Democracy Sidebar: A Case in Point
Southern California activist Jim DeMaegt was
visited by the secret service in January in relation to an email allegedly
threatening George Bush. We believe the email in question was one sent to the
BDS-LA listserv (and perhaps others) on December 31 entitled “Internet
Indictment of G.W. Bush and Call for Hanging Until Dead at the Capital
Rotunda.” In reading Jim’s email, it is clear that he neither had
the ability nor the intent to literally hang the president, but was rather
commenting on the verdict rendered against Saddam Hussein for his crimes in
Iraq. In the course of questioning he was arrested for obstructing an
officer.
The notion that political leaders have the
ability to speak of their dissatisfaction with foreign leaders, render war,
death and destruction upon people within those countries, and call for, and
celebrate, the execution of such leaders, while the general populace cannot so
much as speak negative or threatening words (whether literal or facetious)
against the president of the United States reveals how grossly ideas of freedom
of speech have been skewed.
Jim is set
to be arraigned on March 5 and I think that this would be a good opportunity for
us to bring freedom of speech concerns back into the forefront of our dialogue
and struggle. Of course we cannot forget that cases such as these occur
frequently, with little or no public knowledge and no opportunity for redress,
especially for Muslims...And on more serious charges than obstruction, or
arrests with no charges at
all.
–Ashley
Osofsky
Here is the email that Jim DeMaegt sent out
shortly after the hanging of Saddam Hussein that caused the visit by the Secret
Service:
We, the People of the United States of
American, and We the Citizens of Every Nation and Every Region Across the World
hereby indict George W. Bush for crimes against Humanity and for the Oppression
and the Murder of millions and millions of people around the
World.
We call for
the Internet Trial and Conviction of G.W. Bush and we call for his Punishment
after being Convicted for his Crimes against Humanity by being Hanged Until Dead
at the Capital Rotunda.
All parties and people are encouraged to submit all evidence of G.W.
Bush’s Crimes Against Humanity to the Internet
Court.
And a Jury
Pool from throughout the Internet World is being assembled to Stand in Judgment
of the War Criminal G.W.
Bush.
May Justice Be
Served.
Posted: Thu - March 1, 2007 at 07:00 PM