This is a Thing now -- "Democratic" Free Speech Zones
“The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time, to erode rights by a thousand tiny and almost imperceptible reductions. In this way, the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.”
― Pat Miller, Willfully Ignorant -- goodreads.com
Nina Turner explains to MSNBC what happened between her and the DNC [with Video]
cutting to the chase:
I was supposed to be one of the nominators for Senator Sanders, along with congresswoman Tulsi, and at the last minute was told that I could not do it -- for reasons that I will not comment on. [...]
It was really unfortunate especially on the night where African-American Women were all on that stage -- and talking about giving voice to women.
EDITORIAL: Free-speech zone? Not during a political convention
Kansas City Star -- Jul 12, 2016
It’s difficult to conceive of anything more contrary to the spirit of robust democracy than a “free-speech zone” or a “protest zone.”
Is speech confined behind a barricade truly free? Is a protest forced out of sight even meaningful?
Last month, a federal judge ruled that Cleveland’s regulations limiting protests and marches during the upcoming Republican National Convention violated the First Amendment’s free-speech guarantee.
[...]Philadelphia, which will host the Democratic National Convention later in July, also faces a lawsuit for rejecting an application for a march from City Hall to the convention site during rush hour. That city has no obligation to protect Hillary Clinton’s coronation from protest.
It is important that government restrictions on free speech serve compelling interests — public safety and security, primarily — and are as narrowly tailored as possible to serve those interests in the least restrictive ways.
That is even more essential when the speech in question is over an issue as vital and fundamental as who will be elected to serve as president of the United States.
The two major political parties do not want protests to dominate the coverage of their conventions. Too bad. That should not be the concern of local police departments, the Secret Service or local governments. Their duty is to keep people safe and to allow the free exercise of political expression.
[...]
Watch Bernie Sanders Fans Rail Against Hillary From Their Lonely DNC Free Speech Cage [with Video]
by Tommy Christopher, mediaite.com -- July 27th, 2016
[...] a contingent of Bernie die-hards continues to fight the “Bernie or Bust” fight, but you’d never know it unless you were there. Well, not there, exactly, but about a mile away from the convention floor, which is where the “free speech zone” for the convention has been set up.
[...]So-called “free speech zones” have been a feature of these conventions for nearly thirty years now, and they seem to get even more absurd as time passes, if that’s possible. In Denver in 2008, the free speech cage was higher than this one, but it was only a few hundred yards from the convention floor, and just feet away from the media tents. These Bernie protesters would have a better chance of being heard if they stayed home and yelled at their TVs.
DNC Staff Are Removing Bernie Sanders Signs from Delegates’ Hands (VIDEO)
by Zach Cartwright, usuncut.com -- July 25, 2016
The DNC staff appear to be doing everything they can to purge the convention hall of anything mentioning Bernie Sanders’ name.
One video shot by activist and journalist Cassandra Fairbanks shows a man in a suit, presumably a DNC staffer, walking down the aisles of the Wells Fargo Center carrying an armload of Bernie Sanders’ campaign signs. A row of Clinton delegates on the left is seen passing a Sanders bumper sticker toward the man, who pockets it.
In one tweet, a Sanders delegate claimed DNC staff were not only ripping signs out of delegates’ hands, but threatening to de-credential any delegate for simply holding up a Sanders sign on the convention floor:
[...]
SO, This is now a Thing now -- an acceptable thing -- for the Democratic Party?
A now-proven corrupt institution that has been slowly, methodically, relentlessly, becoming the very Thing -- that we all used to abhor.
{ie. dictatorial}
{Can the Erosion of tolerance, civil liberties, and the sanctity of our Votes, be very far behind ???}
Comments
It was
It was this comment that set the "connect the dots" wheels
in motion for me today:
Mindful of the way republicans use language changes
as propaganda (such as becoming "pro-life" rather than "anti-abortion", "death tax" replaced "estate tax", etc.) it threw me for a loop when I heard W refer to our "freedoms" in the plural.
Never before had i heard references to freedom but as a unitary concept. We had always talked about freedom as a whole, never as bits and pieces. So this subtle change in language got me to realize that they were going to go after our freedom in bits and pieces.
It's already happening. Patriot Act, the NSA, now "free speech" zones?
And now everyone refers to our freedoms in the plural. Just like that.
We need to all use the word "freedom" as a unitary concept and correct anyone who refers to freedom in the plural.
Four Freedoms
In January 1941 Franklin Roosevelt gave his Four Freedoms speech. He said all people everywhere were entitled to:
1.The freedom of speech and expression.
