Crushing dissent in America

Whither goest thou, America, in thy shiny car in the night?
--Jack Kerouac

The ugly face of the American police state is on full view in the Twin Cities, host of the 2008 Republican National Convention.

State attempts to block lawful protest was in evidence even before protests began, as police goons raided private homes and rounded up protest leaders. There's a video here and some further details here. Local "law enforcement" was joined by state and federal police agencies, as violence against peaceful protesters, journalists and lawyers became the order of the day.

During those protests, respected senior American journalist Amy Goodman was arrested and roughed up by the Twin Cities' finest, along with two of her news team, and an Associated Press journalist photographer was snatched by the cops for good measure. Goodman and her colleagues have since been released: she's been charged with "obstruction."

There's a video of her arrest here, and some simply excellent coverage by Glenn Greenwald of the on-going police-state repression, with links, photos and updates. The local sheriff, Bob Fletcher, a thuggish Republican cop facing an FBI corruption probe, has been claiming "conspiracy to riot" for everything from possession of common household items to attempting to cover the protest.

Meanwhile, the major news outlets are operating under the usual cone of silence, even though an AP reporter was one of the victims. This is the sort of coverage we have learned to expect from the corporate media. (Note: urine confiscated by police turns out to be part of a gray water recycling system.)

But this video (h/t Glenn Greenwald) sums up, better than any words could, the casual, savage, brutal reality of the American state.

H/t Chet Scoville and Dr.Prole.