Oprah was there. Jamie Fox was there. Lots of big shot celebrities there to make speeches on civil rights. Such speeches were penned in mega mansions. Such speeches were met with applause, as American men and woman were denied all civil rights on American soil. The crowds cheered Jamie Fox, as due process and amendments were dispensed with, in American Courts throughout the land. As an American Citizen sought asylum in any country that wouldn't doom him.
Something on the news about a Tim Scott, an African American senator from North Carolina, and how he wasn't invited. I know nothing about that. I know that I feel deeply the absence of these folks. I wish they could have the chance to really march on Washington.
Aaron Shwartz
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Committed Suicide because the State, in the form of Carmen Ortiz, from the Boston Federal prosecutors, caused him too much emotional anguish. Not only did he witness man's inhumanity to man, but he had to endure the state's sanctioned cruelty, dehumanization, senselessness, waste... UNCLE.
The Boston federal prosecutors made him face specters he should not have faced. The time and punishment did not fit the crime. But, this is acceptable, so many seem to say. And, that public disinterest, was not lost on him, or his broken family.
As a brilliant boy, he was faced with too much to chew, too much undigestible knowledge. For crimes that technically were misdemeanors, he was charged with Felonies. The victim of his alleged crime, did not want charges pressed. He was threatened with not just prison, but with the constant contact with sociopathy-- those who will win at all costs. Money not an object. Morality and compassion missing completely.
He was wealthy, educated, and a felony would not have harmed his prospects. He couldn't make it. Imagine how the poorer, less educated defendant( who would be ruined by a felony)... would fare?
Another missing man on the March on Washington:
Barrett Brown
http://www.vice.com/read/why-is-barrett-brown-facing-100-years-in-jail
A less sympathetic figure than Shwarz, at this time. Had a book deal before he was taken away. Handsome. Wrote for Vanity Fair. A dilettante type. Comes off as self satisfied. Accused of being "grandiose." Had a Heroin addiction. Spoke of his use of suboxone. Went on youtube, after his mother was targeted by the FBI, and just didn't get what he was up against.
http://www.youtube.com/user/BarrettBrown
He threatened that if anyone came to his home again, as they did in force, he'd shoot them. He did not say that he would seek out anyone to shoot.
Stupid as hell. Bad anger management. And, he allegedly sent links that were .... classified or illegal. Reckless and naïve, maybe. Possessed of too much, or just the right amount of self esteem, to try to fight a system that scared the hell out of him, and which did things that begged to be exposed.
So maybe probation. Six months in jail, at worst.
Instead, he has been denied any bail. He cannot get out of prison with any amount of money. Ariel Castro had bail. Oscar Pistorius too, but that's another country. This doesn't make any sense. Any sense that is acceptable.
Brown presented a very compelling bit of evidence, from e-mails hacked, by another. He spoke of evidence that would prove that government contractors had submitted bids to act as "Team Themis" and go online as paid propaganda trolls, that would serve to influence public opinion after the Chamber of Commerce was involved in some scandal. In short, the government was lost to mendacious contractors, who were acting as creepy little Soviet Era monsters, on the government's dime. S.O.S and WTF.
Now, the state wants to gag him, and his only chance at freedom-- public outrage. Public outrage loud enough and publicized enough = action on the part of this "system," business. Absent that-- the corruption spreads and spreads.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vivien-lesnik-weisman/the-strange-case-of-barre_b_3738448.html
How the press has been gagged, and how gag orders are being abused(twice in my case!) really shocks the hell out of me. Which brings me to the only American based journalist who refused to be gagged.
Michael Hastings
He once said, " I went into journalism not to do advertisement." The Los Angeles Times and L. A weekly have tried to spin it so he looks "troubled." His passion and conviction twisted to look like some mania. Why? Because they have sold their souls to somebody, and Hasting's brand of truth was seen as a threat to these hideous cowards. Hard for me to believe that so many have succumbed to fear or greed( or whatever it is that has destroyed investigative journalism.) But, it's the case.
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/21/report_michael_hastings_feared_his_car_had_been_tampered_with/
There are so many more men(and women) who were not free to March on Washington, and they didn't do anything to lose that freedom(or their lives.) Of course Edward Snowden, Manning, and Assange come to mind. But there are many more less visible stories.
If I don't get killed for being a lame and incensed blogger, I hope to bring you their stories too.