The Devlin Case

[PopHistorian]

For Years, Boy Had Chance To Escape
Mentally Shackled by Terror
(http:/)/www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/14/boys.found.ap/index.html

Aside from being distraction of the week, this kidnapping story disturbs me in that reporters, when interviewing all those people close to the alleged perpetrator, Michael Devlin, such as his neighbors, his boss, his landlord -- their probing questions all suggest that they should have been spying on him. The "spying on your neighbors is the right thing to do" message, in the guise "being a good citizen" is evident.

Then there's the greater question of Stockholm Syndrome as it applies to national populations and their captors, governments.

 

[Nienna]

The "spying on your neighbors is the right thing to do" message, in the guise "being a good citizen" is evident.

Yeah, I've seen this coming since way back when the mini series "V" was on. The way the aliens (you know, the lizards in people costumes?) trained the kids and teens to spy on the adults just sort of hit me in the solar plexes. And I could just see how our government - or any government for that matter - would be doing the same thing given enough time.

I already have seen this happening in schools back in the '90's. Kids were told to tell their teachers if their parents drank alcohol, smoked pot, took other drugs, hit them, yelled at them. You name it, they were suppose to tell their teachers or counselers about it. I wasn't even surprised. And, now, the news stations on the radio make a point of telling people to call the cops if they see anything suspicious. Well, I can understand it in some cases, but I can see it getting out of hand; especially if we end up in a police state (not that we aren't already).

So watch your backs!

 

[crazy croc]

Remember this...Police state stuff is 90% smoke and mirrors. If you ever get mixed up in anything, at least in the states, don't talk much, don't present yourself as sympathetic to their charges. Stand up politely for yourself and your rights under the constitution. Then, hire an attorney you can trust and play it out on that level. For every case that makes it to the papers, there are a thousand more that are being played out everyday. You gotta be prepared if it comes a knokin'. I've been down that road twice and have beat the dogs down on both occassions. Get an attorney you can TRUST and keep your mouth shut till it's over and even after.