Or teaching kids what police can and will do to them?
Officer Chris Webb was attending “career day” at Tularosa New Mexico Intermediate School when he sent 50,000 volts of electricity into the child’s chest on the playground. The young boy blacked out and has, according to his legal representative, been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder ever since; the officer faces a civil suit. According to the complaint, Webb shot his Taser at the child (referred to only as “R.D.”) after he said he did not want to join fellow classmates in cleaning the officer’s patrol car. [...] Webb responded by pointing his Taser at R.D. and saying, ‘Let me show you what happens to people who do not listen to the police.’
From here. More. Such casual and callous disregard for a child's life because he gave the cop "attitude", such reactionary and self-protective response to the legitimate criticism that this was abusive - and illegal - police authority. We've written much about the systemic and tactical deployment of cop brutality at DJ!, from brute force directed at adolescents, reprisal against someone reporting inappropriate police actions, sexualized violence and degradation of female detainees, to G20 security and SPVM accountability.
CBC reports that Canada will renew funding for Planned Parenthood programs, with a Shakespearean pound of flesh caveat.
It includes the ongoing farce that this 'enlightened' protocol comes through Status of Women and Bev Oda is 'in charge' of decisions.
Don't tell me the federal Conservatives are original and sublime in their thinking when they are pulling women-averse 'good girls' fantasy strategy and tactics wholesale from the steaming American Republican extremities.
With Canada being a better environment for women than most of the world, Harper's government has a tougher row to hoe, but they're undermining civility and civil rights out of the 'no really, we LIKE women...and kittens!' limelight, one root at a time, until the entire slippery slope collapses.
Restricting women's rights can't happen here? It did happen here until Canadian women took to the streets and said their lives were as important as men's. It's still happening here if you live outside the narrow margin of economic and cultural 'goodness' net the lawmakers respect.
Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a political system where the state, usually under the control of a single political person, faction, or class, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible.
Totalitarianism is generally characterized by the coincidence of authoritarianism (where ordinary citizens have less significant share in state decision-making) and ideology (a pervasive scheme of values promulgated by institutional means to direct most if not all aspects of public and private life).
Totalitarian regimes or movements stay in political power through an all-encompassing propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, a single party that is often marked by personality cultism, control over the economy, regulation and restriction of speech, mass surveillance, and widespread use of state terrorism.
"the state, under the control of a single political person, faction, or class, recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible ..." How many times now has Stevie Spiteful defied Parliament to subvert it his will? Prorogation: twice to date, once to avoid a challenge he would have lost over MPs' access to documents regarding government directives on Afghan detainees. How many specific private members' bills were presented by abortion-criminalizing MPs in an attempt to circumscribe and erode women's right to choose?How many competent public officials have been fired and incompetent Harper appointees installed? And what about the stacking of the Senate to his benefit?
"Totalitarianism is generally characterized by the coincidence of authoritarianism (where ordinary citizens have less significant share in state decision-making) and ideology (a pervasive scheme of values promulgated by institutional means to direct most if not all aspects of public and private life)." The significant erosion of members of the Opposition - a majority of elected officials - capacity to participate in, and influence the outcome of standing committees' work has been observed by a number of people. Much has been noted about the ideological shift.
"Totalitarian regimes [achieve] power through an all-encompassing propaganda disseminated through the state-controlled mass media, a single party that is often marked by personality cultism, control over the economy, regulation and restriction of speech, mass surveillance, and widespread use of state terrorism."
All-encompassing propaganda is disseminated by the PMO. Reporters have limited access to elected officials of the Conservative minority government unless sanctioned by the PMO and capable of faithful stenography *cough* Jane Taber *cough*. In the last five years, Stevie's Politburo has increased its budget, its power and its presence. CRTC support for any changes advanced by the ReformaTories has been ensured with the appointment of Tom Pentefountas. If Stevie gets his majority, the CBC will likely be dismantled and all journalists who have reported events or facts that appeared critical of his regime, dismissed.
