What's in store for political dissenters here in the U.S.?

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

Maybe this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4266670.stm

[longship]

1. Because us dissenters are such extraordinary people

The Repugs have a plan in line with our status, "Extraordinary Rendition".

Sorry.
:shrug:

[damntexdem]

3. Have to be that, because ...

some storm or other will finally wipe Gitmo off the map.

[SteppingRazor]

2. So.. you're saying we should be killing soldiers?

Great idea. :sarcasm:

[Igel]

4. S. Thailand's a mess.

Low-level Islamic rebellion tied in with ethnic tensions with some truly horrible goofups (being lenient in assigning blame by using that word), little information from outside is believed, with the usual default "Muslims can do no wrong, but only be wronged" viewpoint.

I do find it odd that you would take either the Thai soldiers or the habitues of the teashop to be political dissenters. The article had evidence for neither.

In fact, it didn't mention who was in the teashop.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

5. I find it odd that ...

...you would conclude from my post that I was suggesting anything at all about the political persuasion/status of the soldiers or the people in the tea shop. From the article:

Despite strong government denials, many people in southern Thailand are convinced that the police and military are operating death squads which are targeting Islamic leaders and human rights activists.

The point of my post (and I'm sorry you seem to have missed it) is simply to raise the question of whether we will see these kinds of tactics (death squads) used in the U.S. against political dissenters. As you know Patriot Act II already provides the government a great deal of latitude in making arrests and lengthy detentions without charges or providing access to due process. Where would a government that's decided it's OK to do this (as ours has) feel compelled to draw the line? Would they stop short of death squads if they felt political opposition was growing too strong?

[Igel]

6. Maybe.

I interpreted what you said as "death squads against political dissenters", not as meaning random death squads tooling around that might hit the occasional political dissenter.

In which case, maybe. But I'm unconvinced that the Thai military were part of a death squad. I wouldn't swear they weren't part of a death squad but my default take is "not part of death squad". If I had a convincing target that would provide more than opportunity, like motivation, I might be swayed.

[cassiepriam]

7. Rove's work camps??