The Enemy is Us

No one thought that the revelations of Bushco illegal spying were over, so today’s story in the New York Times comes as no surprise. Of course they are spying on Americans, and of course they are spying on Americans who have nothing to do with Al-Qaeda, nothing to do with terrorism, and everything to do with their disdain, contempt, and loathing for all things Bushco and all things Bushcoesque about the modern American radical Right.

We moonbats on the loony Left have been correct in our assessment of this administration from the start. It is the most corrupt, dishonest, malevolent, incompetent, and disastrous administration in modern American history, and I’m certain we don’t know the half of it. We’re the people they’re spying on, those violent vegans and animal rights supporters and war protesters. Maybe Bushco is spying on members of the American Family Council and the 700 Club and the white supremacists over on stormfront.com - and I’d be curious to hear how those patriots feel about illegal wiretapping of their phones - but I doubt it.

Anyone who thinks that any erosion of civil liberties desired by the radical Right will be restored if by some whimsy they ever declare an end the War on Terror is stupider than stupid. Even if we grant that overreaction in the immediate aftermath of 911 is understandable, once Bushco discovered all the wondrous illegalities employable to squelch domestic dissent and entrench radical Right and corporatist rule and power, any changes in policy they make will be towards greater illegalities, not less. At the very least, they now have to cover-up all their illegalities.

But consider this: suppose, just suppose for thought experimentation’s sake, that Bushco motives are pure, that their concerns are for American lives and keeping Americans safe and protected from attack by terrorists, and in exchange for that safety Americans must sacrifice some of their civil rights. I’m with Patrick Henry: Give me liberty or give me death.