From Democracy Now!: Antonia Juhasz interviewed by Amy Goodman:

October 07, 2008

The Tyranny of Oil: Antonia Juhasz on “The World’s Most Powerful Industry—What We Must Do to Stop It”

Along with so-called clean coal technology, both of the major presidential candidates also supporting expanded offshore oil drilling. We speak to Antonia Juhasz, author of the new book The Tyranny of Oil: The World’s Most Powerful Industry—And What We Must Do to Stop It. [includes rush transcript]

Guest:

Antonia Juhasz, author of the new book The Tyranny of Oil: The World’s Most Powerful Industry—And What We Must Do to Stop It. Her previous book, The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time.

AMY GOODMAN: Along with so-called clean coal technology, both the major presidential candidates—Barack Obama, John McCain—are also supporting expanded offshore oil drilling. Last month, the Democratic-led Congress let expire a twenty-six-year-old ban on offshore oil drilling.

Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is now pushing to also allow for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Palin’s campaign slogan has become “Drill, baby, drill.”

I heard some great segments (as usual) on today's Democracy Now! program. I wanted to draw particular attention to this one, because there is some choice testimony.

“We Are Not Terrorists”: Activists with the RNC Welcoming Committee Speak Out Against Police Crackdown & Terrorism Charges

Ramsey County prosecutors formally charged eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee with conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism. On Thursday, other members of the anarchist group held their first press conference. One local activist accused the police of beating and torturing him in jail. [includes rush transcript]

WILLIAM GILLIS:... I want to see a world of anarchy without domination, without thugs, without warlords, without tyrants and without politicians. And as an American, I believe in actively resisting those who would rule us all.

The brutality and the lies of the state this week are not a surprise, but they are still deplorable. Police kicked down doors with guns drawn on families with their children at dinnertime. Reporters and the media at large have been repeatedly target for repression. Activists have been abducted off the street in unmarked vans and political prisoners held without access to medical attention.

The state has never really bothered with ethical justifications for its violence. But now we see that the agents of the law don’t even bother with internal consistency, ignoring the few rights they have pledged not to violate. Sheriff Bob Fletcher has unleashed a degree of repression that should embarrass and anger us all.

...

 Whoa! This is scary!

Eight Members of RNC Activist Group Lodged with Terrorism Charges

Ramsey County prosecutors have formally charged eight members of a prominent activist group with conspiracy to riot in furtherance of terrorism. The eight members of the RNC Welcoming Committee are believed to be the first persons ever charged under the 2002 Minnesota version of the federal PATRIOT Act. The activists face up to seven-and-a-half years in prison. We speak with the father of one of those charged and the president of the Minnesota chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. [includes rush transcript]

Headlines from the Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 Democracy Now! show, (with Amy Goodman):

Today's Headlines

• Jailed Professor Sami Al-Arian Released from Prison
• Contradicting ‘00 Primary Smears, Bush Praises McCain on War Record, Adoption
• Top McCain Aide: ’08 Election “Not About Issues”
• Police Fire Flash Grenades, Teargas at RNC Protesters
• Minn. Police Infiltrated RNC Protest Group
• Residents Begin Slow Return to New Orleans Following Gustav
• Bush Cites Gustav to Promote Offshore Drilling
• 21 Haitians Die in Tropical Storm Hanna
• Justice Dept. Rejects Internal Referral to Indict Ex-AG Gonzales for Mishandling Classified Docs
• US Accused of Killing 15 Civilians in Pakistan Ground Attack
• Pelosi Pays Tribute to Hiroshima Victims