Taking a cue from our enemies, are we??

Submitted by Greg Wright (United States), Jul 13, 2006 at 15:05

If you will forgive me for splitting hairs, here. Is it not absurd that the very substance of your argument is that our legal system is not as brutal as that of our enemies? Should we, therefore, put the hammer down on our own citizens much in the fashion of, our friends, the Saudi kings past and present? Are you serious? Now, do I endorse the jackassery of wingnut shills like Howard Dean, or fickle contrarians like John Kerry? Certainly not. But, one should not fight Orwellian double-speak with more of the same.

My point, though, is that American history has already seen more than enough instances dangerous infringement of Constitutionally protected freedoms. The Sedition Act of 1918, where several people were jailed for up to 20 years for such heinous acts as complaining of the inanity of food rationing during World War 1. Many of the citizens, who served full sentences, were not pardoned until 2006--a formality, at best. Also, do I really need to bring up the Alien and Sedition Act 1798?

You seem to argue that American people are too stupid, or callous, to govern themselves and must, therefore, be ruled over by some firm despot. If Constitutionally protected rights are really the problem, why did we ever cede from British colonial rule in the first place? As a certain president once said, "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors, must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy or perhaps both" --James Madison So, in my opinion, the millions of ineffectual ignoramuses who could care less of politics (but who memorize every line from a 'Friends' episode) have made our country a farce, already. Thank you for doing your part in that awful process toward becoming a tragedy, as well.

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