Kucinich says terror alert is scare tactic

[Robbien]

CONTOOCOOK, N.H. -- The Bush administration is using elevated terror alerts for political gain, Democrat Dennis Kucinich said. The Ohio congressman, campaigning at a library services company in central New Hampshire on Friday, said if administration officials have information about terror threats, they should act on it, instead of advertising the threat to scare Americans.

"The government is trying to place fear everywhere," he said.

The elevated terror alert level over the holidays is confusing Americans and accomplishing little, he said. "Why didn't they just put extra security out?" he asked. "They are building up fear to become more powerful politically."

Kucinich, who will begin airing TV ads in New Hampshire on Jan. 4, said he plans to focus on the fear he says Bush is promoting. "My whole campaign is to challenge this fear, this fear about the Patriot Act, the fear about Iraq. The fear of Iraq was not founded. They didn't attack us. They didn't have weapons of mass destruction."

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kucinich/articles/2003/12/27/kucinich_says_terror_alert_is_scare_tactic/

comment: About time one of the nine said this.

[BJ]

1. Maybe the SCLM will take Dennis "the Menace" seriously now.

[mmm]

2. why is Dennis the only one willing to tell the truth?

Does anybody know?

[private_ryan]

6. because he has no chance of winning

he knows that, and he's not running to win, that's why. If he had a chance or expected to win, these coments would kill his run, unless he got a video of Karl Rove telling FBI to alert us.

Somehow, I think you knew the answer...

[Terwilliger]

11. too bad Democrats think like that that too often

portends their own downfall

[private_ryan]

14. our downfall?

I was being realistic and honest. Too bad the truth hurts. As far as the downfall goes, who's downfall? We have 8 other candidates, Dennis is just one of them (bottom 3).

[54anickel]

15. I wouldn't count DK out yet. He came in 2nd in a moveon poll, and

it's way too early to make a call. He is about where Clinton was this time of the election season when he came out as front runner.

I am still pretty undecided, as most of my acquaintances are. We have our favorites, but all in a 2 or 3 way tie at this point.

[Terwilliger]

16. yes, and what chance do any of them have?

since we're all being realistic

I mean, your faith in the certainty of any Dem candidate winning anything is at least as "hopeful" as seeing Dennis Kucinich win

Still, my point was about your negativity.

[private_ryan]

17. negativity about your favorite candidate

how hard is it to get that people like different candidates and have different views about others.

You say I'm negative, I say you're in denial. Who know who's right.

[worldgonekrazy]

21. There is far too much negativity in general amongst Dems

Seems a lot of people are convinced Dean is unelectable. Why? And you know what the problem is? In this kind of case, the more you say something the more it becomes true because you are creating that expectation. If he gets the nom but gets the reputation of being the next McGovern the media will kill him and Dems won't even bother to turn out to vote.

Don't get me wrong, criticism of the candidates, even my favorite candidate :) , is fine, but convincing yourself and others that the Dems are doomed is a bit like shooting yourself in the foot.

[private_ryan]

30. good point but to wrong person

me and (hopefully) 99% of the DU-ers WILL vote for whoever wins the nomination.

[Myra]

24. Somehow I think you were programmed with the answer...

And it's a real sad commentary that so many in the US
chant that media originated nonsense until it becomes true,
but only because so many are obligingly repeating it.

[Miramar]

29. Kucinich is just sneaking under the radar.

He's going to surprise EVERYONE with his WIN! Want to help make it happen?

[aquart]

3. Fear of the "Patriot " Act is reasonable and well-grounded.

[donsu]

4. go Dennis!

it's as if the media agreed to not speak DK's name if at all possible.

let the media play their games, we the people know DK's mettle.

[0007]

5. Kucinich has it right goddammit!

Why isn't the fucking media screaming about this bogus bullshit? I'll tell ya why, cuz they ain't got no fucking balls they're scared shitless of Karl Rove and his black ballings tactics.

[goforit]

25. Thats why marching on media headquarters is prefered over Washington

If there is any protesting to be done the place
to protest IS crucial to success!!!

[goforit]

26. Kucinich is the "Seabuscuit " of our time!!!.........Go Kucinich!!!

:bounce:

[belab13]

7. Dennis continues to impress

This guy doesn't mince words and he needs to continue getting his powerful message out even if only to influence the other candidates.


He has my attention and support.

[Zhade]

8. Damn straight, Dennis.

Same thing I keep saying - if you know something's going to happen, just STOP IT, don't scare us to death in the process.

Of course, that would be the right thing to do, not the rightwing thing to do. Anyway, most of the alerts are to distract us and make us cower.

I refuse to be afraid.

[Robbien]

9. Right. If there was something we should be doing

then alert us and let us know. Otherwise they should just stfu and handle it.

