Advocacy & Safety - Maryland State Police Target Bike Advocacy Group as 'Terrorists'

http://www.thewashcycle.com/2009/01/bike-lane-advocates-monitored-in-md-police-spying.html

Hmmm does that mean that if you are in favor of bike lanes in the public record our current administration will grab you, imprison you and hold you indefinitely without filing charges? I am glad to see that the government has decided to protect people from bicycle lanes.

I guess this means it's time I report the bicycle lane making chemical weapons in my neighbor's basement to the authorities.

The same Maryland State Police that got the idea to enforce speeding around the DC beltway by setting up speed traps in the center next to the far left lanes. It didn't take it long for the fastest speeders to pass cars on the right. Of course the bright State Police didn't realize than for almost ten years. Now high speed passing on the right is the norm and people abiding by the law have to worry about getting hit when they move over.

Read the comments; seems that the troopers simply took an interest in CM. Big deal.

Your homeland security dollars at work. Gotta spend it on something right?

Read the comments; seems that the troopers simply took an interest in CM. Big deal.


Spying activity by the Maryland State Police actually went quite a bit deeper than that. For clarification, here is the story quoted in the blog:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/03/AR2009010301993_pf.html

Nothing more then an article written in an anti-cyclist fashion, misstating a perfectly legitimate concern about Critical Mass.

-Kurt

Incorrect in this case; read the above posted article for a look into the extent of MD police activity. I wouldn't call what they did "a perfectly legitimate concern".

Don't let it go to your heads; it's says more about them than it does you. :)

Spying activity by the Maryland State Police actually went quite a bit deeper than that. For clarification, here is the story quoted in the blog:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/03/AR2009010301993_pf.htmlAnother overblown story by the washington post. Whoa. Did you note "To date, the activists listed as terrorists are not known to have experienced any related limits in their travel, employment or financial transactions."

If the Maryland State Police would like to conduct surveillance of the VC members, good, they might learn something about cycling laws and proper riding. I welcome them to ride with me on a commute and learn something, should they get bored riding with CM.

Honolulu is about the furthest point in the US from Maryland, but CB knows exactly what's going on there. congrats on Speculation of the Year 2009. but what the hey, it's still early, and there's plenty of time for this to be eclipsed many times over on BF before year's end.

:lol:

Yeah millions of taxpayers dollars spent with zero arrests or plots thwarted, the reality that federal regulations were violated, and the real possibility that some people's constitutional right to privacy was violated without due cause.

No big whoop.

Yeah millions of taxpayers dollars spent with zero arrests or plots thwarted, the reality that federal regulations were violated, and the real possibility that some people's constitutional right to privacy was violated without due cause.

No big whoop.

Thank you (of course we are now on the FBI data base as anti American for even thinking the any government agency could be anything but perfect as long as they are protecting us from fantasy terrorists :roflmao2:).

So I guess since the Washington Post said it's true it must be.
Because a blogger said it's true it must be so.
So where are the WMD's in Iraq ? Even Nancy said they were there. Must be so.
I'll just wait until all the info is in before I make a judgment. If it concerned CM then I tend to side with Maryland.

Yep, CM is just about the biggest, most incredible security threat to life as we know it in Amerika today.

:rolleyes:

Incorrect in this case; read the above posted article for a look into the extent of MD police activity. I wouldn't call what they did "a perfectly legitimate concern".

That was supposed to be a sarcastic poke at CM. Forgot the laughing smiley.

-Kurt

left anarchists are associated with bikes Undoubtedly the crowd likes bikes more than average. Eitherway this is nonsense :roflmao2:

Police could end CM real fast if they wanted too. CM is not a terrorism problem.They targeted people , not bikes and what else. Everyone and everything who oppose or disagree with something were put under surveillance and branded as terrorists. Politification of law enforcement is a politics issue.

All kinds of people ride bikes or want them more on the road :) I don't see bikes as really as a part of politics .

This doesn't surprise me at all. They should receive the same penalties as the federal officials did that did not destroy the background check info for people purchasing firearms in the 1990's. The records that federal law said were not to be kept beyond 90 days, but were retained by the Feds anyway. The same criminal and civil penalties that those people got should be received in this case.

Honolulu is about the furthest point in the US from Maryland, but CB knows exactly what's going on there. congrats on Speculation of the Year 2009. but what the hey, it's still early, and there's plenty of time for this to be eclipsed many times over on BF before year's end.

:lol:Yes randya, we already know that you live in the small world of Potland. As for me, I have lived in Maryland, riden my bicycle in Maryland, I still have college classmates living in Maryland and all of my inlaws live in Maryland.

