JOSHUA FRANK & MERLIN CHOWKWANYUN: On Civil Liberties Myopia

[Tace]

Bush Didn’t Start the War on the Bill of Rights

By Joshua Frank and Merlin Chowkwanyun -- World News Trust

So when did the assault on Americans’ civil liberties get kick-started? The current liberal establishment seems to deem 9/11 the chief catalyst. Many of the most influential members of the liberal club imply that drastic incursions on Americans’ civil liberties only began after 9/11, while the Clinton Administration represented a civil liberties paradise.

Take John Kerry partisan drone and stand-up comedian Margaret Cho, who at a MoveOn.org benefit, railed: “I mean, I'm afraid of terrorism, but I'm more afraid of the Patriot Act,” even though her candidate of choice not only voted for the legislation but authored many of its components.

Or how about Albert Gore, who in 2003 exclaimed: "They have taken us much farther down the road toward an intrusive, Big Brother-style government -- toward the dangers prophesied by George Orwell in his book '1984' -- than anyone ever thought would be possible in the United States of America.”

With such a sour musk in the air, it is unsurprising that hysteria reigned supreme over how much George W. Bush’s administration was to blame for the police conduct at the Republican National Convention last summer, where more than a thousand protestors were detained for up to 50 hours prior to being released. This infringement was indeed awful -- but hardly unique to the Bush years alone.

more

http://worldnewstrust.org/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=1907

[paulk]

1. classic joshua frank

carrying water for the right wing.


what a jackass...

[sandnsea]

2. yep, here we go again n/t

[welshTerrier2]

3. the article is a bit myopic

we have seen an erosion of civil liberties, especially in the area of search and seizure laws ...

and, it may be fair to say that neither political party has been as diligent in protecting civil liberties as they might have been ... but focussing the blame solely in Washington seems a bit myopic ...

ultimately, i think we, the American people need to shoulder the responsibility for safeguarding our own civil liberties ... we are taught as young school children about all the wonderful freedoms our Constitution provides but we are not taught the need for eternal vigilance in safeguarding those freedoms ... we are led to believe that our government is there to uphold the Constitution and that "experts" are in place in our democratic institutions to ensure that nothing goes wrong ...

in short, we are sold a "bill of goods rather than a bill of rights" ... we are taught that those who are critical of the American government are cynics and troublemakers ... we are taught how wonderful our democracy is but we are not taught about the greed of those who try to circumvent the laws on which the country was founded ... we are taught about the righteousness of free enterprise but we are not cautioned to guard against its excesses ...

in the end, perhaps there is not enough light for citizens to see into the dark halls of government ... in the end, even a vigilant populace might be unable to protect itself from the abuses of the rich and powerful ... in the end, perhaps, without a genuine partnership with those we elect to represent us, Americans would fall prey to the corrupting influences of the greedy ...

but to only look at government and not look to the people, who ultimately are the pool from which our elected representatives are picked, misses a critical ingredient in the safeguarding of our democracy ... this is not to exempt the political, ruling classes from their share of the blame; but, in the end, there will be no democracy without the eternal vigilance of the American people ...