[latebloomer]

10. So refreshing!

to hear the TRUTH for a change!

[Zomby Woof]

12. Dennis never minces words or waffles

He deserves far more support, but Americans (and lots of Democrats) are too scared, which of course, is the point behind his campaign slogan.

[IndianaGreen]

13. "The government is trying to place fear everywhere"

Thank you Dennis, for saying publicly what many of us think about Tom Ridge's Holiday alert system.

I expect we will be on Red Alert by Election Day.

[Mairead]

18. If you haven't sent DK money, please do so now!

The guy puts it right on the line for us. He's totally fearless, as tough as nails, and 100% on our side. When will we see his like again?

If we want political officeholders to be fearless, tough, and on our side then we have to show them that it pays off for them. It's not rocket science, folks. No PhD required. We get what we give, it's that simple.

[worldgonekrazy]

22. You're right-I just did send him money

He isn't my favorite candidate for a few reasons, but I love the fact that he will say this kind of thing.

[abelenkpe]

19. Right on, Dennis!

Someone should point out that it makes no sense to expect a terrorist attack to occur the same way they did on 9/11. On that day, we were attacked, not by a superior power, but by individuals who used the passenger's unsuspecting nature to trick them into allowing the terrorists to take over control of those planes. If someone stood up today and said they were hijacking the plane the passengers most likely would not fall for the same trick once again and would overwhelm whoever claimed to have a bomb or intentions to hijack the plane as they did with the shoe bomber. These terror alerts are just the administrations way of saying "You're still not safe, you need us to protect you, see all we are doing to protect you, now go out and shop and be ready to give up more of your civil liberties in the name of security" (...even though they totally failed to believe or act on the numerous reports they had of terrorists flying planes into US targets before 911.)

It's ironic that the Republicans try to spin the message to citizens that it is their tough stance on terror that keeps us safe, when 9/11 clearly happened under their watch. If they are so good at securing us, why won't they publicize the information needed to those investigating 9/11? Aren't they proud of their actions? The very fact that they continue to hide information from the public is itself a reason to suspect that they have not been acting in our best interest. Why should anyone believe them now? I will never forget that one of Bush's first acts after taking office was to withdraw all our intelligence groups from the middle east.

Anyway, as with many situations in our world I feel this story is applicable. It's one of Aesop's fables:



The Wolves and the Sheep

Some wolves were trying to surprise a flock of sheep. Unable to be masters of the situation because of the dogs which were guarding them, they resolved to use a ruse to reach their desired end: the sent some delegates to ask the sheep to give up their dogs. It was the dogs, they said, who created the bad blood between them. One only had to surrender the dogs and peace would reign between them. The sheep, not foreseeing what would happen, gave up the dogs. And the wolves, being in control of the situation, easily slaughtered the sheep who were no longer guarded.



So when politicians say we need to give up our civil liberties in order to be safe, I think of this story. When lobbyists say we need to deregulate business so that we can compete in a global economy, I think of this story. When leaders tell us affirmative action is antiquated and should be repealed, I think of this story. We should try not to become mindless sheep forgetting that our ancestors fought long and hard for the protections we are asked to give up today. I'm glad to know that those who frequent this board know that fighting to retain our rights is important, but it might be a good idea to remind others of this story.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

20. Thank you Dennis

for speaking the truth as usual!

[JasonDeter]

23. Dictators and bush have many things in common

One is they both rule by fear. Dictators need to make their people dependent on them, the bush admin is doing the same thing with Americans. Dictators demand absolute obedience, bush does the same. How many more similarities are there?

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

27. CHALLENGE the FEAR !!! correct approach for all dems-yes! go Dennis!!!

"They didn't attack us. They didn't have weapons of mass destruction."
Kucinich's ideas need to be at the heart of the Democratic Platform.
No accommodating, no accepting their twisted ulterior motives in any way.
Baybee Bushee thinks he's in for 4 or 8 more since the fix is in on the
Deibold voting machines.
We need to all stand up and challenge this administration at every opportunity .

.

[snippy]

28. Perpetual fear justifies perpetual war.

In Bush's ideal world we will have these terror alerts for the rest of our lives.

And for the rest of our children's lives.

And for the rest of our grandchildren's lives.

And for the rest of our great grandchildren's lives.

And so on and so on.

Someone needs to ask Bush to define victory in the war on terror.

[Deesh]

31. I appreciate what...

...Dennis Kucinich is saying about the alerts. Why aren't French pilots in custody if Air France flights were cancelled? Where are the suspects?

We're in Iraq because it has oil. The "War on Terror" -- including these ridiculous color-level alerts -- is propaganda to hide the actual goal of controlling the oil fields.