2. The freedom to worship God in their own way.
3.Freedom from want.
4. And freedom from fear.
And as much as I appreciated
And as much as I appreciated the essay this ?quote? kinda made me go 'wut???!!!' - a leetle late asking or a much earlier quote?
Because the sheer blatancy of that stolen Dem primary and the behaviours at the Convention (not to mention everywhere else, and throughout - heck well before - the primary) showed nothing but the underlying contempt for all three within the corporate/billionaire-owned political system. And formed an alert for a similarly rigged General, if nothing constructive is done about a thorough and independent investigation and recount, with Bernie having his Presidential candidacy confirmed and the cheating side facing the full penalties of actual, unrigged-for-the-'more-equal-than-others' law.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
The next " free speech cage they set up
we should all wear Auschwitz style stripped clothing. Send that around the net.
Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.
Seriously, it's about time to go Godwin on their asses
because of THIS:
What do you mean, "that you will not comment on??" What the hell, Nina? TELL US WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING, that everyone, all the way to Bernie Sanders, are just knuckling under like this! If you won't, I'll have no choice but to start looking at this as "we're headed toward complete fascism, a version that would make Stalin or Hitler blush. Right here in the United States of America".
Mostly because I don't know what the hell else she means by that. Why in the hell wouldn't she say WHY?
thing is, I think
Nina Turner is minding her "p's and q's" (Bernie too)
Because they are still hoping to Make Change, from the Inside.
Or at least hold the "Deal Makers" accountable.
Noble goals, and worthy of pursuing. (IMHO, as Change often takes a life-time of effort.)
Reminds me of about a year ago,
when people were saying
"Bernie is great -- Wish we had a 100 more like him."
Well, Nina is cut from the same Bernie clothe. Where keeping their powder dry to fight another day, is the reality.
Of course, we can't all be Insiders (like them).
We all have our roles to play -- Outsiders, especially the loud and coherent ones,
keep pushing that envelope forward ...
keep reminding all who will listen, how very far we still need to go.
Such is the value of "Free Speech".
"Headed toward" complete fascism?
The minute they put up these Orwellian "Free Speech Zones", we were there, right there, already. Once they can restrict where and when you can say something, it's only a matter of time before they restrict what you can say also. And we're there, as the DNC Convention showed quite explicitly.
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Not yet
if we were completely there, there wouldn't be this blog and we wouldn't be dissing these people freely. And not for nothin', but I've thought lately that perhaps I need to lay even lower than I have to date with this kind of truth-telling. I keep wondering when they're coming for us, because Fascism demands it.
PS. I don't think these folks' are minding their Ps and Qs because they REALLY believe the Dem Party can be reformed from the inside, but it's a way more pleasant thought than the ones I've been having, obviously....
PS
Bernie was the first guest on Bill Maher, last night.
And he talked about this very topic.
That he wanted to see their progressive "gains" to fruition.
That he wanted to hold the Dems and Hillary accountable to what they agreed to.
That he would run again as VT-Senator again in two, to do just that.
That real change takes time to happen.
That he encouraged those who really cared about change to run for local office,
so that they could start changing "their party" from the inside -- to take over the Party,
-- to hold the Billionaire Class accountable.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy6kyFxaMqGtpE3pQTflK8A
SO, No, it's not just me imagining stuff, or putting a pleasant face on things.
Lol, note Bernie's emphasis
Lol, note Bernie's emphasis on defeating one psychopath, not on voting for the other. I think his big concern is with people voting for Trump, under the illusion that this billionaire con-man is 'independent' of his own class, rather than Jill Stein, truly independent of corporate money and influence.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
At this point, the outward
At this point, the outward trappings of democracy are still present in the US: Americans have their candidates selected for them by private organizations therefore deemed not accountable to the public whose Presidential choices they effectively supply; Americans can cast votes which may not even be pretended to count in rigged elections, but have no actual power exerted through corporate/billionaire representatives immediately made dependent on their funding upon taking public office and Americans have no influence on public policy, apart from the odd social bone tossed to them to keep the pretense of a legitimate democratic government 'serving the public good', in order to keep the public complacent enough to accept each new outrage and worsening abuse because 'it's not really fascism yet', even with all signs present.
At this point we can self-identify online as 'political dissidents' by being allowed to speak freely on an internet which has not yet been wholly given over to corporate control - and be listed as such.
At this point, peaceful protests are 'allowed' but with protestors often caged and with protesters subject to rough treatment/arrest by their own 'serve and protect' police forces (often in riot gear and issued military equipment) on typically... creative? grounds.
