“Terrorists and totalitarians have always been two sides of one coin; a totalitarian out of office is a terrorist.” –David Gelernter

From Noonday In The Shade by Paul Krugman of the NYTimes

In April 2003, John Ashcroft’s Justice Department disrupted what appears to have been a horrifying terrorist plot. In the small town of Noonday, Tex., F.B.I. agents discovered a weapons cache containing fully automatic machine guns, remote-controlled explosive devices disguised as briefcases, 60 pipe bombs and a chemical weapon — a cyanide bomb — big enough to kill everyone in a 30,000-square-foot building.

Strangely, though, the attorney general didn’t call a press conference to announce the discovery of the weapons cache, or the arrest of William Krar, its owner. He didn’t even issue a press release. This was, to say the least, out of character. Jose Padilla, the accused “dirty bomber,” didn’t have any bomb-making material or even a plausible way to acquire such material, yet Mr. Ashcroft put him on front pages around the world. Mr. Krar was caught with an actual chemical bomb, yet Mr. Ashcroft acted as if nothing had happened.

Incidentally, if Mr. Ashcroft’s intention was to keep the case low-profile, the media have been highly cooperative. To this day, the Noonday conspiracy has received little national coverage.

If this is what the Injustice Department is doing at its level, how does one expect those lower on the chain (soldiers, prison officials, law enforcement officers) to treat average Americans or foreigners any better? I don’t see anything in this other than sanctioned racism and xenophobia all the way from the top. All of you immigrants who voted these body snatchers into office are going to end up paying. Again, the high court decision that you have to give your name to a police officer if questioned, what’s that all about? Guilty until you are proven innocent? Innocence out the window if you are Jameel Sheikh, but a pocket flag and an attaboy if you are Joe Smith?

Need I remind you that, while our kids in uniform fight for the “freedom and rights” of Iraqi and Afghani women, the most dangerous places in America are between a woman’s breasts and the inside of her womb?

U.S. Revises Up 2003 Terrorism Deaths to 625: The Bush administration on Tuesday will say terrorism killed 625 people in 2003, more than double the 307 deaths it cited in a faulty report used to argue it is winning the war on terrorism, a U.S. official said … The revisions to the April “Patterns of Global Terrorism” report have embarrassed the Bush administration and dented its argument that Washington is prevailing in the war on terrorism, a key part of President Bush’s re-election strategy.

Oh, was it terrorism we were supposed to thwart? You see, we were overseeing the construction of the world’s largest boondoggle machine and mistakenly sent our troops to Iraq instead of Saudi Arabia. Criminal troglodytes!

MSH says, “What machine?” I reply, “The potent renaissance of the military-industrial complex, along with the dismantling of the economy and grinding to a complete halt of education while we have a $400 billion military budget. I have some very interesting statistics for you on America from US News & World Report. We are up poop creek without a paddle if our consumption vs. production trend continues like this. For one, do you know that we now have twice as many malls as schools? Appalling!!!”

Wal-Mart faces huge sex-bias case [Story]: A US federal judge has given the go-ahead for a sex-discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart to become a class action, the plaintiffs’ lawyers say. The judge’s decision means the case now involves up to 1.6 million women who have worked for Wal-Mart since 1998 … It is the biggest civil rights case against a private employer in US legal history, the plaintiffs’ lawyers say. Wal-Mart, which is the world’s biggest retailer, has not yet made any comment on the legal setback … The original lawsuit was filed in June 2001 by six women who either worked for Wal-Mart or had done so in the past.

This is terribly apparent in states like LA and MS whose education levels are staggeringly low, and where respect for the female worker is all but absent.

US governor quits in bribes row [Story]: The Republican governor of Connecticut in the United States has resigned over a corruption scandal. Gov John G Rowland, the focus of a federal investigation, said in a live TV broadcast he had made “mistakes” … A House committee had been discussing whether he should be impeached … “I acknowledge that my poor judgment has brought us here,” he said on Monday from his governor’s mansion, with his wife Patty at his side.

Once touted as potential vice-presidential material, he had this to say to AP, “No one has even said I’ve compromised this office. I’ve not done anything inappropriate for anybody.” Bill Clinton could have said the same thing and conservatives in both parties would still have demanded his burning at the stake. Where’s Ken Starr when you need him? Where is Ken Starr anyway? Makes one believe in zombies and crypts.

Update: My brother informs me that Ken Starr is now dean of the law school at Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA). So much for the stake, cross and holy water.