Is this repostable to other lists?-- a bit of a debate on the NLG site about the credibility of this incident. Thought this made some good tough points on the incident.
Nathan Newman nathan at newman.org
----- Original Message ----- From: "Art McGee" <amcgee at well.com> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2001 7:05 PM Subject: RE: Green Party official busted at gunpoint
> So you're saying they made this quote up, IOW it is not
> true that she is blacklisted for her political views?
>
> "An official told me that my name had been flagged in
> the computer," a shaken Oden said. "I was targeted
> because the Green Party USA opposes the bombing of
> innocent civilians in Afghanistan."
Dammit! No matter how hard I try to be quiet and lurk, the stupidity on these lists just forces me to decloak!
Folks, they are BOTH correct. Her name was flagged in the computer, which Ms. Ogden MISINTERPRETED as meaning it was because of her politics.
The real story is that it was flagged, but not because of politics, but because she bought her ticket online. People who use Expedia, CheapTickets, LowestFare, Orbitz, and other rock-bottom and somewhat ANONYMOUS ticket services are having their tickets flagged for (S)earch much more frequently than people who use ticket agencies or buy their tickets direct from the airlines.
Second, as any BLACK person will tell you, long before September 11th, when law enforcement officials are fucking with your shit and tossing your car or your house, you do not interfere. If you feel the need to assist, with a stuck zipper on your luggage, for example, you ask politely if you can help with that. You do not grab at it as if you were dealing with your clumsy spouse or child.
Only a fucking white person, whose mind has been liquified by the benefits of white skin privilige, would even remotely think that you could "show your ass" in this sort of climate and get away with it. People of color have been putting up with this type of motherfucking bullshit since the founding of this demonic fucking country!
Why didn't they take you to jail or arrest you!? Stupidass! If you had been BLACK or ARAB they probably would have!!!!! The only thing that saved you from a good beatdown was that your white ass wasn't viewed as a true threat! They just wanted to fuck with you a little bit, but they didn't want to go so far as to damage that creamy white skin!
On the other hand, if I had done what she did, you'd be reading an email about the Art McGee Legal Defense Fund!
Arrogant bastards!
Dammit!
Art