and assistance'. According to an article in Reason magazine, this section has been cited by Assistant US Attorney Christopher Morvillo and by Assistant US Attorney Robin Baker as grounds for prosecuting a US lawyer who defends a terror suspect. Critics suggest that this amounts to state intimidation of defence counsel, likely to undermine the constitutionally protected due process right to counsel.

* Sec. 814: allows wiretaps for suspected violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, including anyone suspected of "exceeding the authority" of a computer used in interstate commerce, causing over $5000 worth of combined damage.

Opponents and supporters of the law make claims and counterclaims:

* Critics state that the PEN/Trap Authority to track Internet usage in non-terrorism cases is an invasion of privacy, and that judges should be able to reject an application for such a warrant on the merits. Judges shouldn't be forced to rubber-stamp applications for warrants to track whom a person emails and which websites the person visits. Critics would further state that the websites a person visits have a more tenuous link to the activities a person does. An example would be a person hears about a book called the Anarchist Cookbook and searches the web for it. This is markedly different than a person talking on the phone with other people about how to obtain the materials needed to make something nefarious.
* Supporters reply that law-enforcement has long had analogous authority to get a list of phone numbers a person has called merely by claiming that it relates to an ongoing investigation, and for law-enforcement to be able to track which websites a person visits and whom a person emails or receives email from is modernization.
* Critics state that the law expands the powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to spy on Americans or foreign persons in the US (and those who communicate with them), and that it expands the authority of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, from the situations where the suspicion that the person is the agent of a foreign government is "the" purpose of the surveillance to any time that this is "a significant purpose" of the surveillance.
* Supporters reply that FISA surveillance under the new law is permitted only for non-U.S. persons. While a FISA wiretap may pick up the conversation of an American citizen when he is talking to a foreigner, FISA still cannot be specifically be used to "spy" on individual American citizens, and it is not wrong to have a higher standard of rights for American citizens as opposed to guests of the country. Finally, agents of Al-Qaeda are not "agents of a foreign government," and that FISA needed to be amended in a time where stateless terrorist conspiracies can murder thousands of people wholesale.
* Critics state that the law allows increased information sharing between domestic law enforcement and intelligence, repealing some of the barriers put up in the 1970s after the discovery that the FBI and CIA had been conducting joint investigations on over half a million Americans during the McCarthy era and afterwards, including Martin Luther King Jr. It allows wiretap results and grand jury information and other information collected in a criminal case to be disclosed to the intelligence agencies when the information constitutes foreign intelligence or foreign intelligence information, the latter being a broad new category created by this law.
* Supporters reply that the failure of inter-agency information sharing has led to disasters in recent decades, including the failure to locate known terrorists in the past and to shut down alien smuggling and underground slavery rings.

The USA PATRIOT Act is not why the American citizens Jose Padilla and Yaser Kemal are being held; they are being held as enemy combatants, a term from the World War II era. The U.S. government is relying on a 1942 Supreme Court decision, Ex parte Quirin, to hold them indefinitely, without being able to meet with attorneys, friends, or family.

A government report has found that secret searches in the U.S. are up 85% since 2001. [1] (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.patriot02may02,0,3416237.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines)

The Bill of Rights, a quick look

The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, enumerates our basic civil rights:

First: Provides for freedom of worship, of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of petition to the government for redress of grievances.

Second: Grants the right to bear arms.

Third: Grants freedom from quartering soldiers in a house without the owner's consent.

Fourth: Protects people against unreasonable search and seizure, a safeguard only recently extended to the states.

Fifth: Provides that no person shall be held for "a capital or otherwise infamous crime" without indictment, be twice put in "jeopardy of life or limb" for the same offense, be compelled to testify against himself, or "be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law."

Sixth: Guarantees the right of speedy and public trial by an impartial jury in all criminal proceedings.

Seventh: Guarantees the right of trial by jury in almost all common-law suits.

Eighth: Prohibits excessive bail, fines and "cruel and unusual" punishment.

Ninth: "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

Tenth: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Abuses of the patriot act...

Even if they are a little generalized I worry whether we can take any abuses on civil liberties...innocent until proven guilty is one of the tenants this country was baised on.

