activistpost--2020-06-01--This Is Not a Revolution. It’s a Blueprint for Locking Down the Nation

There is something being concocted in the dens of power , far beyond the public eye , and it doesn ’ t bode well for the future of this country .
Anytime you have an entire nation so mesmerized by political theater and public spectacle that they are oblivious to all else , you ’ d better beware .
Anytime you have a government that operates in the shadows , speaks in a language of force , and rules by fiat , you ’ d better beware .
And anytime you have a government so far removed from its people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen , heard or heeded by those elected to represent them , you ’ d better beware .
What is unfolding before us is not a revolution .
The looting , the burning , the rioting , the violence : this is an anti-revolution .
The protesters are playing right into the government ’ s hands , because the powers-that-be want this .
They want an excuse to lockdown the nation and throw the switch to all-out martial law .
They want a reason to make the police state stronger .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
The Justice Department is deploying federal prison riot teams to various cities .
More than half of the nation ’ s governors are calling on the National Guard to quell civil unrest .
Growing numbers of cities , having just barely emerged from a coronavirus lockdown , are once again being locked down , this time in response to the growing upheaval .
This is how it begins .
It ’ s that dystopian 2030 Pentagon training video all over again , which anticipates the need for the government to institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve domestic political and social problems ) in order to navigate a world bedeviled by “ criminal networks , ” “ substandard infrastructure , ” “ religious and ethnic tensions , ” “ impoverishment , slums , ” “ open landfills , over-burdened sewers , ” a “ growing mass of unemployed , ” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots .
The architects of the police state have us exactly where they want us : under their stamping boot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom , grappling for some semblance of a future that does not resemble the totalitarian prison being erected around us .
This way lies certain tyranny .
For just one fleeting moment , “ we the people ” seemed united in our outrage over this latest killing of an unarmed man by a cop hyped up on his own authority and the power of his uniform .
Indeed , it didn ’ t take long—no surprise there—for us to quickly become divided again , polarized by the misguided fury and senseless violence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of madness and mayhem .
Deliberately or not , the rioters have directed our attention away from the government ’ s crimes and onto their own .
Don ’ t allow yourself to be so distracted .
Let ’ s not lose sight of what started all of this in the first place : the U.S. government .
More than terrorism , more than domestic extremism , more than gun violence and organized crime , the systemic violence being perpetrated by agents of the government constitutes a greater menace to the life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any of the so-called dangers from which the government claims to protect us .
Case in point : George Floyd died at the hands of the American police state .
The callous , cold-blooded murder of the unarmed , 46-year-old black man by police is nothing new : for 8 minutes and 46 seconds , police knelt on Floyd ’ s neck while the man pleaded for his life , struggled to breathe , cried out for his dead mother , and finally passed out and died .
Floyd is yet another victim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has placed “ we the people ” at the mercy of militarized cops who have almost absolute discretion to decide who is a threat , what constitutes resistance , and how harshly they can deal with the citizens they were appointed to “ serve and protect.
” Daily , Americans are being shot , stripped , searched , choked , beaten and tasered by police for little more than daring to frown , smile , question , challenge an order or just exist .
I ’ m talking about the growing numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed for just standing a certain way , or moving a certain way , or holding something—anything—that police could misinterpret to be a gun , or igniting some trigger-centric fear in a police officer ’ s mind that has nothing to do with an actual threat to their safety .
Killed by police for standing in a “ shooting stance.
” Killed for holding a cell phone .
Killed for holding a baseball bat .
Killed for opening the front door .
Killed for being a child in a car pursued by police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a metal spoon .
Killed for running in an aggressive manner while holding a tree branch .
Killed for crawling around naked .
Killed for hunching over in a defensive posture .
Killed because a police officer accidentally fired his gun instead of his taser .
Killed for wearing dark pants and a basketball jersey .
Killed for reaching for his license and registration during a traffic stop .
Killed for driving while deaf .
Killed for being homeless .
Killed for brandishing a shoehorn .
Killed for peeing outdoors .
Killed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road .
Killed for holding a garden hose .
Now you can make all kinds of excuses to justify these shootings , and in fact that ’ s exactly what you ’ ll hear from politicians , police unions , law enforcement officials and individuals who are more than happy to march in lockstep with the police .
However , as these incidents make clear , the only truly compliant , submissive and obedient citizen in a police state is a dead one .
Sad , isn ’ t it , how quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws—where the least among us had just as much right to be treated with dignity and respect as the next person ( in principle , at least ) —to a nation of law enforcers ( revenue collectors with weapons ) who treat us all like suspects and criminals ?
This is not how you keep the peace .
This is not justice .
This is not even law and order .
This is certainly not freedom .
This is the illusion of freedom .
Unfortunately , we are now being ruled by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , thugs , thieves , gangsters , ruffians , rapists , extortionists , bounty hunters , battle-ready warriors and cold-blooded killers who communicate using a language of force and oppression .
The facts speak for themselves .
We ’ re being ravaged by a government of ruffians , rapists and killers .
It ’ s not just the police shootings of unarmed citizens that are worrisome .
It ’ s the SWAT team raids gone wrong that are leaving innocent citizens wounded , children terrorized and family pets killed .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cavity searches of men and women alike carried out in full view of the public—in pursuit of drugs that are never found .
It ’ s the potentially lethal—and unwarranted—use of so-called “ nonlethal ” weapons such as tasers on children for “ mouthing off to a police officer .
For trying to run from the principal ’ s office .
For , at the age of 12 , getting into a fight with another girl.
” We ’ re being held at gunpoint by a government of soldiers—a standing army .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an increasing number of hoops in order to exercise their Second Amendment right to own a gun , the government is arming its own civilian employees to the hilt with guns , ammunition and military-style equipment , authorizing them to make arrests , and training them in military tactics .
Among the agencies being supplied with night-vision equipment , body armor , hollow-point bullets , shotguns , drones , assault rifles and LP gas cannons are the Smithsonian , U.S. Mint , Health and Human Services , IRS , FDA , Small Business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , Education Department , Energy Department , Bureau of Engraving and Printing and an assortment of public universities .
There are now reportedly more bureaucratic ( non-military ) government civilians armed with high-tech , deadly weapons than U.S. Marines .
That doesn ’ t even begin to touch on the government ’ s arsenal , the transformation of local police into extensions of the military , and the speed with which the nation could be locked down under martial law depending on the circumstances .
Clearly , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at that—and “ we the people ” are the perceived enemy .
We ’ re being taken advantage of by a government of scoundrels , idiots and cowards .
American satirist H.L .
Mencken calculated that “ Congress consists of one-third , more or less , scoundrels ; two-thirds , more or less , idiots ; and three-thirds , more or less , poltroons.
” By and large , Americans seem to agree .
When you ’ ve got government representatives who spend a large chunk of their work hours fundraising , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lucrative revolving door between public service and lobbying , and making themselves available to anyone with enough money to secure access to a congressional office , you ’ re in the clutches of a corrupt oligarchy .
Mind you , these same elected officials rarely read the legislation they ’ re enacting , nor do they seem capable of enacting much legislation that actually helps rather than hinders the plight of the American citizen .
We ’ re being locked up by a government of greedy jailers .
We have become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on our prisons than on our schools and imprisoning close to a quarter of the world ’ s prisoners , despite the fact that crime is at an all-time low and the U.S. makes up only 5 % of the world ’ s population .
The rise of overcriminalization and profit-driven private prisons provides even greater incentives for locking up American citizens for such non-violent “ crimes ” as having an overgrown lawn .
As the Boston Review points out , “ America ’ s contemporary system of policing , courts , imprisonment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asset forfeiture , lucrative public contracts from private service providers , and by directly extracting revenue and unpaid labor from populations of color and the poor .
