Washblog

The Rev. Rich Lang is pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Seattle, Washington.

-----Original Message-----
From: Rich Lang
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 11:47 AM
Subject: Emergency meeting

Hi folks,

This e[mail] was originally meant to promote the Living Faith Now radio program
(www.livingfaithnow.org)
but I first wanted to simply sound an alarm.

We are in a grave constitutional crisis with a President who seemingly wants to be king.

This administration is building, plank by plank, the framework for military dictatorship.

Already in place is a global governing philosophy that uses the military as muscle for invading other nations for the purpose of social engineering and massive Corporate profits.

The Defense Authorization Act of 2006 empowers the President to impose martial law in the event of a terrorist incident.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 permits the President to command National Guard troops without the consent of state governors.

The National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive gives the President dictatorial powers in the event of a “catastrophic incident”.

The Military Commissions Act suspends the right of habeas corpus.

This short list doesn’t include wide spread wire tapping of citizens, construction of concentration camps, Black-shirt private armies, an ever expanding military budget, increased government secrecy, non co-operation with Congress, and the inevitable bankrupting of domestic budgets. And now, the latest grab for power has the Executive announcing that “our property” can be seized for dissent against the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

a.) New Bush Executive Order Kills Right to Property


b.) Executive Order: Blocking Property of Certain Persons Who Threaten Stabilization Efforts in Iraq

c .) Friday, July 20, 2007 We ARE In A Constitutional Crisis

We are in a very grave constitutional crisis folks. I encourage every one of you to make a noise in the offices of Murray, Cantwell, and your congressional representative. Silence is the death of democracy.

But I think we also need to begin the process of organizing some form of resistance, protest, and/or strategy for impeachment.

Our politicians are fiddling while democracy burns.
Feeding from common Corporate money sources they are no longer worthy of our trust. Indeed, they have betrayed us.

For example, almost daily some media figure or political operative drops a hint that our country might be hit again by the terrorists.
Ask yourself, in the event of another catastrophic occurrence can you trust this government to stay true to the idealism of democracy, and the laws of limited checks and balances of power, encoded in the Constitution?
Can you trust Congress to represent the people?

I certainly cannot.

We are, I repeat, in a grave, surreal even, constitutional crisis.

We are dealing with a spirituality of tyranny; an unleashing of ruthless, arrogant power that corrupts all it touches.

It’s time to get angry and cast out this unclean spirit from our land.

Such a statement can now get me arrested, disappeared, and stripped of all assets.

Is this America?

Is this the country in which we have been raised?

And how long, friend, until you yourself awaken only to discover that there is now a knock on your door?

On Wednesday evening, August 1st, at 7pm, you are invited to a gathering at:
Trinity United Methodist Church,
(6512 23rd Ave. NW Seattle, 98117).

There we will begin to strategize how to reclaim the power of the people, the birthright we share from our heritage of democracy.

Knock. Knock.

Rev. Rich Lang
(oddrev@yahoo.com)

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P.S. Note this happening:

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Friday, July 20, 2007
JEFF KOSSEFF
The Oregonian Staff

WASHINGTON -- Oregonians called Peter DeFazio's office, worried there was a conspiracy buried in the classified portion of a White House plan for operating the government after a terrorist attack.

As a member of the U.S. House on the Homeland Security Committee, DeFazio, D-Ore., is permitted to enter a secure "bubbleroom" in the Capitol and examine classified material. So he asked the White House to see the secret documents.

On Wednesday, DeFazio got his answer: DENIED.

"I just can't believe they're going to deny a member of Congress the right of reviewing how they plan to conduct the government of the United States after a significant terrorist attack," DeFazio says.

Homeland Secur ity Co mmittee staffers told his office that the White House initially approved his request, but it was later quashed. DeFazio doesn't know who did it or why.blockquote>"We're talking about the continuity of the government of the United States of America," DeFazio says. "I would think that would be relevant to any member of Congress, let alone a member of the Homeland Security Committee."

Bush administration spokesman Trey Bohn declined to say why DeFazio was denied access:

"We do not comment through the press on the process that this access entails. It is important to keep in mind that much of the information related to the continuity of government is highly sensitive."

Norm Ornstein, a legal scholar who studies government continuity at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, said he "cannot think of one good reason" to deny access to a member of Congress who serves on the Homeland Security Committee.

"I find it inexplicable and probabl y reflective of the usual, knee-jerk overextension of executive power that we see from this White House," Ornstein said.

This is the first time DeFazio has been denied access to documents. DeFazio has asked Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., to help him access the documents.

"Maybe the people who think there's a conspiracy out there are right," DeFazio said.