We've Lost Our Liberties

[Starkist]

I've been somewhat supportive of the Bush Administration these past seven years. When people have said that they are tearing up the Constitution, I have disagreed. When people have said we are losing our rights, I have asked for examples. When people say that we should be outraged, I have said that they were over the top.

Well now I am outraged. Now I see that our Constitutional rights are being destroyed.

A senior administration official has said that certain publications may be restricted or banned if they are critical of the current war. "There is a limit," he said. That limit is crossed when a publication "begins to say that this government got in the war wrong, that it is in it for the wrong purposes, or anything that will impugn the motives of the government for going to war." He goes on to say that saying the government is at war for the benefit of the market or the defense contractors is also a reason for censorship.

This is fascism, folks. This is the government trying to stifle dissent. This is unity through suppression. We shouldn't stand for this type of thing.

[Beldaran]

Hi, welcome to the cloud of authoritarian stink we've all been smelling ever since we invaded a country for 27 different reasons that changed on a weekly basis.

[phattonez]

It's still much better than the Adams presidency, the Civil War, World War I, and the Cold War. But hey, who needs history right?

Of course I'm against this measure, but it's nothing new.

[Icey]

"Much better" still doesn't mean "not terrible".

Do you have a citation, Starkist? A link or something to where these comments were reported? If that was actually said... I'll agree with both you - it is a severe breach of our liberties - and Phattonez - it isn't exactly unexpected. =\

[DarkDragoonX]

We've Lost Our Liberties

Did you check behind the couch? (Ba-dum-ksssh!)

On a more serious note, I find this development to be largely unsurprising. Really just par for the course so far.

[AtmaWeapon]

Yeah Bush has been a big disappointment to me; way back when I had a lot of support for him and figured the mistakes were bad decisions made off of bad information. Now I'm curious who is the one that pulls his strings because I'm one of those paranoid types and I'm almost certain one man can't perform so poorly by himself.

[Starkist]

Do you have a citation, Starkist? A link or something to where these comments were reported? If that was actually said...

It was actually said. I wanted to get some reactions before I cited it, and as usual, the depth of naiveté and historical ignorance in our society is always present.

That statement was made by Postmaster General Albert Burleson in 1917, in reference to President Woodrow Wilson's Espionage Act during World War I. Yes, Wilson the Democrat. Wilson the progressive hero. That Wilson.

As you can see, nothing the Bush Administration has done in the past seven years measures up to what the progressive heroes have done in America's past. Nobody goes to jail these days for criticizing the president or the government.

[Icey]

Yes, this is the reason I asked. It sounded familiar and I assumed that it was probably from a different administration. However, I wasn't 100% sure, so I added that "if" comment so it didn't just seem like I was calling you out.

Yes, censorship is an egregious act during any time, and especially during war. Sure, the Bush Administration hasn't gone that far, but I stand by my comment that it wouldn't be at all unexpected. And just because this administration hasn't gone to the farthest extremes, it certainly has had some murky policy these last 5 years (despite your own opinions on it, I don't really hold wiretapping in high regard). Of course, with Bush is in the waning days of his term, I highly doubt he would decide now to try to do something so far-reaching.

[Beldaran]

Your "They aren't as evil as other evil guys" argument is such utter shit. Fuck that argument.

Now I'm curious who is the one that pulls his strings

[Starkist]

Your "They aren't as evil as other evil guys" argument is such utter shit. Fuck that argument.

I salute you sir, for your depth of logic! You are a paragon of rationality. The world needs more erudite statesmen such as yourself. Bravo!