by Mike Shea on 11 August 2004
The most disturbing news I read today comes from one of the best sources of news today, BoingBoing.Net:
"Thanks to the [Republican National Convention], there are mandatory bag searches happening on the [New York / New Jersey] Ferry. This fellow first got hassled with a re-search for carrying The Player's Guide to Faerun a D&D book, and then the next day, security tried to confiscate his copy of Exalted: The Abyssals as 'inappropriate.'"
Here's the whole first-hand account
This is exactly what happens when a country is ruled by fear. The Al Qaeda kill 3000 people and put the other three hundred million of us in such paralyzing fear that we begin to look at D&D books as weapons of terror. Life changes little from grammar school and what was queer then is queer now. If you like fantasy books you're not far from being a terrorist.
Sure sure, this idiot boat security guard wasn't appointed by Bush himself, but if the president mentions terror and danger in every speech he ever gives, its going to sink into guys like this, guys who suddenly find themselves in positions of power over others. This guy now has a license to enforce his own opinions on others "for their safety".
A lot of borderline republicans think there is no connection between Bush's "War on Terror" (I use quotes to keep my feet out of the piles of festering horse shit) and Michael Powell's "War on Boobies" (my quote this time). There is an absolute connection. Two planes flew into our hornets nest and now we're all pissed off. The right uses the deaths of those 3000 people to push any agenda they want down the throats of the rest of us who are too scared to do anything about it. We're either with them or against them, right?
Every day the first and fourth amendments get stomped on by those who piss on the deaths of those in 9-11 by using their memory to push their right-wing Christian agendas.
And Fox News makes sure they can do it.
Today I watched Outfoxxed, a documentary on the corruption and lies of Fox News. Now everyone with even half a sense of right and wrong knows Fox is a dripping propaganda machine of the Right. Bill O'Reilly is Bush's Iraqi Information Minister. Fox spills lies and one-sided opinions out as fact, uses brainwashing techniques and graphic effects to impose a false sense of urgency and objectivity, and works every day to destroy the voice of democracy. I knew this before watching the film, but it helped reinforce some of the details. It's a great film and one I highly recommend.
Later... There is an update on Boingboing from offical suits over at the maritime whoever company that runs the NY / NJ ferry. They say they are trying to track down the rogue agent who harassed the D&D fellow and said the event was against both their policy and maratime law. This changes little, however. This bonehead was put in a position of power and given authority to enforce his will on others. Had the D&D fellow not had the spells of Bullstrength and Owl's Wisdom, he may have succom to the fascist's devestating +46/+44/+31/+12 attack. The Religious Right's "War on Terror" (there are the horse-shit galoshes again) feeds guys like this with both the fear and the power they need to enforce their will on those without guns and badges. The Level 12 Idiot-guard (as seen in the Fiend Folio 2) wasn't acting on the direct orders of his superiors, but he was fed with the same holy sword that fuels Bush, Cheney, and Ashcroft.
Give to the ACLU; give to the EFF; vote Kerry.