There is no such thing as 'an absolute truth' in politics. But the foundation should be something everybody can agree on.
Links like the one above tend to p*ss off some people, but you tell me : where are the(fundamental) differences between the Soviet State and the current 'measures' the American administration thinks they have to take? What is the difference between Gitmo and the Gulag? And I do not mean practical differences, I do not mean the nitpicking differences(we treat them better, they at least get food from us, etcetera). I am talking about holding people for years (I could understand a few months) without accusing them, without the right to a trial, without the right to appeal to the American Constitution. Well, they do have the right to appeal, if they can get the word out. But as we have seen recently, the Bush-administration threw out the Supreme Court's decision by going back to the senate and congress and have them create an exception to the rule.
You know what ? This posting sounds dangerously left-wing and communist. Thankfully, my opinions are shared quite often with free-thinkers like Fred Reed and the likes. And absolutely no one can be serious when they accuse Fred of being left-wing. The guy worked for Soldier of Fortune for years! He's seen more battlefields than you and I can list. A commie he ain't...
As a dutchman who is on the outside looking in I ask again and again and again : What the H*ll is happening with the beautiful 'house' the Americans built? Where is the uproar because Washington restricts air-travel for 12-year olds because they share a name with someone who is suspected of having been to Afghanistan once? Where is the uproar when the government eavesdrops on THOUSANDS of its own citizen while refusing to request a warrant(that they would get without objection)?
Where are all those free-spirited Americans? Where are the completely american independents who are prepared to defend their compound in Waco, but who do not defend themselves against the most covert and powerful american administration America has ever seen? And why oh why is it now a national(mostly republican) hobby to accuse everyone who does not fully support Bush's war of being 'unpatriotic'? That last one makes the skin of a lot of people over here crawl. It leads to fascism. Nobody can say otherwise. It has been proved over and over again, and not just in Germany 1933. Everywhere except in the United Stated, the 'last beacon of hope'. Until now.
And by the way : there is a reason for Godwin's Law("mention Nazi-Germany or Hitler in a discussion and you automatically lose"). Everything bad we have seen in the last 70 odd years is compared to the Nazi-regime because it was the epitome of evil. It is indeed the end to all discussions. In this case it had better be the start of one...
Keep in mind that as good as no one in Europe gloats over this. Quite the opposite: a lot of people here are very worried. And I say with good reason too. After all, we do have some experience with these situations and so far they have all resulted in chaos.
And in this frame of mind, I am glad I come across the counter-voices, even if only on the web. Like this one :
The Declaration of independence and The Constitution built upon it make it absolutely clear that We the People of America are the only Sovereign Power of America and that any government has authority to make or execute our laws only to the extent that We grant that government our Consent to do so.
This is quite a contrast with what we are seeing from abroad. And it worries us. I am grateful that the web gives everyone the chance to speak his or her mind. You can stifle the media but you cannot shutdown the web.
Yet. For as long as it lasts.
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