But the last shred of pretense is already evaporating, and I suspect that this will be gone the instant the TPP goes through/Hillary/Trump takes office.
Rather than admitting that this is due to the transfer of Constitutional power from The People's domestic law and government intended to be, and only legitimate when, of, by and for the people, with equal rights, treatment and opportunity for all, the public welfare being the priority, to offshored corporate/billionaire law under the TPP and other such privately made, unconstitutional and traitorous 'agreements', for maximized corporate/billionaire profit from, and control over, The People, the excuse will likely be that of being in a 'state of war' via the threatened nuclear attacks being set up against Russia and China, likely to trigger (even if by accident or glitch) Mutual Assured Destruction, or, appropriately, MAD, since the whole notion of nuking any country is. (On the other hand, there have also been some suggestive American interactions with people in Russia/trips to Russia of which I've read, so it may be possible that this could be fear-mongering theatre as well. Dunno about China; can't even remember particulars of the Russian stuff, although others may.)
Many Germans proceeded fairly normally through WW2, unaware of all that was being done behind the propaganda - but something on the order of 100,000 'good Germans' had also been 'patriotically' disposed of by the time the Allies arrived as being no longer useful to the Fatherland. Useless eaters, as so many human beings are to such types.
This parallels what was done before, up to identifiable groups being beaten, arrested and killed on the streets all around the general public, but it's hard to see this from within the gradually heating pot...
If Americans do not make it clear now that they will not tolerate this, they will soon no longer be able to do so.
It's been said that had the Germans objected earlier, the whole mess could have been forestalled, since some massive protests by brave women on behalf of their men gained a response, with the bullies backing down; if the American people do not do so while any uncorrupted mechanisms or concept of decency and democracy remains by which to do this, there will be nobody remaining to point this opportunity for prevention out within a relatively few decades, or much, much sooner.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
that's one more sign why Sanders stone face expression
he had during the convention must have a horrible meaning.
Too many people, flipping or going mute too fast. Something is very wrong.
https://www.euronews.com/live
He's in a nest of psychopaths
He's in a nest of psychopaths who VERY blatantly stole a nomination he won - despite voter suppression and other dirty tricks depriving probably millions of people of voting rights - and who are notoriously vindictive.
And he probably had a plan which required his keeping his delegates - which he escaped having to release to Hillary, as well as not having to concede by the tactic of requesting that she be nominated.
Most of the Convention stuff I've seen has to do with the various dirty Dem tricks, but I read that Bernie had a deep gash on his face later in the night.
Does everyone remember when a battered Reid showed up with broken ribs following a 'fall down the stairs' (or was that an accident with an exercise machine?) in order to announce that he was resigning his position? We already know that there are thugs in government and that two of the biggest are moving back in toward the White House.
And while Bernie may not succumb to personal threats or beatings even at 74, threats made regarding his family or the people of Vermont would have a soul-sickening effect.
As would accusations of being a sell-out/coward made not only by corporate media but taken up by Jill Stein and by some even once his followers. False accusations hurt the honest and dedicated more deeply than he would want to show. But he always has been willing to sacrifice everything personally his to fight for the vulnerable against all odds, and that is too inherent to his being for this to ever change.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Why?
I'm wondering if they have some sort of dirt on them. I doubt that, though. These people are UPSTANDING US CITIZENS fighting for us.
I'm wondering if they have threatened to take away their positions back in DC.
I'm wondering if they have threatened them in other ways (themselves, their loved ones). There, I said it.
I don't know. I don't consider myself an evil person, and I'm pretty sure my family and co-workers can vouch for that, so I don't have the capacity to think of that.
I don't doubt that HRC could though. She's the Devil in a Blue Dress. Apologies to Mitch Ryder.
I am kinda
bummed that I don't feel welcome in the kiddie pool over there. When Billeh put a poll up the day after Cali asking who had your vote, $hills or tRumpf, in the name of unity? I'd about had enough.
Again, as I've said elsewhere, thanks for a welcoming space to vent and learn. It sure feels nice.
And apologies for my sometimes course language, sometimes I can't help carpet f-bombing the joint. Irascibility be my middle(finger) name.
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
Your very first quote illustrates how lesser evil becomes
the greater evil given time.
Evil doled out incrementally will condition you to accept small puzzle pieces and assemble the yawning maws of hell without even knowing what you are doing, because they're not showing you the box cover picture of the completed puzzle.
" “Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.” FDR "
Good imagery, but chilling.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
I love the way Dr. Stein describes lesser-evilism voting
as a conduit to the greater evil.
