When most people see the words “police state” they think of Nazi Germany, or maybe some of the current African states, or possibly Niger:
From OneWorld.Net: U.S. Reporter Arrested Covering Nigeria Oil Story “An award-winning U.S. journalist covering ‘the economic and ecological disaster’ taking shape in a strategic oil-producing region of Nigeria was arrested this week on spying charges…”
Journalists (especially those covering abuse of rights by the police) have recently experienced the dreadful repercussions of police-state-mentality in the United States of America:
From OneWorld.Net: RNC: Media Intimidation Condemned “Police and local and federal officials in St. Paul, Minnesota are under fire from independent media groups for their crackdown on reporters at this week’s Republican National Convention.”
The last news link has some extremely interesting but possibly nerve-wracking videos showing abuse of journalists’ rights.
The quote below has these words, “…masses of people unable to exercise the functions of citizenship…”. When journalists are treated in repressive ways and arrested in the course of their duties, citizens are deprived of information critically necessary for competent discharge of their duty.
Today’s Spiritual Quote:
“An equal standard of human rights must be upheld, and individuals given equal opportunities. Variety and not uniformity is the principle of organic society. Since lack of opportunity, repression and degrading conditions have created masses of people unable to exercise the functions of citizenship, such persons are a moral trust laid upon the conscience of the rest, to educate the ignorant, train the immature and heal the sick.”
Bahá’í International Community, 1947 Feb, A Bahá’í Declaration of Human Obligations and Rights
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Our Evolution 
Sadly “security” is being used as an excuse by agents of the state in many parts of the world to stop not only journalists but ordinary citizens from exercising various essential rights, such as freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, thought and religion. As I Baha’i, I advocate universal human rights, which I regard as essential for human dignity, the fulfilment of human potential and the building of a new, global, civilization based on justice.
Of course, human rights by themselves won’t do the trick. There has to be a spiritual foundation which will motivate people to transform themselves spiritually and morally so that they fully recognize their responsibilities as well as their rights.
Thank you for including the excellent quotation from the Baha’i International Community statement.
Barney,
In this dark and squirming world, the moral transformation you speak of seems so impossible unless certain spiritual considerations are entertained–the amazing power of free-will and the indomitable strength of the Prophets.
Would that more folk could See…
Thank you for posting about this – more attention needs to be given to these shameful actions that are undermining the foundation of our free society. As presented on DemocracyNow.org, the “orders” to carry out these illegal arrests at the RNC appear to have come from higher up – the FBI, CIA, and Dept. of “Homeland Security” have all been implicated.
I predict that more will be revealed in the days. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
jan,
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I couldn’t avoid posting about this. The videos brought me to infuriated tears !
What if the world is as it appears to you because you desire to perceive it that way? One view is that nothing that has ever been inflicted on humanity is impossible to reverse. You view what you choose and how you choose to view it. You could eliminate a sense of pain and suffering, but you do not. Whatever a person chooses to write and how has a vibration energy. You use your energy to reflect personal whims, dwell on problems or, channel your energy to help the energy state of the whole world. You can discuss matters like starvation, oppression and environmental crises as problematic or, you can take action to make what you consider to make a positive difference. It is intention behind your action that makes a difference.
Liara,
It is sometimes hard to determine whether your comments are directed to “everyone” or to me in particular…
My intention is invite everyone to consider certain ideas. I may use second or third person point of view, but my underlying intention is the same.
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous,he will not bite you,this is the princcipal difference between a dog and a man.
A brief word about religion..
Science without religion is lame,religion without science is blind.
Catherine,
More and more VALUE you add to this blog !!!