In states and municipalities throughout the country , the criminal justice system defrays costs by forcing prisoners and their families to pay for punishment .
It also allows private service providers to charge outrageous fees for everyday needs such as telephone calls .
As a result people facing even minor criminal charges can easily find themselves trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of debt , criminalization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spied on by a government of Peeping Toms .
The government , aided by its corporate allies , is watching everything you do , reading everything you write , listening to everything you say , and monitoring everything you spend .
Omnipresent surveillance is paving the way for government programs that profile citizens , document their behavior and attempt to predict what they might do in the future , whether it ’ s what they might buy , what politician they might support , or what kinds of crimes they might commit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Psychology Today , is “ reduced trust , increased conformity , and even diminished civic participation.
” As technology analyst Jillian C. York concludes , “ Mass surveillance without due process—whether undertaken by the government of Bahrain , Russia , the US , or anywhere in between—threatens to stifle and smother that dissent , leaving in its wake a populace cowed by fear.
” We ’ re being forced to surrender our freedoms—and those of our children—to a government of extortionists , money launderers and professional pirates .
The American people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goods about how the government needs more money , more expansive powers , and more secrecy ( secret courts , secret budgets , secret military campaigns , secret surveillance ) in order to keep us safe .
Under the guise of fighting its wars on terror , drugs , domestic extremism , pandemics and civil unrest , the government has spent billions in taxpayer dollars on endless wars that have sown the seeds of blowback , surveillance programs that have subjected all Americans to a surveillance society , and militarized police that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re being robbed blind by a government of thieves .
Americans no longer have any real protection against government agents empowered to seize private property at will .
For instance , police agencies under the guise of asset forfeiture laws are taking property based on little more than a suspicion of criminal activity .
And we ’ re being forced to live in a perpetual state of emergency .
From 9/11 through the COVID-19 lockdowns and now the threat of martial law in the face of growing civil unrest , we have witnessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” that justifies all manner of government tyranny and power grabs in the so-called name of national security .
Whatever else it may be—a danger , a menace , a threat—the U.S. government is certainly not looking out for our best interests , nor is it in any way a friend to freedom .
When the government views itself as superior to the citizenry , when it no longer operates for the benefit of the people , when the people are no longer able to peacefully reform their government , when government officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when elected officials no longer represent the will of the people , when the government routinely violates the rights of the people and perpetrates more violence against the citizenry than the criminal class , when government spending is unaccountable and unaccounted for , when the judiciary act as courts of order rather than justice , and when the government is no longer bound by the laws of the Constitution , then you no longer have a government “ of the people , by the people and for the people.
” What we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backs are against the proverbial wall .
The government and its cohorts have conspired to ensure that the only real recourse the American people have to express their displeasure with the government is through voting , which is no real recourse at all .
The penalties for civil disobedience , whistleblowing and rebellion are severe .
If you refuse to pay taxes for government programs you believe to be immoral or illegal , you will go to jail .
If you attempt to overthrow the government—or any agency thereof—because you believe it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to jail .
If you attempt to blow the whistle on government misconduct , there ’ s a pretty good chance you will go to jail .
For too long , the American people have obeyed the government ’ s dictates , no matter now extreme .
We have paid its taxes , penalties and fines , no matter how outrageous .
We have tolerated its indignities , insults and abuses , no matter how egregious .
We have turned a blind eye to its indiscretions and incompetence , no matter how imprudent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the face of its lawlessness , licentiousness and corruption , no matter how illicit .
How long we will continue to suffer depends on how much we ’ re willing to give up for the sake of freedom .
America ’ s founders provided us with a very specific explanation about the purpose of government and a roadmap for what to do when the government abuses its authority , ignores our objections , and establishes itself as a tyrant .
We must choose between peaceful slavery ( in other words , maintaining the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ) and dangerous freedom .
That will mean carving out a path in which we begin to take ownership of our government , starting at the local level , challenging the status quo , and raising hell—nonviolently—whenever a government official steps out of line .
We can no longer maintain the illusion of freedom .
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America : The War on the American People , we are at our most vulnerable right now .
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The War on the American People is available at .
Whitehead can be contacted at [ email protected ] .
John W. Whitehead ’ s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge .
Please contact [ email protected ] to obtain reprint permission .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
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By John W. Whitehead
“When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you—pull your beard, flick your face—to make you fight. Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you.”—John Lennon
Brace yourselves.
There is something being concocted in the dens of power, far beyond the public eye, and it doesn’t bode well for the future of this country.
Anytime you have an entire nation so mesmerized by political theater and public spectacle that they are oblivious to all else, you’d better beware.
Anytime you have a government that operates in the shadows, speaks in a language of force, and rules by fiat, you’d better beware.
And anytime you have a government so far removed from its people as to ensure that they are never seen, heard or heeded by those elected to represent them, you’d better beware.
What is unfolding before us is not a revolution.
The looting, the burning, the rioting, the violence: this is an anti-revolution.
The protesters are playing right into the government’s hands, because the powers-that-be want this. They want an excuse to lockdown the nation and throw the switch to all-out martial law. They want a reason to make the police state stronger.
It’s happening faster than we can keep up.
The Justice Department is deploying federal prison riot teams to various cities. More than half of the nation’s governors are calling on the National Guard to quell civil unrest. Growing numbers of cities, having just barely emerged from a coronavirus lockdown, are once again being locked down, this time in response to the growing upheaval.
This is how it begins.
It’s that dystopian 2030 Pentagon training video all over again, which anticipates the need for the government to institute martial law (use armed forces to solve domestic political and social problems) in order to navigate a world bedeviled by “criminal networks,” “substandard infrastructure,” “religious and ethnic tensions,” “impoverishment, slums,” “open landfills, over-burdened sewers,” a “growing mass of unemployed,” and an urban landscape in which the prosperous economic elite must be protected from the impoverishment of the have nots.
We’re way ahead of schedule.
The architects of the police state have us exactly where they want us: under their stamping boot, gasping for breath, desperate for freedom, grappling for some semblance of a future that does not resemble the totalitarian prison being erected around us.
This way lies certain tyranny.
For just one fleeting moment, “we the people” seemed united in our outrage over this latest killing of an unarmed man by a cop hyped up on his own authority and the power of his uniform.
That unity didn’t last.
Indeed, it didn’t take long—no surprise there—for us to quickly become divided again, polarized by the misguided fury and senseless violence of mobs taking to the streets, reeking of madness and mayhem.
Deliberately or not, the rioters have directed our attention away from the government’s crimes and onto their own.
This is a distraction.
Don’t allow yourself to be so distracted.
Let’s not lose sight of what started all of this in the first place: the U.S. government.
More than terrorism, more than domestic extremism, more than gun violence and organized crime, the systemic violence being perpetrated by agents of the government constitutes a greater menace to the life, liberty and property of its citizens than any of the so-called dangers from which the government claims to protect us.
Case in point: George Floyd died at the hands of the American police state.
The callous, cold-blooded murder of the unarmed, 46-year-old black man by police is nothing new: for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, police knelt on Floyd’s neck while the man pleaded for his life, struggled to breathe, cried out for his dead mother, and finally passed out and died.
Floyd is yet another victim of a broken system of policing that has placed “we the people” at the mercy of militarized cops who have almost absolute discretion to decide who is a threat, what constitutes resistance, and how harshly they can deal with the citizens they were appointed to “serve and protect.”
Daily, Americans are being shot, stripped, searched, choked, beaten and tasered by police for little more than daring to frown, smile, question, challenge an order or just exist.
I’m talking about the growing numbers of unarmed people are who being shot and killed for just standing a certain way, or moving a certain way, or holding something—anything—that police could misinterpret to be a gun, or igniting some trigger-centric fear in a police officer’s mind that has nothing to do with an actual threat to their safety.