I like your analogy, too, wherein we have pieces, but are not shown the "box cover picture." Maybe the "conduit" imagery really hit home for me since I am a former electrician. But your analogy fits w/ the process of electricity in a sub-station stepped down to transformers, stepped down to blocks, stepped down to individual buildings/residences. Look at that going the other way (from the residences), you only know the power in your building, w/out seeing where the greater power comes from. It's all about the loops and conduits.
Realignment is really happening.
I described the current realignment in my earlier diary here. The Democratic Party is occupying the space where the Republican Party was during the Reagan era. The Republican Party currently attempts to channel the American Independent Party of 1968.
All that's missing is a major party for us.
“When there's no fight over programme, the election becomes a casting exercise. Trump's win is the unstoppable consequence of this situation.” - Jean-Luc Melanchon
IMHO they have overshot
and become the Democratic Party of Woodrow Wilson.
All they need now is a respected college professor to cloak his bigotry in politer language. Think they won't find one by 2020?
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
The Dem Party is considerably right of Reagan
Which of Reagan's bad stuff did Bill Clinton or Barack Obama end, other than Reagan's ban on gays in the military (which was heinous)?
Reagan may have flapped his lips about welfare queens, but was it Nancy or Hills who said people on welfare lacked dignity; and was it Ron or Bill who kvelled over ending "welfare as we know it?
Was it Reagan and Poppy who managed to make NAFTA law, or Bill?
Who repealed Glass Steagall, which like welfare, was part of FDR's New Deal?
Was it Ron or Bill who lobbied for the Commodities Futures Modernization Act of 2000, which left mortgage derivatives unregulated, leading to the economic crash of 2008 in the US and other countries?
Who got the Telecommunications Act passed?
Who engaged in "extraordinary rendition," Ron or Bill?
Who really pushed for charter schools, Ron, or Bill and Barack?
How about allowing big business to override state law? Ron or Barack?
And so on.
Good things became law under Clinton and Obama, too, especially in the sphere of social justice. But on other issues, we are, I believe, now well to the right of Reagan and money is flowing to the tippity top of the wealth ladder faster than ever before.
DP of Richard Nixon seems to fit
I remember liberals criticizing the Bush Administration for
its free speech zones. Apparently they were merely envious.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
They'll be criticizing Free Speech Zones in the future,
but if, and only if, Team Red gets back in the White House. Team Blue trampling on our precious rights? It's fine and dandy.
"Just call me Hillbilly Dem(exit)."
-H/T to Wavey Davey
The Dem Hypocrisy
is astounding.
What was verboten and horrific under Bush,
Suddenly became "practical" and "necessary" under Obama.
I shudder to think of where another decade of such "group-think white-washing"
will leave us.
No where good, I suspect.
Remember Rachel Maddow's IOKIYAR? Now it's IOKIYAD.
"The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now do you begin to understand me?" ~Orwell, "1984"
Free speech is not something which can be given to you
It's something you must take and hold and protect... as evidenced by recent activity on this very site. The community as a whole (be that the US population, Democratic party members, or members of a blog site) must value free speech... particularly when they strongly disagree with the content of that speech and they must defend the speaker thereby defending the concept of free speech.
This is just one of the places where the American electorate has lost sight of anything related to principles and instead is focused on winning at any cost and/or reinforcing tribal identities. It's a part of what any successful movement must change.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
a hearty
Thank you to all
who went to protest anyways,
despite all the Free Speech obstacles.
Your efforts were heard.
Makes my skin crawl...
"I can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I'm frightened of the old ones."
John Cage
Well, they are the party that vociferously defends the
NSA spying on us, and attacks whistleblowers. They even forced the plane of the head a of sovereign state (Evo Morales) to land. They are concerned with pushing the neoliberal agenda, which is starting to be threatened by the waking of lots of angry people. I expect to see the acceleration of militarizing police, spying, drones, etc.
Bernie proved that most voters are to the left of both parties.
There have been so many articles written asking "why don't Americans have the policies polls clearly show they support" and explaining that "both parties are corrupt because they are bought and paid for.
Slate interviewed Greenwald on the leaks and connecting them and Trump to Russia. This comment really stood out.
Stealing this election from us is just not acceptable or forgivable. It cannot be buried. It is why I am quite willing to blow it all up and let the chips fall where they may.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Metaphorically speaking,
of course. Wouldn't want someone to say Bernie fans are violent. . .
Shit! Too late.
Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .
Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .
If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march
Have you noticed how they are ramping up the Russia
involvement in the hacking of the DNC emails and now they are saying that Russia hacked the DCCC and the Clinton campaign too?