The government is looking for ways to monitor online chatter about political issues and correct what it perceives as misinformation. The move started recently with a pilot project on the East Coast seal hunt. A Toronto-based company called Social Media Group has been hired to help counter some information put forward by the anti-sealing movement. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has paid the firm $75,000 "to monitor social activity and help identify ... areas where misinformation is being presented and repeated as fact," [...] The seal hunt pilot project was set up in part "to establish foundations and recommendations for future programs and campaigns to use social media as another way to listen to, inform and engage with Canadians" [...]
And of course, there are the minions who labour for love or money under the tutelage of BloggingTories founder Stephen Taylor.
From the CBC video clip posted above:
Treasury Board President Stockwell Day, shrugged off the directive. "If you think you're on to something that is going to ignite people from coast to coast in a fury of rage, maybe we'll look at it. But this is the first I've heard of it, so good luck with it."
What a giggle from Doris as he arched a well-groomed eyebrow. The coast-to-coast fury in response to Stevie's arbitrary abolition of the long-form census caused nary a ripple in the Harper Regime's authoritarian stand.
From this blogsite: "Any time a law enforcement officer is accused of tarnishing the badge, it is an embarrassment to all the honest, hard-working members of this profession who work day in and day out to protect and serve with integrity." I discovered What Happened to Protect and Serve? when I was trying to track down earlier news items about James Talford, in regard to this:
A former member of a New York state police anti-terrorism unit has been ordered to stay away from two Canadian women he was accused of harassing.
A Buffalo City Court judge granted 45-year-old James Talford of Clarence a conditional discharge Tuesday on his guilty plea to non-criminal violation counts of harassment and disorderly conduct.
The judge also issued orders of protection to both women.
Talford was an investigator with the Buffalo office of the state police counterterrorism intelligence unit when he was arrested in late July. [His] lawyer said he retired from the state police about a month ago after 21 years with the agency.
It must have been terrifying for the women he harassed. I'm presuming that Talford said some very disturbing things that were likely recorded, in order for charges to be laid and for the case to come before a judge. He probably didn't phone to beg them to take him along the next time they indulged in a cross-border shopping spree. No. It's likely he threatened them. And when a guy who works with a state police counterterrorism intelligence unit threatens you, it's frightening. And serious.
So. Back to that blogsite. There are 62 posts with a 'death from Taser' label and an item about Inspector Steve Izzet - head of the Toronto police intelligence unit. Umm, what is it about 'intelligence units'? Is that where the dickheads get parked when none of the other units will take them? Izzet faces serious charges. According to this, a tribunal hearing was scheduled for the end of April. That was almost 6 months ago, there's been nothing in the news since then.
It appears that in anticipation of the roughshod, no holds barred, security authority to 'Taser with impunity' that the Vancouver Olympic Committee is about to bestow upon the Mounties, the RCMP is attempting to cover its ample posterior by holding one public consultation.
Olympic security officials have approached a local multicultural organization for help in providing culturally sensitive security during the 2010 Games.
On behalf of Sukhvinder Vinning, vice president of the Multifaith Action Society, former Vancouver city councillor Nancy Chiavario has sent an e-mail announcing an opportunity for people to discuss issues pertinent to their faiths with an RCMP officer.
The objective is to enhance the understanding of security screeners at Olympic venues. Anyone who wishes to convey information on this topic will have an opportunity to speak to an (sic) RCMP officer on Wednesday (July 22) at 2:30 p.m. at the Guildford library branch at 15105 105th Avenue in Surrey.
The RCMP meeting with people of different faiths comes shortly after two legal experts claimed that the 2010 Integrated Security Unit's plans would be illegal in the absence of new legislation.
One meeting will enhance the understanding of (RCMP) security screeners at Olympic venues? Really? One. Meeting.
And what impact will that valuable public input have upon the legality of its security plans?