Killed by police for standing in a “shooting stance.” Killed for holding a cell phone. Killed for holding a baseball bat. Killed for opening the front door. Killed for being a child in a car pursued by police. Killed for approaching police while holding a metal spoon. Killed for running in an aggressive manner while holding a tree branch. Killed for crawling around naked. Killed for hunching over in a defensive posture. Killed because a police officer accidentally fired his gun instead of his taser. Killed for wearing dark pants and a basketball jersey. Killed for reaching for his license and registration during a traffic stop. Killed for driving while deaf. Killed for being homeless. Killed for brandishing a shoehorn. Killed for peeing outdoors. Killed for having his car break down on the road. Killed for holding a garden hose.
Now you can make all kinds of excuses to justify these shootings, and in fact that’s exactly what you’ll hear from politicians, police unions, law enforcement officials and individuals who are more than happy to march in lockstep with the police. However, as these incidents make clear, the only truly compliant, submissive and obedient citizen in a police state is a dead one.
Sad, isn’t it, how quickly we have gone from a nation of laws—where the least among us had just as much right to be treated with dignity and respect as the next person (in principle, at least)—to a nation of law enforcers (revenue collectors with weapons) who treat us all like suspects and criminals?
This is not how you keep the peace.
This is not justice. This is not even law and order.
This is certainly not freedom. This is the illusion of freedom.
Unfortunately, we are now being ruled by a government of psychopaths, scoundrels, spies, thugs, thieves, gangsters, ruffians, rapists, extortionists, bounty hunters, battle-ready warriors and cold-blooded killers who communicate using a language of force and oppression.
The facts speak for themselves.
We’re being ravaged by a government of ruffians, rapists and killers. It’s not just the police shootings of unarmed citizens that are worrisome. It’s the SWAT team raids gone wrong that are leaving innocent citizens wounded, children terrorized and family pets killed. It’s the roadside strip searches—in some cases, cavity searches of men and women alike carried out in full view of the public—in pursuit of drugs that are never found. It’s the potentially lethal—and unwarranted—use of so-called “nonlethal” weapons such as tasers on children for “mouthing off to a police officer. For trying to run from the principal’s office. For, at the age of 12, getting into a fight with another girl.”
We’re being held at gunpoint by a government of soldiers—a standing army. While Americans are being made to jump through an increasing number of hoops in order to exercise their Second Amendment right to own a gun, the government is arming its own civilian employees to the hilt with guns, ammunition and military-style equipment, authorizing them to make arrests, and training them in military tactics. Among the agencies being supplied with night-vision equipment, body armor, hollow-point bullets, shotguns, drones, assault rifles and LP gas cannons are the Smithsonian, U.S. Mint, Health and Human Services, IRS, FDA, Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Education Department, Energy Department, Bureau of Engraving and Printing and an assortment of public universities. There are now reportedly more bureaucratic (non-military) government civilians armed with high-tech, deadly weapons than U.S. Marines. That doesn’t even begin to touch on the government’s arsenal, the transformation of local police into extensions of the military, and the speed with which the nation could be locked down under martial law depending on the circumstances. Clearly, the government is preparing for war—and a civil war, at that—and “we the people” are the perceived enemy.
We’re being taken advantage of by a government of scoundrels, idiots and cowards. American satirist H.L. Mencken calculated that “Congress consists of one-third, more or less, scoundrels; two-thirds, more or less, idiots; and three-thirds, more or less, poltroons.” By and large, Americans seem to agree. When you’ve got government representatives who spend a large chunk of their work hours fundraising, being feted by lobbyists, shuffling through a lucrative revolving door between public service and lobbying, and making themselves available to anyone with enough money to secure access to a congressional office, you’re in the clutches of a corrupt oligarchy. Mind you, these same elected officials rarely read the legislation they’re enacting, nor do they seem capable of enacting much legislation that actually helps rather than hinders the plight of the American citizen.
We’re being locked up by a government of greedy jailers. We have become a carceral state, spending three times more on our prisons than on our schools and imprisoning close to a quarter of the world’s prisoners, despite the fact that crime is at an all-time low and the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s population. The rise of overcriminalization and profit-driven private prisons provides even greater incentives for locking up American citizens for such non-violent “crimes” as having an overgrown lawn. As the Boston Review points out, “America’s contemporary system of policing, courts, imprisonment, and parole … makes money through asset forfeiture, lucrative public contracts from private service providers, and by directly extracting revenue and unpaid labor from populations of color and the poor. In states and municipalities throughout the country, the criminal justice system defrays costs by forcing prisoners and their families to pay for punishment. It also allows private service providers to charge outrageous fees for everyday needs such as telephone calls. As a result people facing even minor criminal charges can easily find themselves trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of debt, criminalization, and incarceration.”
We’re being spied on by a government of Peeping Toms. The government, aided by its corporate allies, is watching everything you do, reading everything you write, listening to everything you say, and monitoring everything you spend. Omnipresent surveillance is paving the way for government programs that profile citizens, document their behavior and attempt to predict what they might do in the future, whether it’s what they might buy, what politician they might support, or what kinds of crimes they might commit. The impact of this far-reaching surveillance, according to Psychology Today, is “reduced trust, increased conformity, and even diminished civic participation.” As technology analyst Jillian C. York concludes, “Mass surveillance without due process—whether undertaken by the government of Bahrain, Russia, the US, or anywhere in between—threatens to stifle and smother that dissent, leaving in its wake a populace cowed by fear.”
We’re being forced to surrender our freedoms—and those of our children—to a government of extortionists, money launderers and professional pirates. The American people have been repeatedly sold a bill of goods about how the government needs more money, more expansive powers, and more secrecy (secret courts, secret budgets, secret military campaigns, secret surveillance) in order to keep us safe. Under the guise of fighting its wars on terror, drugs, domestic extremism, pandemics and civil unrest, the government has spent billions in taxpayer dollars on endless wars that have sown the seeds of blowback, surveillance programs that have subjected all Americans to a surveillance society, and militarized police that have turned communities into warzones.
We’re being robbed blind by a government of thieves. Americans no longer have any real protection against government agents empowered to seize private property at will. For instance, police agencies under the guise of asset forfeiture laws are taking property based on little more than a suspicion of criminal activity.
And we’re being forced to live in a perpetual state of emergency. From 9/11 through the COVID-19 lockdowns and now the threat of martial law in the face of growing civil unrest, we have witnessed the rise of an “emergency state” that justifies all manner of government tyranny and power grabs in the so-called name of national security.
Whatever else it may be—a danger, a menace, a threat—the U.S. government is certainly not looking out for our best interests, nor is it in any way a friend to freedom.
When the government views itself as superior to the citizenry, when it no longer operates for the benefit of the people, when the people are no longer able to peacefully reform their government, when government officials cease to act like public servants, when elected officials no longer represent the will of the people, when the government routinely violates the rights of the people and perpetrates more violence against the citizenry than the criminal class, when government spending is unaccountable and unaccounted for, when the judiciary act as courts of order rather than justice, and when the government is no longer bound by the laws of the Constitution, then you no longer have a government “of the people, by the people and for the people.”
What we have is a government of wolves.
Our backs are against the proverbial wall.
The government and its cohorts have conspired to ensure that the only real recourse the American people have to express their displeasure with the government is through voting, which is no real recourse at all.
The penalties for civil disobedience, whistleblowing and rebellion are severe. If you refuse to pay taxes for government programs you believe to be immoral or illegal, you will go to jail. If you attempt to overthrow the government—or any agency thereof—because you believe it has overstepped its reach, you will go to jail. If you attempt to blow the whistle on government misconduct, there’s a pretty good chance you will go to jail.