How do they know that Russia didn't hack Hillary's private email server? Just because they said so, but they hacked the election offices? Right
Huma Abedin said in her deposition to JW that they knew that the server had been hacked and it had to be taken offline for a few days. So it was hacked, but they know for sure that is wasn't Russia? Realy?
Someone asked DiFi about whether she knew about this attack and she said that she didn't, but it wouldn't surprise her. There's the bullshit line for me. DiFi is the head of the Senate intelligence committee and if anyone would know that Russia hacked the emails, it would be her committee .
Obama has been building up troops in countries that surround Russia because of Russian 'aggression' or that Russia is interfering in European elections.
So this Russia involvement has come out of nowhere.
This is another false flag propaganda action to get people in this country ready for the war on Russia.
People are pointing out that Putin stole Crimea from Ukraine, but what happened was the people in Crimea voted on whether they wanted to stay in the Ukraine or Russia and they choose Russia.
But the Hillary and Obama supporters don't want to let facts get in their way of backing their war with Russia.
Beside, those wars are only bad when it is the republicans doing them. Right?
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
A comment on Common Dreams
I made a comment on another website stating how I thought that the Clintons asked Trump to run for president and how the media covered him before and after he became the nominee, along with some things I said about how they are trying to blame Russia for the attack while deflecting that the DNC is in the tank for Hillary.
Imagine my surprise when I saw my comment written on a SF Gate article about the DNC hacking and blaming Russia.
Was Humpty Dumpty pushed?
Democracy in a cage...
Ignore them. Don't put the revolution on the TV! May be it will go away.
May be not this time?
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Yep. The status quo, which is presented as the practical and
mature choice, is nothing but a front for the corporatocracy
Peace out, tmp.
Thanks Steve, for your great writing.
The freer the speech the better the writing.
PS. Is anybody else having problems entering text in a comment. I had to write this on notepad and copy and paste here.
Beware the bullshit factories.
I concur
Steven D is becoming a National Beacon.
His citizen activism is approaching 'Epic'.
Not sure if you meant me but Jamess wrote this one
And it is great writing.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
LOL
Cut-n-Paste editing, is more like it,
with a few (very few) choice Editorial comments thrown in for good measure.
But thanks Steve.
It gets people thinking, right?
Which is the ultimate point of "good writing" ...
Actually I did mean you
Because I obliviously and lazily thought you were the essay writer. Thanks Jamess, for all your great writing too.
Beware the bullshit factories.
thanks Timmethy2.0
I knew what you meant,
and heartily agreed.
Jamess, Shhhhhush Now! You Are F..king Up The Narrative
The convention was so nicely airbrushed. And now you are spoiling it by disclosing how those Free Speech Zones look like open air detention centers.
I will bet the city used the convention to boost police revenues (tickets and arrests). Such a profitable venture for the oligarchs.
Donnie The #ShitHole Douchebag. Fake Friend to the Working Class. Real Asshole.
those who want to
want to keep
the blinders onthe Happy Narrative echoingwill not be hindered,
not be bothered,
by trivial "practicalities" of Free Speech Cages.
If virtually "uncountable" Provisional Ballots don't bother them
then constitutionally-speaking, probably nothing will.
Except perhaps, Losing.
If the protests get any bigger
they'll put us in the football stadiums next.
" El pueblo unido jamás será vencido. The people united will never be defeated "
Lol, and even with Bernie not
Lol, and even with Bernie not speaking, he'll still be filling stadiums with the most courageous and aware citizens in the People's Revolution!
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
Hemingway, asked how you lose
a Republic said 'Two ways: slowly, then suddenly.'
Orwell: Where's the omelette?
And they hide behind the "Private Property"
argument when confronted with it. As if our Democracy is restricted to those Feudal Lords that deign to give their peasants a place they can talk.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
As I’ve said before, it pains me greatly to see bloggers like
Digby at Hullabaloo or Atrios at Eschaton totally AWOL on the election fraud issue. Or, it seems, anything else that doesn’t fit the “eternal sunshine of the spotless Hillary, Trump evil” narrative.
Seriously?
Digby too?!?
(facepalms)
The gaslighting continues, apparently...
Digby seems just so thrilled by the “first woman POTUS” angle
that I can’t begrudge her her enthusiasm. But I can’t stand to read her blog anymore, either.
Well, Hillary isn't the first
Well, Hillary isn't the first psychopath in high public office, but the first female psychopath in the Presidency IS a really big thing for most of us. Makes my heart go pitter-patter in agonized panic.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.