Seems I have more validity in commenting on what goes on in Maryland than you do, so maybe it is you who should not continue to comment on this issue.

Honolulu is about the furthest point in the US from Maryland, but CB knows exactly what's going on there. congrats on Speculation of the Year 2009. but what the hey, it's still early, and there's plenty of time for this to be eclipsed many times over on BF before year's end.

:lol:

Pot meet Kettle

-D

Thank you (of course we are now on the FBI data base as anti American for even thinking the any government agency could be anything but perfect as long as they are protecting us from fantasy terrorists :roflmao2:).
It happens....

Right after 9/11 (I was living in NYC), me and all my Arab friends suddenly had Verizon vans parked on the corners by our respective apartments for unexplained extended periods of time (there were 3 parked out near my apartment for a couple weeks...), while we heard mysterious clicks and breathing on our phones...

Of course, none of us were involved in any political activism, or dangerous CM plotting. But it was all for our safety right? (Heck maybe we weren't being surveilled, but it was suspicious. And the FBI was active in the neighborhood. They raided a mosque for terrorist ties about a month later, while I was having coffee right outside...)

Ever see the movie The Lives of Others? After the demise of communist East Germany, many people were shocked to find out the government had been spying on them for years, and that they had extensive files about them. I sometimes wonder if we'll experience something similar ourselves.

And not just in Maryland

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/4144210/Tory-MP-stopped-and-searched-by-police-for-taking-photos-of-cycle-path.html

And not just in Maryland

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/4144210/Tory-MP-stopped-and-searched-by-police-for-taking-photos-of-cycle-path.htmlAnd what a completely inappropriate reaction from the PM. He should of been completely outraged and incensed. Why did he not demand these police be brought up on charges.:p

And what a completely inappropriate reaction from the PM. He should of been completely outraged and incensed. Why did he not demand these police be brought up on charges.:p
Wow, someone else didn't mind being searched. I guess maybe I shouldn't mind either.

Some people like to be tied up and burned with candle wax. I guess I should get a domme.

Wow, someone else didn't mind being searched. I guess maybe I shouldn't mind either.

Some people like to be tied up and burned with candle wax. I guess I should get a domme.So, on what CM ride in Maryland, were you stopped and searched?

In your case, maybe it would do you some good!;)

So, on what CM ride in Maryland, were you stopped and searched?

In your case, maybe it would do you some good!;)
Wait. So if I wasn't specifically searched at that CM in Maryland, I shouldn't have an opinion? (I have been on the receiving end of civil liberty violations in the past, that's neither here nor there...) Seems to me you weren't there either. And then you post a story about a guy that wasn't at CM and who didn't mind being searched, to point out how silly you think it is for someone to be outraged at civil rights violations. You might not care about something, but your an ***** to poo-poo others who do. WTF are you even here in this subforum? This is Advocacy & Safety. It's for constructively discussing ways to improve cyclist safety and rights. But it seems just want to rage against CMers and civil libertarians and anyone else you disagree with personally. You're not adding anything when you troll. We've known your opinion since before this thread started. Now stop being a troll.

Or we could just all start trolling every comment of yours.
Meh

... And then you post a story about a guy that wasn't at CM and who didn't mind being searched, to point out how silly you think it is for someone to be outraged at civil rights violations. ...
MehAt least try following the thread, rather than just trolling. I did not link to any story.

PS - The CM info was in the OPs link. Not something I invented. There was no indication that anyone on the CM rides were stopped and searched. Looks like the cops only did a ride along with the CMers.

Sorry, I mistakenly attributed the posting of the second article to you. However, the rest of what I said about the content of your posts still applies.

This is Advocacy & Safety. It's for constructively discussing ways to improve cyclist safety and rights.:lol:

cops have been riding along with CM for some time now. eh, either way no matter to me, I'm moving to Ecuador. America will fall apart soon if this $hit doesn't stop.

What's wrong with cops riding along in a CM?

That referenced article seemed to me more about undercover agents working the system for more overtime and possibly federal grant money. Once federal money became available for it, you never saw so much terrorist activity in this country. Failure to delete records could be an oversight but should still be punished. And some of the groups mentioned do have members that bear watching if for no other reason than they probably drive cars. ;)

What's wrong with cops riding along in a CM?

They might become fans of the CM scofflaw fad. That's the problem.

-Kurt

They might become fans of the CM scofflaw fad. That's the problem.

-Kurt


Might not be so bad if they ride chrome Paramounts :thumb: and make sure everyone obeys traffic laws.

