Criminalizing Dissent & Journalism
by
Jaime O. Perez
Let's do a quick review of the agenda of those in power.
Dissent
If a local newspaper had its way, three community activists would be in jail for collecting signatures on a recall petition and three Commissioners would be in jail for using their letterhead and defending their constituents.
The editor of the newspaper reminds us of the Queen in Alice In Wonderland shouting, "Off with their heads! Off with their heads!"
The problem of course is that the United States of America is a democracy. We have young men and women dying all over the world today to safeguard the very rights, the local newspaper and their political minions want to criminalize.
Perhaps they will succeed. If the tax and spend, criminalize dissent majority on Council wins in the May 12th City election, the Sheriff and the Chief of Police can begin to round up those that dare defy them.
As it is, they are conducting joint raids with federal agencies to intimidate local residents, going so far as to issue citations against elected officials for defending against the illegal excesses against the civil rights of Americans in the Mission Valley.
Perhaps they will succeed in jailing and silencing those that dissent. El Paso seems not to be in America but in a third world country say some. They may not be wrong.
If the criminalization of dissent continues with the avid and zealous support of the local daily by way of smearing and defaming local leaders, including duly elected local leaders, and if, those with this particular legalistic bent promise lots of dollars to law enforcement officials, the day will soon be here when those that adhere to Democratic values may have to pass notes through the information underground at maximum security prisons to be able to reach an audience.
Public Assets
If the local newspaper had its way, one developer would gain control of the public lands held in trust by the Public Service Board that belong to the taxpayers of El Paso and one investment concern would gain control of the entire downtown area to exploit it for the benefit of major $1 million dollar investors.
The editor of the newspaper reminds of the Duchess in Alice in Wonderland pontificating, "If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does."
Yes, Democracy is a slow and tortuous process. It is tedious, what with having to take into account those rotten, lousy.. or is it "Spanish speaking, old truck driving, dirty, Mexicans" as the City Council majority would have it.
Perhaps they will succeed in grabbing our public assets. If the tax and spend, criminalize dissent, give the public assets to private interest majority on Council wins in the May 12th City election, they can begin evicting everyone out of their businesses so the world can go around faster, more cleanly, certainly more sanitized in the interests of those with the birth right by way of their money.
Eminent Domain
If the local newspaper had its way, the poor should be made to just disappear. If there was only a way to flush them out to the County, or better yet, back to Mexico, they are after all dark skinned.
There would be no more crime, no more unsightly, disheveled, Chicanos running around spouting civil rights rhetoric. All the homes that look like "crap" in the words of two city representatives, could simply be razed and new, smart looking, smart growth, progressive, forward thinking buildings could take their place. The downtown could grow and really compete with…um…Yuma, no doubt the end goal of our esteemed City bureaucrat.
The editor of the newspaper reminds of the King in Alice in Wonderland encouraging the eviction and evisceration of our history, "Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop."
Yes, progress can be an ugly business but someone has to do it. When will the unwashed in our fair city understand that those at the top, with the billions and with control of the pen know what is best for us all.
Perhaps they will succeed in forcibly taking our homes. No doubt, our two law enforcement chiefs will more than gladly participate in our eviction. They probably salivate at the thought of being able to use their batons in ways they are expert.
If the tax and spend, criminalize dissent, give the public assets to private interests, take homes by force majority on Council wins in the May 12th City election, they will laugh all the way to the bank and badger us with those powerful and indelible words:
"See, I told you the stupid Mexicans wouldn't vote."
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This perspective first appeared in Border Observer, Jaime O. Perez, Editor