Comments for Mutantfrog Travelogue http://www.mutantfrog.com Photos, Stories and articles on East Asia Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:36:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on Protesting in a police state by Roy Berman http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/03/protesting-in-a-police-state/#comment-291243 Roy Berman Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:12:02 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2262#comment-291243 I accidentally erased a couple of comments by over-zealous clicking in the spam filter. I think they're back, but if I missed anything please let me know... I accidentally erased a couple of comments by over-zealous clicking in the spam filter. I think they’re back, but if I missed anything please let me know…

]]> Comment on Protesting in a police state by Joe Jones http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/03/protesting-in-a-police-state/#comment-291242 Joe Jones Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:10:50 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2262#comment-291242 Yeah, it's the sort of thing that reminds you why Americans have a Second Amendment right to own excessive levels of firepower. Sadly the government's technology will probably soon reach a level where that firepower is no longer useful... Yeah, it’s the sort of thing that reminds you why Americans have a Second Amendment right to own excessive levels of firepower. Sadly the government’s technology will probably soon reach a level where that firepower is no longer useful…

]]> Comment on Protesting in a police state by Roy Berman http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/03/protesting-in-a-police-state/#comment-291241 Roy Berman Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:10:22 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2262#comment-291241 There were certainly some violent protesters in the protest who deserved to be arrested, but it seems that the majority of people arrested during the march were actually charged with nothing more than traffic violations. Obnoxious? Maybe- but hardly violent. Regardless, my post here was exclusively about preemptive police raids directed against both protesters who, as far as I can see, were not among the violent protesters, as well as arrests of a number of journalists. Security of the streets during the actual protest is somewhat different matter. Do you think that the FBI raid on I-Witness Video in advance of the protest, or the arrest of Amy Goodman and her crew during the rally, despite very clearly showing press pass and security clearance, were justified? I'm not actually saying that the US is a police state, or even that it is very close to being one in absolute terms-only that the trend (however major or minor it may be) is in the wrong direction. There were certainly some violent protesters in the protest who deserved to be arrested, but it seems that the majority of people arrested during the march were actually charged with nothing more than traffic violations. Obnoxious? Maybe- but hardly violent. Regardless, my post here was exclusively about preemptive police raids directed against both protesters who, as far as I can see, were not among the violent protesters, as well as arrests of a number of journalists. Security of the streets during the actual protest is somewhat different matter.

Do you think that the FBI raid on I-Witness Video in advance of the protest, or the arrest of Amy Goodman and her crew during the rally, despite very clearly showing press pass and security clearance, were justified?

I’m not actually saying that the US is a police state, or even that it is very close to being one in absolute terms-only that the trend (however major or minor it may be) is in the wrong direction.

]]> Comment on Protesting in a police state by Edokko http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/03/protesting-in-a-police-state/#comment-291240 Edokko Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:00:02 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2262#comment-291240 "police tactics being used to stifle protest in Minneapolis and St. Paul ahead of, and during, the Republican convention. " These "tactics" were necessary due to the violent nature of a sub-set of the protesters. Such actions hardly make the USA a police state, and Greenwald's piece is pure hysteria. Did he bother to check out Denver during the Democratic convention? For some examples of actions by the "peaceful" protesters: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/01/anti-war-protest-at-gop-convention-turns-violent/ “police tactics being used to stifle protest in Minneapolis and St. Paul ahead of, and during, the Republican convention. ”

These “tactics” were necessary due to the violent nature of a sub-set of the protesters. Such actions hardly make the USA a police state, and Greenwald’s piece is pure hysteria. Did he bother to check out Denver during the Democratic convention?

