I need a break at work. So a list.
Secret Wiretapping – “My personal opinion is it was a shameful act, for someone to disclose this very important program in time of war,” Bush said. “The fact that we’re discussing this program is helping the enemy.” Statements like that make me furious. It is the job of the media to report on things like this, especially when we are at war. The president is not a king. What he does needs to be reported on. And if it aids the enemy, so be it. That is the price we pay for living in this country. I’d rather be less safe and more free.
The War in Iraq – Bush has now admitted that there were no WMD’s, but that it was still okay to have this was because Saddam was bad. Well there are lots of bad people out there. We don’t go to war with every one of them. In fact we actively support some of them. (Can you say President Musharraf?”) Leading us into this war was completely wrong.
The Patriot Act – This abysmal piece of legislation was passed to “protect” us in the days after September 11th. But again, what it is doing is taking away our freedoms. Once again I’m going to have to say that I would rather live in a country that is less safe with more freedom. Apparently there are enough people willing to sacrifice their own personal freedoms for a false sense of security, though, that nothing actually gets done. Thank God, or whoever, that some Senators stepped up and stopped this, at least for now. So really, thank the senators. The idea for the expiration was so that we could review how well these laws have worked. But now they are rushing to repass them, with no review. Arg!
Torture – The U.S. shouldn’t torture. No matter what. NEVER. It doesn’t matter if it is going to save 5000, 10000, 100000 people. The U.S. does not torture. By torturing, we lower ourselves to the level of the terrorists, at which point there is nothing worth fighting for or caring for. I know that this is a repeating theme here, but more freedom, less security. Fuck you, Dick Chaney.
All of this comes to a point. A point that you can probably guess. And that is that I am willing to give up some security for freedom. Other people are willing to give up freedom for security, but I think that they are dumb, because who wants to live in a society where you aren’t free, with a false sense of security? Now, what I’m about to say might be controversial, but I don’t care. A professor of mine in college said something that I agree with very much. September 11th was terrible. Lots of people died. But lots of people die all the time from things. So you ask yourself, are you willing to sacrifice some people for freedoms? And my answer is resoundingly yes. Otherwise you completely disrespect the people who have already died.
2 Comments
I am very proud that you are thoughtful and have real moral values. It is incomprehensible to me that the U.S. that I knew growing up would even consider the possibility of torture. The hypocrisy of the religious right is amazing. They were their little WWJD bracelets, but do they really think Jesus would condone torture. We had no business starting this war in the first place. The terrorists of 9/11 were Saudi, and the Bush regime provided the Ben Lauden family with permission to fly home when all other flights were grounded. The “patriot” act is outrageous. We are living in a time when good is called bad and bad is called good. I wonder what it will take for decent Americans to admit their folly in believing the liars and return our country to decency.
Kinda makes you wonder what you’d have to write about to get a reply from someone other than your grandmother…