Reply #213: I think you misunderstood me EM

[Chomp]

on your first point...

I didn't mean it was ok by me to lock up random Arabs. Of course it's not. Rather, I meant that the US governement has no problem with it and indeed is shaping law to allow them do it (that is the point of all this legislation).

So my point was that they have no problem cutrailng these peoples' liberties: but they would have a huge problem doing it to the majority of people posting in this thread. They have no hesitation doing it to nameless brown ragheads - but they are not trying to do it to named middle class peaceniks.

You ask: "do you really think he will restrain himself because they are -- how did you describe them? -- regular middle class Americans?"

My answer: Yes. That was the exact point of my post. For people here to think they are the ones these peple are after is ludicrous.

You ask: Why do they arrest anyone wearing a t-shirt that insults our fearless leader? Why did they arrest Cindy Sheehan?

My answer: because these are the bog-standard and cack-handed efforts of a right wing government to control propaganda in a "time of war". This kind of stuff has been happeneing in civilised Western democricies forever, and forever will be. But this is run-of-the-mill pathetic political hackery and NOT some desperate attempt to institiute totalitarianism, as the majority of people in this thread seem to be insinuating.