Nuff said.

For educational purposes only, to educate those among you who happen to think freedom is free and can be had without responsible input from an intelligent populus (voting for someone other than the nicest teeth and best spin).

http://www.seattleinsider.com/news/1999/12/01/wtogasmasks.html December 1, 1999 Use of gas masks restricted

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News and SeattleInsider.com

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The Mayor of Seattle has issued an order restricting the use of gas masks.

Anti-WTO protesters have used gas masks to avoid breathing tear and pepper gas sprayed by police trying to control crowds.

The Mayor's office says the order was made under the declaration of civil emergency, which was declared Tuesday.

The order, effective immediately, makes it illegal to purchase, sell, convey, possess, carry or transport gas masks within the city limits.

Violators are subject to fines of up to $500 and imprisonment of up to 180 days.

-- Gordon (g_gecko_69@hotmail.com), December 01, 1999

Answers

1. The FBI and Secretary of Defense William Cohen has been telling us for months that there is a clear and present danger of chemical or biological agents being used against US citizens at any time.

2. Y2k experts claim that there is potential for chemical and/or radioactive leaks due to the Y2k bug. This could happen at any time during the month of December, January and beyond.

3. There is no law against the wearing of gas masks, nor should there be as it is basically a filter that cleans the air we breathe.

4. Many countries that do not have the protection that our Constitution provides us, yet GIVE their citizens gas masks to protect them from danger from other countries, however....

5. Seattle Mayor Paul Schell has his troops gas his citizens with tear gas and pepper spray and then puts them in jail for 6 months if they CHOOSE to protect their lungs from this lethal gas.

6. PRESIDENT CLINTON STATES TODAY THAT JUST BECAUSE COMMUNIST CHINA HAS CONTROL OF BOTH ENDS OF THE PANAMA CANAL, HE IS CONFIDENT THEY WILL NOT USE THAT CONTROL AGAINST THE US DURING A CONFLICT. HE BELIEVES THEIR CONCERN OVER HOW THE REST OF THE WORLD WOULD SEE THE ABUSE OF THAT POWER WILL KEEP THEM FROM ACTING OUT. (I just had to put this in to show the insanity of it all....)

Have we gone mad folks???

-- Mark (info@gasmasks.com), December 01, 1999.

C'mon Gordon,

Gas masks cause riots. Anybody can see that. Just look at the pictures and you will see rioters (or, at least people in the crowd) wearing gas masks. Now no ordinary person needs a gas mask. When was the last time you noticed someone carrying a gas mask to the grocery?

Now the question is: Should there be a national gas mask registration, or perhaps a buy back program to get them off the street? (They are too easy to obtain, obviously.)

The mayor of Seattle is making the city safe for democracy. This is a fine gesture (and will doubtless draw some gestures of another kind.) I feel safer already! A few more mayoral decrees, and crime will cease altogether.

Puttin' on a happy face,

gene

-- gene (ekbaker@essex1.com), December 01, 1999.

Actually, if you put the complete order down, it states that it is "illegal to purchase, sell, convey, possess, carry or transport gas masks within the city limits so long as the declaration of civil emergency is in effect". Quite frankly, you don't need a gas mask if you are where you should be...and not where the police are trying to control the few hundred out of the thousands that caused the $7 million worth of damage yesterday. The city, the police and the media have all stated their admiration for the "protestors" who were genuinely sorry for the violence yesterday and went so far as to help with the clean up. The rule is for those who disregarded other peoples rights.

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.xnet), December 01, 1999.

Be very carefull what you think the "Ordinary person" should and should not have. A lot can be taken from you under the heading of "being reasonable" or "what normal person needs that?".

I realise that the rioters are using this gear to evade the tear gas and I agree that the rioters needed to be stopped, but once you allow the gov to take something you rarely get it back.

Someday you may be an ORDINARY person in an EXTRA ORDINARY situation wondering why you can not obtain a gas mask when you really need it.

Do not sacrafice the freedom and rights of the many to catch the few antisocial one's.

-- Praxis (fake@fake.com), December 01, 1999.

Tear gas is transported downwind...and there the "innocent bystanders" are subject to its effects, as well.

Obviously, the mayor (and police, no doubt) want a defenseless crowd to control...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), December 02, 1999.

Valkyrie -

Where did that $7M number come from? I ask because I've seen city fires do tons of damage and the cost estimates never got anywhere near that high. Starbucks windows and contents must be fairly pricey up in the Emerald City.

I do not advocate nor support in any way the vandalism that has occurred. If they'd gone after my shop, I'd have clocked some of those black-masked cretins myself. I am, however, more than a bit skeptical about the way the news media is handling this story.

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), December 02, 1999.

How many times do I have to tell you. If you are not one of us, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM. Constitution, we don't need no stinkin Constitution.

-- InCharge (TPTB@In.Gov), December 02, 1999.

If 7 million in damage was done during the riot, I'd bet about 6.75 million of it was caused by police tear gas. CS is some mean stuff, and once it gets into something it's in there. A cop once told me his department had to junk a patrol car after a tear gas despenser blew up in the vehicle.

-- Ocotillo (peeling@out.===), December 02, 1999.

Any news on whether civil liberties groups are prepared to challenge this breathtaking example of rule by fiat?

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), December 02, 1999.