Moving Towards Martial Law: Greater Oppression & Less Liberty in a Militarized, Hierarchical Society

[kpete]

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Moving Towards Martial Law: Greater Oppression and Less Liberty in a Militarized, Hierarchical Society

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This image is based on a World War I recruiting poster, asking men to join the ranks of troops marching off to war in Europe.
Image © Austin Cline

The imposition of martial law on a free society is one of the ultimate expressions of violent, authoritarian dominance of a few elites over the masses. Rarely does it appear out of the blue, however. It is instead the conclusion of a long list of abuses of liberty in which the people are cowed, dissent is suppressed, and the heavy hand of the law is abused to intimidate anyone who challenges or threatens the authority of those in charge.

Martial law is thus a culmination of many smaller steps taken by a government. Had people sufficiently opposed those smaller steps, they might have staved off the imposition of martial law. Because the government makes those smaller steps seem like reasonable responses to various crises, though, people tend to accept them; when martial law finally comes, they often accept that as the logical conclusion of all that came before.

Too few recognize the dangers early on; even fewer are willing to take a step back and consider that all their previous decisions to accept restrictions on their liberty may have been in error. Once people integrate an increasingly authoritarian system into their lives and outlook, it can be difficult to separate from it. This makes it all the more imperative to prevent matters from reaching this ultimate conclusion.

more at:
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2006_11_05_patriotboy_archive.html#116269378795295861
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martial_law#United_States_of_America

Bush Moves Toward Martial Law

It has become clear in recent months that a critical mass of the people have seen through the lies of the Bush administration;with the president's polls at an historic low,growing resistance to the war Iraq,and the Democrats likely to take back the Congress in mid-term elections,the Bush administration is on the ropes. And so it is particularly worrying that Bush has seen fit to,in effect,declare himself dictator.

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/linkframe.php?opedpg=http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/28/18324231.php&opedid=25494

[texpatriot2004]

1. Martial Law is *'s wet dream, and it has been for years nm

[indepat]

2. We the people's response, should W declare himself dictator, would truly be a

defining moment in our history, forever define us as to whether we are really the land of the free and home of the brave because you see: our Constitution was crafted to assure such could never occur. :patriot:

[Land Shark]

4. that's right, the Framers of Const had #1 concern to prevent tyranny

[snappyturtle]

3. Does this mean......

(tin foil hat in place?) that when we KNOW another election has been stolen and we take to the streets, the president can round us up? I think this latest secret signing is one of the scariest matters this administration has committed to. I barely heard anything about the Military Commission Act and that one was a public signing. How does this asshooole get away with signing anything into law in private? Why aren't we in the streets now? Can you tell that THIS deed REALLY upsets me? :scared:

[Land Shark]

5. yes it means that there is that RISK, but why be intimidated from exercising

constitutional rights? I don't know that it's a good idea to reinforce fear of anything including crackdowns on demonstrations, since fear is the tool of the Right.