The Turning of the Leaves

Why in God's name are these idiots talking about leaves turning in June ? Good question.

Because turning leaves are a metaphor for the early signs of coming events. The wise observe these early signs and plan or react accordingly.

The coming events we are here concerned with are those signalling the final and fatal loss of our civil rights and liberties, the freedoms that protect our democracy, the freedoms so many have died, and are dying, to protect.

This story, as reported in the Vail Daily, is about Steven Howards and the man pictured at left who needs no introduction. He, that's Mr. Howards, was arrested by Secret Service agents charged with protecting Vice President Cheney because he, that's Mr. Howard, "wasn't acting like the other folks in the area." That's it. That's the charge. Oops, I tell a lie. He, that's Mr. Howard, also was suspected of having "behavior and demeanor that wasn't [sic] quite right."

Now we weren't there, but everything I have ever seen about Mr. Cheney tells me that he also wasn't acting like the other folks in the area and we have never seen him when we thought his behavior and demeanor were quite right, especially whe he is lying about the Iraq war in the face of increasingly indisputable facts.

Mr. Howard, who, by the way, became "argumentative and combative" when confronted by the Secret Police, excuse me, Secret Service, as any free American citizen might when accosted on the street by agents of The State for no apparent reason, was later released. His government (and yours), is however, "reviewing possible federal charges".

Let's see: one possible count of Failure to Conform, a violation of an Executive Order issued by President Bush; one possible count of Suspicious Demeanor, a violation of a Signing Statement issued by President Bush in connection with the renewed PATRIOT ACT and one possible count of Refusal to be Cowed by Federal Agents, a violation of traditional law enforcement practice needing no other authority.

Mr. Howard was released. Charges are unlikely. Maybe its trivial. Maybe its a leaf.

Stay Naked
jd