Homeland policy likened to Gestapo's

Items compiled from Tribune news services Published January 22, 2006

NEW YORK -- Entertainer Harry Belafonte, one of the Bush administration's harshest critics, compared the Homeland Security Department to the Nazi Gestapo on Saturday and attacked the president as a liar.

"We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended," Belafonte said in a speech to the annual meeting of the Arts Presenters Members Conference.

His remarks, part of a 45-minute speech on the role of the arts in a politically changing world, were greeted with a roaring standing ovation from an audience that included members of the arts community from several dozen countries.

Calls to Homeland Security and White House officials were not immediately returned.

Belafonte had called President Bush "the greatest terrorist in the world" during a trip to Venezuela two weeks ago.

Reply to
Bob Kaplow
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Bob,

My wife and I used to joke, that I should learn german, for the following phrase:

"the district commander said that my papers are in order."

I am thinking this phrase may be more useful as time goes by...

the other Bob

Bob Kaplow wrote:

Reply to
Robert Juliano

What is also sad is that the US government will not issue "papers" to it's citizens. Instead, it forces unfunded mandates on the states to do that using the less offensive sounding "drivers license".

Reply to
Alan Jones

hyperbole and bleeding heart leftist liberals go hand in hand.... wah wah wah

If the DHS actually was the Gestapo, Mr. Belafonte would have disappeared long ago before he even had time to spew this BS..

shockie B)

Reply to
shockwaveriderz

so you would prefer a national id to a state level id? It is in fact a defacto "national id" as the states have to all adhere to one standard(finally), which is good. I don't see what the problem is with identifying those who are citizens and those who are not citizens. Obviously if you are a legal citizen, then you will not have a problem with getting proper id. If you are an illegal immigrant, perhaps you might have issues about being identified as such. But you are correct, it is an "unfunded" mandate, but then so is the federal requirement that states provide medical and health services to illegal aliens .....and all the other federal mandates that require states to provide services to illegal aliens. Now before you call me a bigot, let me state that I have no problem with legal immigration into this country, in fact I am all for it.

I also think the new rule that US citizens must now soon have passports to goto canada or mexico is also a good idea.

shockie B)

Reply to
shockwaveriderz

That's right, a historical reality some people either overlook or seem to forget when they too easily talk about the Gestapo. Read history and it's obvious the DHS is not the Gestapo and Bush is not the greatest terrorist in the world. I'm not trying to justify the excesses of this administration, but let's not diminish the force of our arguements by engaging in excess ourselves. Certain word images may be appealing and dramatic, but if we use inaccurate ones we are simply dismissed as ignorant fools. And then we accomplish nothing, just like Belafonte. Larry Lobdell Jr.

Reply to
llobdelljr

That's right, a historical reality some people either overlook or seem to forget when they too easily talk about the Gestapo. Read history and it's obvious the DHS is not the Gestapo and Bush is not the greatest terrorist in the world. I'm not trying to justify the excesses of this administration, but let's not diminish the force of our arguements by engaging in excess ourselves. Certain word images may be appealing and dramatic, but if we use inaccurate ones we are simply dismissed as ignorant fools. And then we accomplish nothing, just like Belafonte. Larry Lobdell Jr.

Reply to
llobdelljr

What I want to learn is Obi-Wan's "These aren't the droids you're looking for"...

Reply to
Bob Kaplow

Point! And Mr. Kaplow for forwarding it. This should be in the FAQs.

Why was it OK for FDR to crack down on domestics?

Why was it OK for FDR to pack the supreme court?

Why do we give instant credibility to entertainers?

Reply to
Alex Mericas

Personally, I give NO credibility to entertainers. (Also sports figures, certain groups of scientists, lawyers...)

The mere fact that they earn hundreds of times more money than I do is no indication that they're better, or smarter, or worth listening to.

Matter of fact - when the 'Arts Community' gets so upset, I figure there must be SOME merit to whatever idea they're railing against. :)

Reply to
Len Lekx

"Der Bezirk Kommandant sagte, daß meine Papiere im Auftrag sind."

Cool.

I love babelfish!

tah

Reply to
hiltyt

Please leave me out of that we.

Reply to
Tweak

Me too. Um, well, except for Paul Harvey. He knows *everything*...

tah

Reply to
hiltyt

I think He meant *famous* entertainers.

Reply to
Dave Grayvis

Eh? I do not give lend credence to any entertainers, thus the "leave me out of the we". The amount of fame they may hold is not relevant.

IOW, shut up and dance, puppet on a string.

Reply to
Tweak

My mistake, I thought You were an entertainer. :)

Reply to
Dave Grayvis

He is. Kurt's just being modest...

Who do ya think this person is?

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That's his "day job"...

tah

Reply to
hiltyt

Only to those silly enough to read on RMR. ;-)

I'll shut up and dance now.

Reply to
Tweak

Putting aside your spew above, yes, I would prefer a national ID. The Feds already i issue SS cards, they could just as well issue national ID cards, ideally with biometrics, and fully fund it, including database access to states, businesses, and individual citizens. Actually I'd rather do away with the ID card and just use a thumb print, or similar biometric, instead of the card, although that may not be possible. Let a state's drivers license be just that. And absolutely stop unfunded and underfunded mandates.

Reply to
Alan Jones

Who is Harry? Is he running for public office like Kinky in Texas?

So, what role would that be? (World Police?)

Give 'em a break, they were just out watching "The Producers."

I'm not surprised that performance played well in Venezuela. Now if it received a standing ovation on the US Senate floor, that would be newsworthy.

Reply to
Alan Jones

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