Message from Candidate Kucinich about Miami [View All]

[slaveplanet]

Taken from http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2003/11/275465.shtml
indy volunteer , 11.25.2003 05:17

A message from Dennis Kucinich.

Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich today released the following statement :

"Reports have come out that the FBI is collecting data on people who attend peace demonstrations . Retired Gen. Tommy Franks recently said that if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government. The Bush Administration is clearly not waiting for an attack to discard the First Amendment. This past weekend supporters of my campaign who were peacefully protesting the FTAA in Miami were attacked by police with tear gas as part of a security operation funded through the bill that poured another $87 billion into Iraq . Also this past weekend, supporters of my campaign who joined those protesting the School of the Americas in Georgia found their demonstration drowned out by loud music blasted at them by the military . The FBI's data collection is part of this pattern of restricting Americans' right to free speech.



"This kind of intimidation will undoubtedly have an effect on the opinions people give to survey takers asking about the occupation in Iraq. But, let me tell you this, I will continue to attend every peace rally possible, and I expect that I will see millions of Americans there standing proudly and openly against these fear tactics. The First Amendment protects controversial views, and nothing is more controversial than peace when your government wants war so badly it will lie and threaten to obtain it. The nonviolent movement for peace and an end to the Iraq occupation will only grow with every authoritarian abuse employed against it."