Shows that the law enforcement entities are afraid of a bunch of smelly youth. If only more CM participants patronized the solid deodorant industry, there would not be such animosity. I am hoping that the new president will direct the NSA, CIA, law enforcement, and armed forces to take a closer look at the people and corporations that openly funnel billions of dollars a year to Islamic fundamentalism, under the guise of buying gas.

Shows that the law enforcement entities are afraid of a bunch of smelly youth. If only more CM participants patronized the solid deodorant industry, there would not be such animosity. I am hoping that the new president will direct the NSA, CIA, law enforcement, and armed forces to take a closer look at the people and corporations that openly funnel billions of dollars a year to Islamic fundamentalism, under the guise of buying gas.So you use candles to light your home and burn wood to heat it. What do you do to air condition it?

No worries, Randya...as of today you'll can only be imprisoned at Gitmo for a year, tops, till it closes down. Of course I'm not sure what happens after that...they could let you go, they could transfer you to a US prison, or they could just shoot you.

So you use candles to light your home and burn wood to heat it. What do you do to air condition it?

Well as you correctly guessed, my comfortable American existence is dependent on OPEC, QATAR and Russia. I hope we do solve this energy problem or we all will wind up living on communes in the south west.

Well as you correctly guessed, my comfortable American existence is dependent on OPEC, QATAR and Russia. I hope we do solve this energy problem or we all will wind up living on communes in the south west.

Probably not going to happen near term. The price of a barrel of oil has gone down so low that Texas oil field workers are being laid off. There is no economic incentive to pursue alternative energy solutions.

There are national security reasons to do this... as there was to build the freeway system in the 1950s, but as yet no government agency has proposed a "national security alternative energy program" to the new prez... at least that I am aware of.

Might not be so bad if they ride chrome Paramounts :thumb: and make sure everyone obeys traffic laws.

Don't tell me about Paramounts for the rest of the week. I'm still pissed off about losing the auction for this beautiful Burgundy example by $20:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=140295870488

-Kurt

hopefully this witch hunting will stop now that we have a smart president again

Yep, CM is just about the biggest, most incredible security threat to life as we know it in Amerika today.

:rolleyes:

Perhaps the Maryland bulls consider B.O. and patchouli to be chemical weapons.

Well as you correctly guessed, my comfortable American existence is dependent on OPEC, QATAR and Russia. I hope we do solve this energy problem or we all will wind up living on communes in the south west.


No, more likely your oil comes from the U.S., Mexico, Canada or Venezuela.

No, more likely your oil comes from the U.S., Mexico, Canada or Venezuela.

Actually Saudi Arabia is #2 (#3 if you include US oil). His gasoline probably doesn't come from Canada: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_sands#Transportation_and_refining

Mexican oil is said to be in rapid decline. Iraq is ramping up production and will likely become a major exporter to the US.


Either way it's silly to argue over where your oil comes from if it's bought as a global commodity. When oil is entirely a domestic product we can feel self righteous about using it. Until then you're trading your hard work for another country's natural resource.

Another overblown story by the washington post. Whoa. Did you note "To date, the activists listed as terrorists are not known to have experienced any related limits in their travel, employment or financial transactions."

If the Maryland State Police would like to conduct surveillance of the VC members, good, they might learn something about cycling laws and proper riding. I welcome them to ride with me on a commute and learn something, should they get bored riding with CM.

Another overblown troll posted by Randya.:roflmao2:

Alpha52 = another moron who happens to know how to use a computer.

Alpha52 = another moron who happens to know how to use a computer.

Alpha52 and Randya: Two people wasting their life on the internet over petty arguments that would get you both laughed out of Foo.

-Kurt

Alpha52 and Randya: Two people wasting their life on the internet over petty arguments that would get you both laughed out of Foo.

-Kurt

Now I can ad moron to the long list of names I have been called by Randya when I take an opposing point of view. So far Randya has called me a moron, deluded, ignorant, simple-minded, wrongheaded.

Randya's latest response to another political thread......a neoclown circle-jerk, and you'll still always be ******. This all started to make sense when I finally discovered that Randya is one of my favorite people...a government employee....:lol: that explains it all.....

Isn't there some rule about insulting another member. Oh, that's right, it only applies to conservatives at this site....:rolleyes:

P&R is like Las Vegas - what happens in P&R stays in P&R. either post in P&R or STFU

P&R is like Las Vegas - what happens in P&R stays in P&R. either post in P&R or STFU

As usual, play by Randya's rules or don't play. Agree with me, or stfu....:roflmao2:

I can see that you're a 'last word' kind of guy, as if I actually expected you to STFU, just 'cause I said so...

:roflmao: