OCCUPY: Corruption

(Image courtesy of Pat Bagley)

Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine

10 reasons the U.S. is no longer the land of the free

After protesting SOPA and PIPA for 24 hours, it makes sense to outline which freedoms of ours have already been taken away.

From The Washington Post: "In the decade since Sept. 11, 2001, this country has comprehensively reduced civil liberties in the name of an expanded security state. The most recent example of this was the National Defense Authorization Act, signed Dec. 31, which allows for the indefinite detention of citizens. At what point does the reduction of individual rights in our country change how we define ourselves?"

More here.

Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine

Anti-Zombie Presidential Candidate Vermin Supreme

Via Film Drunk: The mainstream media seems to have slept on this story, and it does us all a great disservice, but I’m hoping to correct that. Last month, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics invited sixteen lesser-known candidates for president, including nine republicans and seven democrats, to a forum, where they could outline their views and engage in lively debate. It was there that Rockport Massachusetts’s ‘Vermin Supreme’ won the official endorsement of FilmDrunk.com. While we certainly can’t overlook the importance of his awesome hat, it was his positions on the issues that matter to us that ultimately won him this coveted endorsement.

Vermin Supreme, the perennial satirical candidate who runs on a platform of zombie preparedness and a pony for each American, came wearing about seven neckties and a giant boot over his head.

Stronger zombie defense and universal pony access are exactly the kind of common sense platforms we need in these tough economic times. The head boot and glitter bombs, that’s just good showmanship.

Support Film Drunk here.

Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine

Banned SNL Skit: Conspiracy Theory Rock!

Via Warming Glow: The “Schoolhouse Rock”-spoofing clip, written by Robert Smigel, is about media deregulation; it shows a Mickey Mouse-headed octopus eating the ABC logo, with lyrics about how PCBs from GE are killing us but you never hear about it because the electric giant owns NBC. The most unsettling line: “Let them dump toxic waste where the young ones play/GE made the bullets that shot JFK.” What would Jack Donaghy think about that?

Lorne Michaels cut the clip out of syndication because he claimed “it wasn’t funny.” That’s only a half-truth, of course, considering “SNL” airs on NBC.

More here.

Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine

Rebuild the Dream: 1 infographic, 5 million jobs

From Rebuild the Dream: The 99% Act is the best bill we’ve seen in Washington in a long time. But it can be hard to remember the details or explain them to friends and family. This infographic spells out exactly how the 99% Act will help turn our economy around.

For the entire infographic, go here to Rebuild the Dream.

Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine

Happy New Year: You can now be detained indefinitely without trial

From The Daily What: President Obama today quietly signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which contains controversial provisions requiring military custodyfor any non-citizen suspected of terrorism and affirming the president’s authority to indefinitely detain any supporter of al-Qaeda “or associated forces, irrespective of citizenship.

In a signing statement, the President said he had “serious reservations” about the bill, and criticised lawmakers for interfering with the work of counterterrorism professionals.

“Moving forward, my administration will interpret and implement the provisions described below in a manner that best preserves the flexibility on which our safety depends and upholds the values on which this country was founded,” the statement said.

The Obama administration was successful in striking down a provision that would have removed the ability of the executive branch to override the military custody requirement. Additionally, US citizens and legal immigrants may not be subjected to military custody under the revised bill.

However, an amendment to explicitly exclude American citizens and lawful residents from indefinite detention was rejected by Congress.

“My administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens,” Obama said. “Indeed, I believe that doing so would break with our most important traditions and values as a nation.”

The President’s personal stance aside, in addition to creating myriad difficulties for counterterrorism agents working with suspected terrorists to gain information, the NDAA provisions leave the door wide open for future presidents to indefinitely detain American citizens without trial.

[ap / think / aclu.]

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Peace and Love,

The Rebellion Magazine