Sound Off! Jan Lincoln on Free Speech and Civil Rights

The Bush administration has made me start to really look around me. This past week, due to my catching a panel discussion on C-SPAN, I found a new television station. It is not listed among the channels available on my Dish list, but the moderator on C-SPAN gave the channel number. It is FSTV, Free Speech TV, 9415 on Dish Satellite TV. They have a news program called Democracy Now!

Last night on Democracy Now! was a story about two women getting arrested at a Bush rally. Their crime was to sit quietly in the audience, wearing t-shirts saying "protect my civil rights." They never spoke to anyone and did not speak out or in any other way draw attention to themselves. When did it become a crime to wear a t-shirt?

Why aren't violations of basic American liberties like this being reported in the mainstream media?

The moderator on Democracy Now! intervied Greg Palast, a BBC investigative reporter and showed his recent news film on the shenanigans going on disenfranchising voters. This, too, is a story not being covered in depth in the media. I did see a brief glossing of it on Washington Week on PBS last night, but even there the discussion did not include the extent of the different techniques. And how many people see Washington Week anyway?

I'm just a citizen, lost out here in the mass of the American population getting more and more demoralized. Bush's agenda is working very well for me. I am afraid now. Unfortunately, I am petrefied at what he and his cronies are doing to the America I love.

Drowning here in Ruidoso,
Jan Lincoln

P.S. I have felt pretty isolated here in Republican country, but this past week Kerry/Edwards signs have been popping up all over Ruidoso. Imagine my wonder and surprise! All fingers are crossed for Tuesday.