For some examples of actions by the “peaceful” protesters: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/01/anti-war-protest-at-gop-convention-turns-violent/

]]> Comment on Police statism around the world by Joe Jones http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/07/police-statism-around-the-world/#comment-291023 Joe Jones Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:38:04 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2269#comment-291023 Yeah, it's the sort of thing that reminds you why Americans have a Second Amendment right to own excessive levels of firepower. Sadly the government's technology will probably soon reach a level where that firepower is no longer useful... Yeah, it’s the sort of thing that reminds you why Americans have a Second Amendment right to own excessive levels of firepower. Sadly the government’s technology will probably soon reach a level where that firepower is no longer useful…

]]> Comment on Police statism around the world by Yours Truly http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/07/police-statism-around-the-world/#comment-290973 Yours Truly Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:17:43 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2269#comment-290973 Last place on Earth where I wanna see becomin' like one of these places would be the good ol' U.S. of A. Or am I wrong? Last I heard they were installin' some c!@# security sytem in Manhatten. Ye Gods! Help the Peoples of the U.S. of A protect their Liberties & Freedoms. I don't wanna see 'em kids growin' up under some lunatic totalitarian government. Last place on Earth where I wanna see becomin’ like one of these places would be the good ol’ U.S. of A. Or am I wrong? Last I heard they were installin’ some c!@# security sytem in Manhatten.

Ye Gods! Help the Peoples of the U.S. of A protect their Liberties & Freedoms. I don’t wanna see ‘em kids growin’ up under some lunatic totalitarian government.

]]> Comment on Fukuda Yasuo by tomojiro http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/01/fukuda-yasuo/#comment-290505 tomojiro Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:05:06 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2258#comment-290505 With Yuriko Koike as a (still potential) candidate, and Nobuteru Ishihara also a candidate and still others rumored, the LDP is gaining more media coverage recently and that will continue until the a new prime minister is chosen. I think the LDP is getting what they wanted with the resignation of Fukuda. To convert the media coverage and let them focus on the inside politics of the LDP. With Yuriko Koike as a (still potential) candidate, and Nobuteru Ishihara also a candidate and still others rumored, the LDP is gaining more media coverage recently and that will continue until the a new prime minister is chosen.

I think the LDP is getting what they wanted with the resignation of Fukuda. To convert the media coverage and let them focus on the inside politics of the LDP.

]]> Comment on Protesting in a police state by Ted http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/03/protesting-in-a-police-state/#comment-290434 Ted Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:03:11 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2262#comment-290434 Thanks Roy. I sent this article to a friend who's house was raided. Thanks Roy. I sent this article to a friend who’s house was raided.

]]> Comment on Fukuda Yasuo by Christiano http://www.mutantfrog.com/2008/09/01/fukuda-yasuo/#comment-290335 Christiano Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:01:18 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/?p=2258#comment-290335 I recon that Adamu is thinkingin the right direction. I see this as a strategic move on the part of the LDP who were becoming increasingly vocal about their lack of confidence in Fukuda - compounding the upper house's lack of confidence vote a while ago. The reshuffle last month was a clear indication that Aso was being positioned as the next man, foreshadowing Fukuda's resignation. I am not at all surprised that Fukuda stepped down before calling an election, but I am surprised that it happened this soon. I recon that Adamu is thinkingin the right direction. I see this as a strategic move on the part of the LDP who were becoming increasingly vocal about their lack of confidence in Fukuda – compounding the upper house’s lack of confidence vote a while ago. The reshuffle last month was a clear indication that Aso was being positioned as the next man, foreshadowing Fukuda’s resignation. I am not at all surprised that Fukuda stepped down before calling an election, but I am surprised that it happened this soon.

]]> Comment on Patriotism by Yukio Mishima by Musings on a Pornographic Novel « (Mis)readings http://www.mutantfrog.com/patriotism-by-yukio-mishima/#comment-290300 Musings on a Pornographic Novel « (Mis)readings Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:15:45 +0000 http://www.mutantfrog.com/patriotism-by-yukio-mishima/#comment-290300 [...] last time I read something as graphically violent was with Mishima’s Patriotism, where a Japanese couple committed seppuku. But that was a short story. Other explicitly violent [...] [...] last time I read something as graphically violent was with Mishima’s Patriotism, where a Japanese couple committed seppuku. But that was a short story. Other explicitly violent [...]

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