Check this out http ://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/21/attack/main564189.shtml

Somewhere a village is missing their idiot... I'm sorry I meant psychopath... someone is missing their deranged psychopath.

editor's note: 'Ok this articleis a bit extreme and should probably be taken as a bit over the top but it is still pretty interesting.'

George Bush"s mental health must be a consideration in the November elections
08/02/2004 19:20

Mr. Bush has been acting very erratic lately, and his profanity laced outbursts are becoming almost a daily occurrence, according to White House insiders.
When Bush was questioned about his relationship with Kenneth Lay, the scandal ridden ex-CEO of Enron, Bush stormed off the podium and screamed to his aides: "Keep those motherf***ers away from me," and then "If you can"t, I"ll find someone who can."

Other aides report "In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as "enemies of the state."

In interviews with several White House staff, they paint a picture of an administration under siege has emerged, led by a man who declares his decisions to be "God's will" and then tells aides to "fuck over" anyone they consider to be an opponent of the administration.

When Bush was first running for president, he was very adamant about telling the public he was a born again Christian, but his behavior is quite the opposite. The first sign that something wasn"t quite right was when Bush said he enjoyed the Austin Powers movies series.  The Austin Power movies are heavily laced with sexual connotations, innuendos and overt sexual humor.  A born again Christian would find these movies abhorrent.

There is more reason to be concerned because Bush has a history of chemical dependency. Bush is an admitted alcoholic, and he never sought treatment. Then there are the stories about his cocaine use when he was younger.

George Washington University psychiatrist Dr. Justin Frank in his book Bush on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President. Dr. Frank diagnosed the President as a "paranoid megalomaniac" and "untreated alcoholic" whose "lifelong streak of sadism, ranging from childhood pranks (using firecrackers to explode frogs) to insulting journalists, gloating over state executions and pumping his hand gleefully before the bombing of Baghdad" showcase Bush"s instabilities.

It is rumored that Bush is now being treated with anti-depressants, however, angry outbursts, stating they are doing God"s work, and systematic attacks on perceived enemies are not symptoms of clinical depression.  Bush is displaying symptoms of schizophrenia and paranoid delusions. 

Bush"s Doctor expressed concerns about prescribing anti-depressants to a person who has a history of alcohol addiction - this is a mystery because anti-depressants are not addicting and are frequently used to treat people with alcohol addictions.  This should eliminate the concern that Bush is in a depressive state. It could be Bush is being treated with narcotic based tranquilizers - which would validate the physicians concerns.  

Depression is characterized by withdrawal from society, sullen, sudden outbursts of crying, sadness, suicidal idealizations, and in severe cases, the person is immobilized to the point where even getting out of bed is a task too difficult to take on.  Bush is showing none of these symptoms.  A person with depression does not have angry outbursts or paranoid delusions.

We are also starting to hear that Aides who raise questions quickly find themselves shut out of access to the President or other top advisors. Among top officials, Bush's inner circle is shrinking. Secretary of State Colin Powell has fallen out of favor because of his growing doubts about the administration's war against Iraq.

But the President who says he rules at the behest of God can also tongue-lash those he perceives as disloyal, calling them "fucking assholes" in front of other staff, berating one cabinet official in front of others and labeling anyone who disagrees with him "unpatriotic" or "anti-American."

Attorney General John Ashcroft appears to be the only tefloned member of the shrinking Bush close inner circle. Ashcroft and Bush have close bonds with this "we are doing God"s will" mentality and delusion.  

Ashcroft is also under heavy fire for his approach and actions that threatens the very freedoms granted by the Constitution. 

One long-time GOP political consultant who - for obvious reasons - asked not to be identified said, "We have to face the very real possibility that the President of the United States is loony tunes," he says sadly. "That"s not good for my candidates, it"s not good for the party and it"s certainly not good for the country."

I am reminded of the last days of Hitler.  He too saw enemies everywhere, honestly believed he was doing God"s will, summarily expelled those who were critical of his decisions, and held close those who shared his psychosis.

Mr. Bush, it might be best for the country if you step down and not run for reelection.  You need to get a handle on what is going on inside you - the American people would support that decision and we"d be behind you if you stepped down.  If you win the election and stay in the White House, you"d be putting this country in even more peril.  When Nixon resigned, yes, we did breathe a sigh of relief, but if you noticed, he also won the hearts, and respect,  of America for doing the right thing.