Tennessee Official Says Complaining About Water Quality Could Be Considered 'Act of Terrorism'

[unhappycamper]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/tennessee-official-says-complaining-about-water-quality-could-be-considered-act



The claim was made during a meeting with residents who say the "cloudy, odd-tasting water" is making their children sick.

Tennessee Official Says Complaining About Water Quality Could Be Considered 'Act of Terrorism'
By Steven Hsieh
June 21, 2013

A representative for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation told a group of concerned citizens that complaining about water quality could be considered an “act of terrorism,” The Tennessean reports.

Sherwin Smith, deputy director of TDEC’s Division of Water Resources, made the claim during a meeting with residents of Maury County, Tennessee. Organized by State Rep. Sheila Butt, R-Columbia, the gathering sought to address complaints by residents that area water was making their children sick. In audio obtained by The Tennessean, Smith can be heard equating water quality complaints, an act of citizenry, with DHS-defined acts of terrorism:

We take water quality very seriously. Very, very seriously … But you need to make sure that when you make water quality complaints you have a basis, because federally, if there’s no water quality issues, that can be considered under Homeland Security an act of terrorism.

According to The Tennessean, several residents saw the statement as “an attempt to silence complaints.” One 68-year-old woman who says she “prays” before sipping the “cloudy, odd-tasting water,” felt that Smith’s message was, “Leave us alone. Don’t come back anymore. We’re not going to continue on dealing with whatever problem you may have.” An official TDEC spokesperson says the department is investigating the matter:

[think]

1. with govt officials like that who needs enemies

[valerief]

12. +1000

[niyad]

2. this gets more insane by the minute. I suppose calling him an arrogant, ignorant, hateful little

punk is also an act of terrorism?
"complaining about water quality could be considered an act of terrorism" only by a brain-dead, fear-mongering thug.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Not a CT, but you know who makes out when the local water supply is compromised?

Bottled Water suppliers. You know... water you have to PAY for.

[AgingAmerican]

4. Destroy the aquifiers so they can sell you bottled water?

Gotta love capitalism.

[BrotherIvan]

5. This is why so many object to the declaration of martial law upon the citizenry

When an official can, with a straight face, threaten to sick Homeland Security (and ostensibly send someone to Gitmo as a "terrorist&quot you are in deep shit. When you know every communication you have is being monitored, you will become a compliant sheep. ANYONE who supports this state of affairs is beneath contempt.

What I just wrote has been saved on a server and can be dug up at any time if I step out of line, like Winston's diary. If I also complain about water or air saftey, or illegal wars I will be labeled a "terrorist" and put in a for-profit prison. This is the slippery slope my friends.

[silvershadow]

6. Orwellian. nt

[Half-Century Man]

7. Why didn't anyone call "bullshit"?

...ask for the number of the law. make them go on record and heavily incriminate themselves.

[trusty elf]

8. "Nuttin' wrong with the water. Quit complaining or I'll shoot you in the face."

[IMG][/IMG]

[think]

15. Classic!

[CrispyQ]

17. I assume that's black gold he's soaking int.

I love the black rubber ducky!

[Iliyah]

9. LOL

Thats a fully picture!!!!!

[leftyohiolib]

10. hey tennesse a democratic pol wouldnt say that to you- hope you remember this at the ballot

[daleanime]

11. ........

[cantbeserious]

13. Anyone Can Be Deemed A Terrorist - Then The Surveillance Begins - Then Your Life Ends

eom

[blues lover]

14. So what else is new?

As a resident of Tennessee for many years, this does not surprise me. High handed abuses of government power are old hat here. I endured an astonishing period of police harassment twenty years ago under a Democratic administration for the crime of not going along with the destruction of a vibrant downtown neighborhood so that developers could have an unobstructed canvas on which to paint their view of an arts district. First, they had to get rid of the artists...

The people here don't matter except as economic units providing rents to their betters.

House on fire? If you didn't pay for additional fire protection, too bad. The fire dept shows up only to keep it from spreading to your neighbor's house, if they paid.
Environment? Use it up before Jesus gets here.
Dissent? Get arrested.
Speak up? Get slapped down.
Prove that you are a proud Amurikan by removing the pollution controls from your truck.(They are a librul ,Commie plot to weaken our strong white males.)

Don't forget that the great minds who conceived of for profit health care and private prisons are all based here.

I have noticed that an alarming number of our elected officials and civic leaders are in fact from Mississippi and other Southern garden spots of enlightenment. Maybe they moved here when 'colored folks' got the vote and they are trying to create a white conservative bastion of privilege where the populace is so cowed and dumb.( See our education rankings.)

Remember also that the KKK was founded here and we do have a nasty history of silencing 'uppity' voices. MLK leaps immediately to mind...

So you all just never mind. We know better than you do. Do what and where and when we tell you.


EVERYTHING NOT SPECIFICALLY ALLOWED, IS FORBIDDEN !

[Iliyah]

16. Look what they are going in NC

as well as WI, MI and other states run by GOPers. Its like a blueprint once they get in total power, i.e. WH and congress.

[AFJROTCcadetEcho]

18. Dumbasses

I don't think anyone in Tennessee has a IQ beyond a single digit!