For too long, the American people have obeyed the government’s dictates, no matter now extreme. We have paid its taxes, penalties and fines, no matter how outrageous. We have tolerated its indignities, insults and abuses, no matter how egregious. We have turned a blind eye to its indiscretions and incompetence, no matter how imprudent. We have held our silence in the face of its lawlessness, licentiousness and corruption, no matter how illicit.
We have suffered.
How long we will continue to suffer depends on how much we’re willing to give up for the sake of freedom.
America’s founders provided us with a very specific explanation about the purpose of government and a roadmap for what to do when the government abuses its authority, ignores our objections, and establishes itself as a tyrant.
We must choose between peaceful slavery (in other words, maintaining the status quo in servitude to the police state) and dangerous freedom. That will mean carving out a path in which we begin to take ownership of our government, starting at the local level, challenging the status quo, and raising hell—nonviolently—whenever a government official steps out of line.
We can no longer maintain the illusion of freedom.
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, we are at our most vulnerable right now.
ABOUT JOHN W. WHITEHEAD
Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book Battlefield America: The War on the American People is available at www.amazon.com . Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org.
Publication Guidelines / Reprint Permission
John W. Whitehead’s weekly commentaries are available for publication to newspapers and web publications at no charge. Please contact staff@rutherford.org to obtain reprint permission.
Image: Spiro Skouras
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activistpost--2020-06-01--Social Unrest Rises as Confidence Falls

Social Unrest Rises as Confidence Falls

Protests egged on by the legacy media quickly devolved into large-scale riots and looting over the weekend in more than a dozen U.S. cities .
Some important institutions have betrayed the public trust , and Americans facing quarantine and staggering unemployment have arrived at the boiling point .
Meanwhile , the ranks of people buying gold and silver as a hedge against economic chaos and financial malfeasance swelled again in recent months .
A new wave of Americans is grappling with what it means for Congress to spend trillions it doesn ’ t have .
Or for Federal Reserve bankers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand them over to their friends on Wall Street .
Seymour Hurst created the Debt Clock in 1989 when the US debt was about $ 2.7 trillion and that debt represented about 50 % of US GDP .
It ’ s been more than 30 years hence , but the government ’ s appetite for borrowing has only grown .
The federal deficit this year will be larger than the entire national debt was when Hurst began sounding the alarm .
Out-of-control borrowing and spending certainly is just one facet of the incompetent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the past three decades .
The approval rating for federal politicians is pathetic .
The general consensus is that our leaders are completely unaccountable and many are self-dealing .
Fewer and fewer people buy the rhetoric some politicians spew about limited government .
Federal bureaucracies have also been failing in some very high-profile ways .
There aren ’ t many people left who think justice is blind and laws are applied equally .
The Department of Justice ’ s handling of Jeffrey Epstein is a great illustration .
Few believe the official story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rage over the fact that high-profile and well-connected pedophiles are somehow immune from prosecution .
There is no shortage of other examples , including bias at the IRS against conservative groups and the total incompetence of the Centers for Disease Control .
How many Americans still expect fairness , integrity , and good leadership from anyone in power in Washington ?
Trust is also fading in key private-sector institutions .
Many of us are now aware that the Deep State power behind our unaccountable federal government is also behind the vast corporations which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and internet news .
And it is no secret that markets are manipulated by Deep State bankers .
Americans are realizing we have fake news and fake markets .
This context is useful , we think , as the George Floyd riots wreak havoc and the authorities violate the public trust .
It isn ’ t just minorities living in tough neighborhoods who are fed up .
Confidence in a variety of major institutions has been stretched thinner and thinner for a very long time .
Clint Siegner is a Director at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealer recently named “ Best in the USA ” by an independent global ratings group .
A graduate of Linfield College in Oregon , Siegner puts his experience in business management along with his passion for personal liberty , limited government , and honest money into the development of Money Metals ’ brand and reach .
This includes writing extensively on the bullion markets and their intersection with policy and world affairs .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patreon .
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By Clint Siegner
Protests egged on by the legacy media quickly devolved into large-scale riots and looting over the weekend in more than a dozen U.S. cities.
Some important institutions have betrayed the public trust, and Americans facing quarantine and staggering unemployment have arrived at the boiling point.
Meanwhile, the ranks of people buying gold and silver as a hedge against economic chaos and financial malfeasance swelled again in recent months.
A new wave of Americans is grappling with what it means for Congress to spend trillions it doesn’t have.
Or for Federal Reserve bankers to print trillions of electronic notes and hand them over to their friends on Wall Street.
Seymour Hurst created the Debt Clock in 1989 when the US debt was about $2.7 trillion and that debt represented about 50% of US GDP.
It’s been more than 30 years hence, but the government’s appetite for borrowing has only grown. The federal deficit this year will be larger than the entire national debt was when Hurst began sounding the alarm.
Out-of-control borrowing and spending certainly is just one facet of the incompetent leadership Americans have been worrying about over the past three decades.
The approval rating for federal politicians is pathetic. The general consensus is that our leaders are completely unaccountable and many are self-dealing. Fewer and fewer people buy the rhetoric some politicians spew about limited government.
Federal bureaucracies have also been failing in some very high-profile ways. There aren’t many people left who think justice is blind and laws are applied equally.
The Department of Justice’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein is a great illustration. Few believe the official story about his “suicide.” There simmering rage over the fact that high-profile and well-connected pedophiles are somehow immune from prosecution.
There is no shortage of other examples, including bias at the IRS against conservative groups and the total incompetence of the Centers for Disease Control. How many Americans still expect fairness, integrity, and good leadership from anyone in power in Washington?
Trust is also fading in key private-sector institutions. Many of us are now aware that the Deep State power behind our unaccountable federal government is also behind the vast corporations which control most print, radio, television, and internet news. And it is no secret that markets are manipulated by Deep State bankers.
Americans are realizing we have fake news and fake markets.
This context is useful, we think, as the George Floyd riots wreak havoc and the authorities violate the public trust. It isn’t just minorities living in tough neighborhoods who are fed up. Confidence in a variety of major institutions has been stretched thinner and thinner for a very long time.
Clint Siegner is a Director at Money Metals Exchange, a precious metals dealer recently named “Best in the USA” by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of Linfield College in Oregon, Siegner puts his experience in business management along with his passion for personal liberty, limited government, and honest money into the development of Money Metals’ brand and reach. This includes writing extensively on the bullion markets and their intersection with policy and world affairs.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-06-01--Fact Check: Bill Gates and the “God Gene” Vaccine

No , Bill Gates did not give a presentation to the CIA about a “ God Gene ” vaccine called @ @ @ @ @ debunkable nonsense will only undermine and discredit the real work people are doing to call @ @ @ @ @ that we have seen in recent months .
• Is FunVax Possible ?
Dean Hamer @ @ @ @ @ 06s-40s ) Visit James Corbett at CorbettReport.com .
Subscribe to his channel on YouTube and @ @ @ @ @ on Patreon .
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Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ issue of Counter Markets today .

By Corbett Report
No, Bill Gates did not give a presentation to the CIA about a “God Gene” vaccine called FunVax. Spreading this easily debunkable nonsense will only undermine and discredit the real work people are doing to call attention to the troubling developments that we have seen in recent months.
SHOW NOTES:
Visit James Corbett at CorbettReport.com. Subscribe to his channel on YouTube and Bitchute, and support him on Patreon.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-06-01--Contact Tracing: Laying the Foundation for Real-Time Social Tracking

Many academics , business leaders , and governments are claiming that technology is a critical part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic .
By utilizing the surveillance capabilities of modern data acquisition systems , it is believed , citizens can be provided with tools that will allow them to see if they have come into contact with someone infected with the virus .
There are two proposed models for contact-tracing apps of this type .
One model proposes that location data on citizens be collected and processed centrally by governments .
This type of data collection has—understandably—been widely criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the unprecedented level of surveillance it would represent .
Given that tech companies are already deploying this power in service to their governments—with YouTube blocking content that contradicts the WHO , for instance—these fears seem well justified .
Another proposed model is to collect and store location and contact data on citizens ’ own devices .
This distributed form of data collection has received widespread academic support , because it is claimed that it provides a way for contact-tracing to be performed without giving tech companies and governments access to real-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their citizens .
This distributed data collection model , however , raises some fairly fundamental privacy concerns .
Even if a legal framework is in place to protect citizens ’ data—which currently isn ’ t—the level of awareness of digital privacy among the general public still makes these apps extremely dangerous .
In this article , we ’ ll take a look at the way in which contact tracing apps are designed to work , and why they should be a cause for concern .
Let ’ s first make the obvious point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have been rolled out by governments outside the US and Europe are deeply problematic .
In Israel , the government recently passed a law that allowed their security services to access location data on all citizens , and store this centrally .
South Korea and China have also followed this model .
The dangers involved in allowing governments to collect this kind of data are clear , and have been pointed out by many privacy advocacy groups in the US and Europe .
Nevertheless , governments in these countries are proposing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not least because these governments have a very poor record of conducting contact-tracing on their own .
The proposal is that contact-tracing apps be built on a distributed model .
Individual smartphones would store data about the exposure of their owners to COVID-19 , it is claimed , and only use this information to communicate with other discrete devices .
No data would be sent to centralized cloud storage devices , and even the tech firms who developed these apps would not have access to individual-level data on the status or movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has recently been proposed by Apple and Google , and similar proposals have been put forward by an MIT-associated effort called PACT as well as by multiple European groups .
In most proposals , Bluetooth technology would be used to alert users if they are close to another user who has been exposed to the virus .
At first glance , apps built in this decentralized way appear to address the privacy concerns of mass data surveillance .
They appear to build on policies that delegate responsibility to individual citizens , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility that has performed well despite the lack of government interference in people ’ s daily lives .
There remain , however , two major problems with even de-centralized contact-tracing apps .
One is that there exists no legal framework to protect the users of these apps against unwanted surveillance .
The second is that , even if this legal framework was in place , any data stored on smartphones can potentially be stolen by hackers or surveillance agencies .
Let ’ s briefly deal with the legal implications first .
In our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact tracing apps , we ’ ve already pointed out that the legality of this form of mass surveillance is questionable at best .
Given the increasing scale of internet censorship , it ’ s also possible that governments could use the data produced by these apps to profile , target , and surveil users .
But the problems raised by contact-tracing apps—decentralized or not—go much deeper than this .
At the most fundamental level , it is far from clear that these apps would even be effective at performing their primary task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be effective , citizens would have to be legally required to download and use it .
Otherwise , an infected user could simply delete their app , and undermine the efficacy of the whole system .
Giving governments the power to mandate that citizens use particular apps would be unprecedented , and extremely dangerous .
Even if a rigorous legal framework for contact tracing apps were to be developed , and even if this protected the privacy of individual users , contact tracing apps would still be dangerous .
This is because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they try to increase cybersecurity in remote working , the level of cybersecurity expertise among the general public is extremely low .
This means that any data collected through contact tracing apps—even if it is stored locally—is vulnerable .
This point has long been known , and the existing legislation on data privacy recognizes it .
Europe ’ s GDPR—widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to data privacy rights—explicitly mentions that data privacy can not be achieved without data security .
It ’ s approach to solving this issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not collect data they do not need .
In other words , the safest way to stop data from being stolen is to never collect it in the first place .
In the context of contact tracing , the concern is that even if location and contact data is stored on individual smartphones—rather than in centralized systems—this is no guarantee that it will not be stolen , or that it can not be accessed by law enforcement and government surveillance agencies .
Research also indicates that even where users protect themselves , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may end up undermining their privacy still further .
It might be countered , of course , that a huge variety of apps already collect geo-location data on users , and that the data collected by contact tracing apps is therefore no different from data already stored on smartphones .
However , the crucial difference with this type of app is that it allows surveillance agencies to see who users have been in contact with .
These data could then be used by law enforcement agencies to extract real-time information on the movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues are new .
Privacy rights groups have been raising concerns about the legality of mass surveillance for more than a decade .
What the pandemic has done , however , is provide an excuse for governments to justify the mass collection of geo-location data .
As we ’ ve pointed out , there is currently no way in which these data can be collected whilst respecting users ’ fundamental right to privacy .
There is no legal process for mandating the use of contact tracing apps ; even if there were , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smartphone makes these data highly vulnerable to theft or legal extraction .
It is important that in re-building the world after the pandemic we learn the lessons of the present time .
We should , of course , overturn the economic policy that has made us more vulnerable to COVID-19 , but we should also take the opportunity to look again at the level of surveillance that our digital world has made possible , and to challenge this .
Ultimately , we need to make technology work for those who use it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of “ surveillance capitalism ” that is rapidly overtaking our society .
And resisting contact-tracing apps is just the start of that fight .
Sia Mohajer is an Iranian born Canadian entrepreneur and cofounder of Next Ventures .
Since 2012 he ’ s been building and investing in digital business .
Sia is also a long time supporter and advocate for open source privacy .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HIVE , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Sia Mohajer
Many academics, business leaders, and governments are claiming that technology is a critical part of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. By utilizing the surveillance capabilities of modern data acquisition systems, it is believed, citizens can be provided with tools that will allow them to see if they have come into contact with someone infected with the virus.
Contact-Tracing Apps
There are two proposed models for contact-tracing apps of this type. One model proposes that location data on citizens be collected and processed centrally by governments. This type of data collection has—understandably—been widely criticized by consumer and privacy rights groups, because of the unprecedented level of surveillance it would represent. Given that tech companies are already deploying this power in service to their governments—with YouTube blocking content that contradicts the WHO, for instance—these fears seem well justified.
Another proposed model is to collect and store location and contact data on citizens’ own devices. This distributed form of data collection has received widespread academic support, because it is claimed that it provides a way for contact-tracing to be performed without giving tech companies and governments access to real-time data on the movements and habits of their citizens.
This distributed data collection model, however, raises some fairly fundamental privacy concerns. Even if a legal framework is in place to protect citizens’ data—which currently isn’t—the level of awareness of digital privacy among the general public still makes these apps extremely dangerous.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the way in which contact tracing apps are designed to work, and why they should be a cause for concern.
Centralization vs. Distribution
Let’s first make the obvious point that some of the contact tracing apps that have been rolled out by governments outside the US and Europe are deeply problematic. In Israel, the government recently passed a law that allowed their security services to access location data on all citizens, and store this centrally. South Korea and China have also followed this model.
The dangers involved in allowing governments to collect this kind of data are clear, and have been pointed out by many privacy advocacy groups in the US and Europe. Nevertheless, governments in these countries are proposing that some form of contact-tracing app be implemented, not least because these governments have a very poor record of conducting contact-tracing on their own.
The proposal is that contact-tracing apps be built on a distributed model. Individual smartphones would store data about the exposure of their owners to COVID-19, it is claimed, and only use this information to communicate with other discrete devices. No data would be sent to centralized cloud storage devices, and even the tech firms who developed these apps would not have access to individual-level data on the status or movements of users.
This is the model that has recently been proposed by Apple and Google, and similar proposals have been put forward by an MIT-associated effort called PACT as well as by multiple European groups. In most proposals, Bluetooth technology would be used to alert users if they are close to another user who has been exposed to the virus.
The (Missing) Legal Framework
At first glance, apps built in this decentralized way appear to address the privacy concerns of mass data surveillance. They appear to build on policies that delegate responsibility to individual citizens, such as Sweden’s policy of individual responsibility that has performed well despite the lack of government interference in people’s daily lives.
There remain, however, two major problems with even de-centralized contact-tracing apps. One is that there exists no legal framework to protect the users of these apps against unwanted surveillance. The second is that, even if this legal framework was in place, any data stored on smartphones can potentially be stolen by hackers or surveillance agencies.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Let’s briefly deal with the legal implications first. In our article on the legal issues involved with contact tracing apps, we’ve already pointed out that the legality of this form of mass surveillance is questionable at best. Given the increasing scale of internet censorship, it’s also possible that governments could use the data produced by these apps to profile, target, and surveil users.
But the problems raised by contact-tracing apps—decentralized or not—go much deeper than this. At the most fundamental level, it is far from clear that these apps would even be effective at performing their primary task. In order for such an app to be effective, citizens would have to be legally required to download and use it. Otherwise, an infected user could simply delete their app, and undermine the efficacy of the whole system. Giving governments the power to mandate that citizens use particular apps would be unprecedented, and extremely dangerous.
Privacy and Security
Even if a rigorous legal framework for contact tracing apps were to be developed, and even if this protected the privacy of individual users, contact tracing apps would still be dangerous. This is because, as many companies are now experiencing as they try to increase cybersecurity in remote working, the level of cybersecurity expertise among the general public is extremely low. This means that any data collected through contact tracing apps—even if it is stored locally—is vulnerable.
This point has long been known, and the existing legislation on data privacy recognizes it. Europe’s GDPR—widely regarded as the gold standard when it comes to data privacy rights—explicitly mentions that data privacy cannot be achieved without data security. It’s approach to solving this issue is simple: it mandates that companies cannot collect data they do not need. In other words, the safest way to stop data from being stolen is to never collect it in the first place.
In the context of contact tracing, the concern is that even if location and contact data is stored on individual smartphones—rather than in centralized systems—this is no guarantee that it will not be stolen, or that it cannot be accessed by law enforcement and government surveillance agencies. Research also indicates that even where users protect themselves, the tools they use to do so may end up undermining their privacy still further.
It might be countered, of course, that a huge variety of apps already collect geo-location data on users, and that the data collected by contact tracing apps is therefore no different from data already stored on smartphones. However, the crucial difference with this type of app is that it allows surveillance agencies to see who users have been in contact with. These data could then be used by law enforcement agencies to extract real-time information on the movements of individual citizens.
The Future
None of these issues are new. Privacy rights groups have been raising concerns about the legality of mass surveillance for more than a decade. What the pandemic has done, however, is provide an excuse for governments to justify the mass collection of geo-location data. As we’ve pointed out, there is currently no way in which these data can be collected whilst respecting users’ fundamental right to privacy. There is no legal process for mandating the use of contact tracing apps; even if there were, the poor security implemented on the average smartphone makes these data highly vulnerable to theft or legal extraction.
It is important that in re-building the world after the pandemic we learn the lessons of the present time. We should, of course, overturn the economic policy that has made us more vulnerable to COVID-19, but we should also take the opportunity to look again at the level of surveillance that our digital world has made possible, and to challenge this.
Ultimately, we need to make technology work for those who use it, and not as a tool for the kind of “surveillance capitalism” that is rapidly overtaking our society. And resisting contact-tracing apps is just the start of that fight.
Sia Mohajer is an Iranian born Canadian entrepreneur and cofounder of Next Ventures. Since 2012 he’s been building and investing in digital business. Sia is also a long time supporter and advocate for open source privacy.
Source: FEE.org
Image: Spiro Skouras
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-06-01--Not the First “Small Town U.S.A.” vs Horrible Utility “Smart” Meters

Tens of millions of utility “ Smart ” Meters – electric , gas , and water – have been installed on homes and throughout communities in the U.S. and worldwide .
They have been plagued with so many problems that a documentary was produced about them in 2013 and then revised and re-released in 2017 .
Because of their increasingly bad reputation , many utility companies don ’ t call them “ Smart ” anymore in order to confuse customers .
HOWEVER , most of the costs for their installation AND their replacements have been and continue to be passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and malfunctioning and breaking appliances are associated with these meters ( see 1 , 2 .
3 .
4 ) .
Electromagnetic Radiation ( aka “ Electrosmog ” ) emitted from them can make people , plants and animals sick ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) .
Unfortunately , utility companies are fighting to keep installing them because “ Smart ” Meters collect customer usage data 24/7 , whereas original analog meters DO NOT .
They use that data to try to market more products and services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties .
Feeling violated yet ?
People everywhere – even elected officials ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) – are fighting crappy expensive privacy-invading “ Smart ” Meters ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) .
Fairfield , Iowa residents are fighting them too .
• Many residents in Fairfield , Iowa , home to thousands of disciples of a deceased Indian guru , claim that radiation emitted by cell phones and other devices is harmful to human health .
• Those beliefs created a problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiation-emitting smart meters in 2017 .
• Through administrative proceedings , Fairfield residents fought back against the utility ’ s smart meter program — and , for the most part , won .
• At its core , the fight wasn ’ t about the health effects of smart meters .
It was about the freedom to exercise a set of beliefs , as unusual as they may be .
For the power company , smart meters are the future , offering big savings and granular info about energy use .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unacceptable health risk .
But the fight against them was about something much bigger : protecting a way of life and the freedom to exercise a set of beliefs that big corporations and advancing technologies put at risk .
Still want these horrible devices installed on your home ?
Activist Post reports regularly about “ Smart ” Meters and other unsafe technology .
For more information , visit our archives and the following websites : Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
Tens of millions of utility “Smart” Meters – electric, gas, and water – have been installed on homes and throughout communities in the U.S. and worldwide. They have been plagued with so many problems that a documentary was produced about them in 2013 and then revised and re-released in 2017.
Because of their increasingly bad reputation, many utility companies don’t call them “Smart” anymore in order to confuse customers. HOWEVER, most of the costs for their installation AND their replacements have been and continue to be passed onto customers. Fires, explosions, and malfunctioning and breaking appliances are associated with these meters (see 1, 2. 3. 4). Electromagnetic Radiation (aka “Electrosmog”) emitted from them can make people, plants and animals sick (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
Unfortunately, utility companies are fighting to keep installing them because “Smart” Meters collect customer usage data 24/7, whereas original analog meters DO NOT. They use that data to try to market more products and services to customers and/or sell it to 3rd parties. Feeling violated yet?
People everywhere – even elected officials (see 1, 2, 3, 4) – are fighting crappy expensive privacy-invading “Smart” Meters (see 1, 2, 3, 4). Fairfield, Iowa residents are fighting them too.
From BusinessInsider.com:
Many residents in Fairfield, Iowa, home to thousands of disciples of a deceased Indian guru, claim that radiation emitted by cell phones and other devices is harmful to human health.
Those beliefs created a problem for a local utility that began deploying radiation-emitting smart meters in 2017.
Through administrative proceedings, Fairfield residents fought back against the utility’s smart meter program — and, for the most part, won.
At its core, the fight wasn’t about the health effects of smart meters. It was about the freedom to exercise a set of beliefs, as unusual as they may be.
[…]
For the power company, smart meters are the future, offering big savings and granular info about energy use. For some residents of my hometown, they pose an unacceptable health risk.
But the fight against them was about something much bigger: protecting a way of life and the freedom to exercise a set of beliefs that big corporations and advancing technologies put at risk.
Read full article
Still want these horrible devices installed on your home?
Activist Post reports regularly about “Smart” Meters and other unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites:
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-05-31--NY Times on Bluelight and “Screentime” Affecting Skin and Sleep

Advice Includes Replacing LED Bulbs ( Which Are Also Eco-Toxic ) Bluelight + RF Radiation from screens = health problems including skin afflictions like hyperpigmentation and premature aging ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ) !
There ’ s actually been quite a bit of research already published about this .
There ’ s also been quite a bit of research already published about LED light bulbs being biologically and environmentally awful .
Thanks to the New York Times for publishing an article about how Bluelight , LED bulbs , and “ Screentime ” could be affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can do about it : You ’ ve probably heard more about the perils of blue light lately because our lives are more likely to be lived indoors and online .
Our laptops , phones , tablets , TVs and even LED light bulbs are all sources of blue light .
And now that we ’ re tethered to those devices , are we getting drenched ?
Should we be more worried about damage to our skin ?
Here ’ s what we know : Compared with the well-understood dangers of ultraviolet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , science isn ’ t settled on the effects of indoor sources of blue light on skin .
It can cause hyperpigmentation and premature aging , but the rest — what dose of it causes trouble , for instance — was debated well before we were confined to our homes .
Here , we ’ ve checked in with some blue light and skin experts to help us understand the real risks .
On a related note – there is a class action lawsuit against 11 smartphone models for exceeding federal RF radiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about health risks from unsafe technology .
For more information , visit our archives and the following websites : Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By B.N. Frank
Advice Includes Replacing LED Bulbs (Which Are Also Eco-Toxic)
Bluelight + RF Radiation from screens = health problems including skin afflictions like hyperpigmentation and premature aging (see 1, 2, 3, 4)! There’s actually been quite a bit of research already published about this. There’s also been quite a bit of research already published about LED light bulbs being biologically and environmentally awful.
Thanks to the New York Times for publishing an article about how Bluelight, LED bulbs, and “Screentime” could be affecting you and your loved ones and what you can do about it:
You’ve probably heard more about the perils of blue light lately because our lives are more likely to be lived indoors and online. Our laptops, phones, tablets, TVs and even LED light bulbs are all sources of blue light. And now that we’re tethered to those devices, are we getting drenched? Should we be more worried about damage to our skin? Here’s what we know: Compared with the well-understood dangers of ultraviolet light (skin aging and cancer), science isn’t settled on the effects of indoor sources of blue light on skin. It can cause hyperpigmentation and premature aging, but the rest — what dose of it causes trouble, for instance — was debated well before we were confined to our homes. Here, we’ve checked in with some blue light and skin experts to help us understand the real risks. Read full article
On a related note – there is a class action lawsuit against 11 smartphone models for exceeding federal RF radiation safety levels.
Activist Post reports regularly about health risks from unsafe technology. For more information, visit our archives and the following websites:
Image: Pixabay
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-06-02--Surveillance Self-Defense: Attending Protests in the Age of COVID-19

In the wake of nationwide protests against the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor , we urge protestors to stay safe , both physically and digitally .
Our Surveillance Self Defense ( SSD ) Guide on attending a protest offers practical tips on how to maintain your privacy and minimize your digital footprint while taking to the streets .
These demonstrations have taken place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic , so for many , public health concerns have added an extra dimension to the subtle calculus of when to stay inside and when to engage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us enough novelty to warrant a “ reader ’ s guide ” to our normal SSD post on attending a protest .
Many of our tips for preparing to attend a protest remain the same : enable full disk encryption for your device , install an encrypted messenger app such as Signal ( for iOS or Android ) to communicate with friends , and remove biometric identifiers like fingerprint or FaceID .
Under current U.S. law—which is still in flux—using a memorized passcode generally provides a stronger legal footing to push back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask during a protest is certainly more commonplace ( and advisable ) this year , and it will also impede your ability to unlock your device with FaceID .
This is all the more reason to remove that particular unlock mechanism .
The widespread use of face masks has prompted technology companies to increase research and development on novel methods of identifying people from footage .
Biometric identifiers that can be observed despite facial covering , such as eyes and cheekbones , are increasing the trackability and surveillability of those on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking photos that include protesters and bystanders .
Consider blurring out faces and other identifiable features like clothing , colored hair , and tattoos , and remove metadata from those photos before posting them .
Taking basic precautions to protect yourselves and the protesters around you goes a long way .
If you are buying a prepaid cell phone for the protest , be sure to disinfect the device thoroughly .
Digital devices are particularly nasty vectors for the spread of germs , especially if you ’ re purchasing them second-hand .
Follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop the spread of the disease .
Caravan protests are gaining popularity as a way to remain safe while amplifying one ’ s message .
While a good way to protect against COVID-19 , it puts those protesters at increased risk of being tracked by Automated License Plate Readers ( ALPRs ) .
Riding a bicycle or walking to the protest will help avoid invasive tracking technologies like ALPRs .
Use the best judgement that applies to your particular threat model .
Gathering in large crowds increases the risk of protesters being targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which can cause severe respiratory problems and even spread COVID-19 .
If you have a burner device with you , be sure to save the number for an emergency health contact who will be available in case you need them .
At least 40 cities have now imposed curfews limiting the right of movement and protest for their residents .
What ’ s more , at least one state has started appropriating the language of public health in an attempt to extend the application of surveillance technologies to protesters .
At EFF , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use COVID as a justification for extending the use of surveillance technologies that are already disproportionately targeted at communities of color .
And as the protests continue , we will be especially vigilant against the government using the justification of “ public safety ” to introduce more invasive technologies on ordinary citizens .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Flote , Minds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Bill Budington
In the wake of nationwide protests against the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, we urge protestors to stay safe, both physically and digitally. Our Surveillance Self Defense (SSD) Guide on attending a protest offers practical tips on how to maintain your privacy and minimize your digital footprint while taking to the streets.
These demonstrations have taken place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, so for many, public health concerns have added an extra dimension to the subtle calculus of when to stay inside and when to engage in street protest. This unique context provides us enough novelty to warrant a “reader’s guide” to our normal SSD post on attending a protest.
Many of our tips for preparing to attend a protest remain the same: enable full disk encryption for your device, install an encrypted messenger app such as Signal (for iOS or Android) to communicate with friends, and remove biometric identifiers like fingerprint or FaceID. Under current U.S. law—which is still in flux—using a memorized passcode generally provides a stronger legal footing to push back in court against compelled device unlocking/decryption. Wearing a mask during a protest is certainly more commonplace (and advisable) this year, and it will also impede your ability to unlock your device with FaceID. This is all the more reason to remove that particular unlock mechanism.
The widespread use of face masks has prompted technology companies to increase research and development on novel methods of identifying people from footage. Biometric identifiers that can be observed despite facial covering, such as eyes and cheekbones, are increasing the trackability and surveillability of those on the street. Accordingly, be mindful when taking photos that include protesters and bystanders. Consider blurring out faces and other identifiable features like clothing, colored hair, and tattoos, and remove metadata from those photos before posting them. Taking basic precautions to protect yourselves and the protesters around you goes a long way.
If you are buying a prepaid cell phone for the protest, be sure to disinfect the device thoroughly. Digital devices are particularly nasty vectors for the spread of germs, especially if you’re purchasing them second-hand. Follow best practices for cleaning digital devices to stop the spread of the disease.
Caravan protests are gaining popularity as a way to remain safe while amplifying one’s message. While a good way to protect against COVID-19, it puts those protesters at increased risk of being tracked by Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs). Riding a bicycle or walking to the protest will help avoid invasive tracking technologies like ALPRs. Use the best judgement that applies to your particular threat model.
Gathering in large crowds increases the risk of protesters being targeted with weapons such as tear gas, which can cause severe respiratory problems and even spread COVID-19. If you have a burner device with you, be sure to save the number for an emergency health contact who will be available in case you need them.
At least 40 cities have now imposed curfews limiting the right of movement and protest for their residents. What’s more, at least one state has started appropriating the language of public health in an attempt to extend the application of surveillance technologies to protesters. At EFF, we strongly oppose efforts by the state to use COVID as a justification for extending the use of surveillance technologies that are already disproportionately targeted at communities of color. And as the protests continue, we will be especially vigilant against the government using the justification of “public safety” to introduce more invasive technologies on ordinary citizens.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay heard.
Source: EFF.org
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activistpost--2020-06-02--Police Use Contact Tracing And Big Tech To Identify Protesters

Countless warnings about how law enforcement could use contact tracing apps to monitor people have gone unheeded .
As BGR.com revealed , police are using contact tracing to identify protesters ’ affiliations .
According to Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harringon , officials there have been using what they describe , without going into much detail , as contact-tracing in order to build out a picture of protestor affiliations — a process that officials in the state say has led them to conclude that much of the protest activity there is being fueled by people from outside coming in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tracing ” revealed how police are using contact tracing to identify and arrest protesters .
“ Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says they ’ ve begun contact tracing arrestees.
” Recently , 100 human rights groups warned that an Apple/Google contact tracing app could be used as a cover to identify activists and minorities .
So despite all assurances to the contrary , it appears that 100 human rights groups were right ; law enforcement can and will use contact tracing to identify protesters .
As NBC News noted , contact tracers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Time exposed how the military ( National Guard ) uses a classified system called “ Secret Internet Protocol Router ” or SIPR to monitor protesters .
( To learn about Perspecta Inc. ’ s role click here & here . )
Big Tech ’ s hands are dirty with federal money paying for new ways to monitor Americans .
A recent Business Insider article describes how police use Big Tech to monitor activists and protesters the moment they walk out their door .
Both of these articles reveal a frightening array of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police nationwide .
Minneapolis police and the Minnesota Fusion Center are also using Clearview AI , BriefCam , Ring doorbell cameras , Axon police body cameras , ShotSpotter and license plate readers to create an intimate view of people ’ s lives .
BuzzFeed ’ s article also revealed how police use Arxys “ Milestone ” software which uses video detection and analytics to identify people .
While both articles do a great job of revealing some of the ways law enforcement can monitor anyone , it really did not go into detail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance devices truly are .
Let ’ s say you use your smartphone for everything ; texts , phone calls , pictures , music , etc .
— if you also use Alexa or a NEST thermostat or any smart device in your home , these devices collect , store and transmit all that personal data , which police can use to identify a person .
Police can also identify people who use a tablet or laptop , because like a phone they have an IP and MAC address .
If you use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchases , police can ask those companies to provide details of what you bought and when .
Anytime you use a credit/debit or customer rewards card , someone is compiling a database of everything you purchased .
Let ’ s say you drive or take public transit , police can track your vehicle and they can use facial recognition to identify where you work or which bus or train stops you use .
If you drive or take an Uber or Lyft , chances are your personal information is being recorded and used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comings and goings .
From the moment you step outside of your home , your neighbor ’ s Ring doorbell or Flock cameras have identified you , your family and your vehicle .
And if they are any social distance snitches in your neighborhood , they have recorded you and reported you to police via Ring Neighbors or Nextdoor .
Thanks to Big Tech , a person ’ s everyday life is no longer private .
Now everything we do is being recorded in real-time .
Things like what and where you eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are , who your family doctor is or where you worship are all available to law enforcement .
Despite what Big tech , politicians and law enforcement say , AI and smart devices are being used to identify activists and protesters .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , HIVE , Flote , Minds , and Twitter .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Counter Markets today .

By MassPrivateI
Countless warnings about how law enforcement could use contact tracing apps to monitor people have gone unheeded.
As BGR.com revealed, police are using contact tracing to identify protesters’ affiliations.
According to Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harringon, officials there have been using what they describe, without going into much detail, as contact-tracing in order to build out a picture of protestor affiliations — a process that officials in the state say has led them to conclude that much of the protest activity there is being fueled by people from outside coming in.
A Twitter feed titled “Minnesota Contact Tracing” revealed how police are using contact tracing to identify and arrest protesters. “Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington says they’ve begun contact tracing arrestees.”
Recently, 100 human rights groups warned that an Apple/Google contact tracing app could be used as a cover to identify activists and minorities.
An increase in state digital surveillance powers, such as obtaining access to mobile phone location data, threatens privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of association, in ways that could violate rights and degrade trust in public authorities—undermining the effectiveness of any public health response. Such measures also pose a risk of discrimination and may disproportionately harm already marginalized communities.
So despite all assurances to the contrary, it appears that 100 human rights groups were right; law enforcement can and will use contact tracing to identify protesters.
As NBC News noted, contact tracers also use geofencing to help identify protesters.
“Geofencing” captures the social media posts of people entering a specific area. The technology locates any cellphones that cross into the area by locking onto their geolocation systems, and then records social media posts and sometimes other data from the phones.
Time exposed how the military (National Guard) uses a classified system called “Secret Internet Protocol Router” or SIPR to monitor protesters. (To learn about Perspecta Inc.’s role click here & here.)
Big Tech’s hands are dirty with federal money paying for new ways to monitor Americans.
A recent Business Insider article describes how police use Big Tech to monitor activists and protesters the moment they walk out their door.
Law enforcement agencies have made full use of high-tech surveillance tools as protests sweep the country following the death of George Floyd. A predator drone operated by Customs and Border Patrol circled above protesters in Minneapolis.
Buzzfeed News warns,
law enforcement has a wide breadth of surveillance technologies that could be used to monitor and target protesters — including controversial facial recognition software Clearview AI, license plate readers, body cameras, and video analysis tools.
Both of these articles reveal a frightening array of Big Tech surveillance devices being used by police nationwide.
Minneapolis police and the Minnesota Fusion Center are also using Clearview AI, BriefCam, Ring doorbell cameras, Axon police body cameras, ShotSpotter and license plate readers to create an intimate view of people’s lives.
BuzzFeed’s article also revealed how police use Arxys “Milestone” software which uses video detection and analytics to identify people.
The Minneapolis Police Department said in a surveillance white paper that it uses Arxys [Milestone] software — a video management tool that claims to offer “video motion detection” and “video analytics” — to analyze CCTV footage.
While both articles do a great job of revealing some of the ways law enforcement can monitor anyone, it really did not go into detail about how invasive Big Tech’s surveillance devices truly are.
Activist Post Recommended Book: The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Let’s say you use your smartphone for everything; texts, phone calls, pictures, music, etc. — if you also use Alexa or a NEST thermostat or any smart device in your home, these devices collect, store and transmit all that personal data, which police can use to identify a person. Police can also identify people who use a tablet or laptop, because like a phone they have an IP and MAC address.
If you use any of these devices to make online purchases, police can ask those companies to provide details of what you bought and when. Anytime you use a credit/debit or customer rewards card, someone is compiling a database of everything you purchased.
Let’s say you drive or take public transit, police can track your vehicle and they can use facial recognition to identify where you work or which bus or train stops you use.
If you drive or take an Uber or Lyft, chances are your personal information is being recorded and used to build a massive database of your comings and goings. From the moment you step outside of your home, your neighbor’s Ring doorbell or Flock cameras have identified you, your family and your vehicle.
And if they are any social distance snitches in your neighborhood, they have recorded you and reported you to police via Ring Neighbors or Nextdoor.
Thanks to Big Tech, a person’s everyday life is no longer private. Now everything we do is being recorded in real-time. Things like what and where you eat, who your friends and family members are, who your family doctor is or where you worship are all available to law enforcement.
Despite what Big tech, politicians and law enforcement say, AI and smart devices are being used to identify activists and protesters.
Source: MassPrivateI Blog
Top image credit: Study.com
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, HIVE, Flote, Minds, and Twitter.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.